The Breach Between Christ and His Church

“And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword.

“‘I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.’” Revelation 2:12-17 ESV

Now my understanding regarding these seven churches is that these were the collective body of Christ throughout these entire cities, but this did not mean that they all met together in one location, for they often met in people’s homes. Therefore, those who were holding to the teaching of Balaam did not necessarily meet together with those who did not. But the entire church of that city was being addressed here, and each was to be looking out for the other as though they were one body, each responsible for the other to make certain that all were following Jesus with their lives.

Now, where Satan has his throne is the earth, the world as we know it. And all of us humans live on the earth where Satan has his throne. And so we are always going to be faced with his opposition, his tricks, his attacks against us, and his temptations, etc. So, the commendation to this body of believers is that most of them, it appears, held fast to the name of Jesus and did not deny him even in the midst of severe persecution and the possibility of death for a testimony of faith in Jesus Christ. For where Satan’s throne is is also where we live, and if we follow Jesus, we will be persecuted.

Now the problem that exists today is that there is a breach, a violation, a defiance and a betrayal that exists between Jesus Christ and his body so that it opens the way for thieves and robbers and wolves in sheep’s clothing to enter into the gatherings of the church and to deceive naïve minds into believing the lies and not the truth. And it is the responsibility of us all to do what we are able to bridge that gap by speaking the truth of God’s word and by refuting the lies of the enemy, and by calling out these wolves in sheep’s clothing who are infecting the body of Christ with the lies of Satan.

For we also have many among us who are giving the people free license to continue in deliberate and habitual sin against the Lord Jesus. We have many among us who are teaching a gospel message that is not of Christ but that tells the people that a mere profession of faith in Christ is enough to secure heaven for them but regardless of how they live. And many are telling them that they don’t have to repent (forsake their sins), that they don’t have to obey the Lord, and that no works are required of them. And so they are given carte blanche to continue in deliberate and habitual sin.

And sexual immorality is running rampant within the gatherings of what are called “churches” here in America. And it appears that little is being done to correct that severe error of teaching and of practice. But most appear to be putting “Band Aids” over serious sin wounds rather than helping the people to get the cancer of sin out of their lives and to help them to now walk in faithful obedience to the Lord in living holy, upright, godly, honest, morally pure, faithful and obedient lives to Christ Jesus, our Lord. And many are being told to “stay in your own lane,” and shamed if they don’t.

So, it appears that not many are calling out the errors of teaching that are permeating the gatherings of the church here in America today. Not many are actively exposing the lies of the enemy and calling for the wandering church to repent of her sins of idolatry and adultery to now follow the Lord Jesus in purity of devotion to him, in holy living, and in the forsaking of their sins in order to walk in obedience to the Lord and to his commandments (New Covenant). And not many are warning of the dire consequences to those who refuse to repent and to change their ways.

And so this is what causes this breach between Christ and his body because there are so many among us who are blatantly teaching what is false and who are rejecting and teaching against what is true. And it appears that the majority of those professing faith in Jesus Christ in America are believing the lies of the enemy and not the truth of God’s word. And so this is huge! And so the Lord is speaking to the church in America, too, that we collectively need to turn away from these false teachings and to expose them for what they are, and we need to be those who are speaking the truth of God’s word.

I personally believe that the church in America is already under the judgment of God because the majority all seem to have gone the way of the world and are following after the ways of the world and of the flesh of man and not after the ways of God in holy living and in obedience to our Lord and to his commands. And so many are not willing to speak out against these unlawful practices and against all the lies permeating the church. And the more who remain silent and/or who join in with these ungodly practices, the greater the gap between Christ and his body becomes.

So, the church overall in America needs to repent of her sins of idolatry and adultery, and she needs to refuse these wolves in sheep’s clothing and their diluted and altered “gospel” messages which are intended to appease human flesh and to attract the ungodly to their gatherings. And those of us who have already parted ways with the worldly “church” of today, in order to follow after the will of God for our lives, we need to keep speaking the truth of the gospel, and we need to keep refuting the lies of the enemy, for far too many are believing the lies and are rejecting the truth of God’s Word.

For, it is not those who give lip service to the Lord who have the promise and the hope of salvation from sin and eternal life with God. It is those who have denied self, who are dying daily to sin, by the grace of God, and who are walking in obedience to the Lord and to his commands (New Covenant), and who are living holy lives pleasing to the Lord. That doesn’t make us perfect people. But lack of perfection is never to be used as an excuse for deliberate and habitual sin against the Lord. For if sin is what we practice, and not obedience to our Lord, we will not inherit eternal life with God.

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 6:35-58; Jn 15:1-11; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-24; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-11; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 10:23-31; 1 Co 10:1-22; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]

Oh, to Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer 

Lyrics by Thomas O. Chisholm, 1897

Music by W. J. Kirkpatrick, 1897

Oh, to be like Thee! blessèd Redeemer,

This is my constant longing and prayer;

Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,

Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.

Oh, to be like Thee! full of compassion,

Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,

Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,

Seeking the wandering sinner to find.

O to be like Thee! lowly in spirit,

Holy and harmless, patient and brave;

Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,

Willing to suffer others to save.

O to be like Thee! while I am pleading,

Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love;

Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,

Fit me for life and Heaven above.

Oh, to be like Thee! Oh, to be like Thee,

Blessèd Redeemer, pure as Thou art;

Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;

Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrYhiK2nQBg 

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