Growth and Change
Typically we look at the word growth as positive. But, there time when growth is negative. Consider our current economic status. Many people say that the national debt is
growing and also the deficit. That is
typically not good news. In terms of
health, cancer tumors grow in the body.
That is not good growth. So, when
we apply this to the church setting, does it correspond? Church growth is not always good, especially
if the new members are not willing to abide by the doctrinal views of the
organization. That could have adverse
consequences.
Another word that is typically seen as positive is
change. But, change can be negative,
too.
Our lesson says that a church that resists change will not
grow and therefore die. Anything that grow
changes, but so does anything that dies.
Consider a plant that is dying.
It may be resisting growth, in terms of expanding the space it occupies
and increase its strength. The moment
this happens changes occur that will reveal that it is dying. The color of the
leaves changes, they shrivel up and fall.
The stem will most likely bend. The
plant grows when it has water, nutrients and sunlight. When one of these is missing the plant
dies. All three of these ingredients
have a spiritual equivalent in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Without them we die. Hence, it is important to be connected to
where we can receive the resources.
The question is can a church seem to be alive- it is
expanding in numbers and strength - but still dying? Many churches are like gangrenes and
cancers. They grow but it is nothing
more than death taking over the body.
Tumors are often extirpated, and gangrened body part is severed. The same will happen with those
churches.
In Matthew 7: 21 Jesus said that "Not everyone who says
to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven…” They will beg to get in the Kingdom. Let us read verses 22 and 23,
Matthew 7:2-23
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not
prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name
done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you:
depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
They will say to Christ but we did many things in your
name. Christ will probably answer, “You
used my name in vain. Your works were
not mine.” But, we went to church
together, we sat in the same pews, we sang from the same hymnals, and red from
the same Bible.” Christ will sill
probable say, “You sure it was me?” They
will answer, “Yes, it was.” Then they
will claim the fact that they gave tithes and offerings, served in the Church
in different capacities. Christ will
answer, “That money never came to me. And, I do not recall you ever
serving. As, I said, I do not know
you.” They have been severed from the
body.
So, whatever these people did was not pleasing to
Christ. Since, without faith it is
impossible to please Him(Hebrews 11:6), these church members had no faith, so
all they did was Sin; since, whatever is not of faith is Sin (Romans 14: 23). This means that there will be church
administrators, pastors, evangelists, and laity that were hard working and
successful in this group. You can
imagine how it will feel to these people to find out that all they did amounted
to nothing. What they thought was a sign
of God’s favor, was actually a sign of their rebellion.
So, those who resist change and those who embrace it can be
wrong. Resisting the right change and
embracing the wrong one will have the same dire consequences: eternal
death. I can just imagine the
complaints. “I can see why this one is
out. He was a sinner/legalist. But, why me? This is not fair!”
So, who will enter the kingdom? Jesus said in Matthew 7:21, “… he that doeth
the will of my Father which is in heaven.”
We could say that those that did His will pleased Him; this means they
lived by faith (Hebrews 11: 6). Which
means that they are just; since the just shall live by faith (Romans 1: 17). So, a just person is a righteous person. The word for just in the Greek is the root word
for righteousness. A righteous person is
one that performs the law (Romans 2: 13).
But, notice that Abraham believed and he was accounted righteous (Genesis
15: 6). So, this kind of righteousness –
performing the law - comes through believing the word of God. To believe we must first hear what is
said. And, faith comes through hearing
and hearing through the word of God (Romans 10: 17).
This is more than giving ascent to God’s existence. This kind of faith is dependence on God’s
word. “Man shall live out of every word
that comes out God’s mouth” (Matthew 4: 4).
Paul says in Galatians 5: 6 that in Jesus, works avail nothing, but
faith which works by love does. Works of
love – self-sacrificing other-centered love – show true faith. This is what God wants to produce in us. This is what would please Him. Will we allow Him to do this in us?
