It has been known since the beginning of church history that we (believers) have not been united. When the western church slaughtered the eastern church in the Crusades we knew our political and cultural differences would continue to burden us. When Reformers slaughtered the Anabaptists over the issue of adult baptism, we knew that our opinions and our pride would trump acceptance of others who think differently. Before the most recent cultural invasion of our churches, which has made fractured denominations largely irrelevant, those denominations and their beliefs reminded us all that we could not be one on this side of heaven. We have hidden ourselves inside our own buildings, comfortable with the people we know, to the point that a member of one church would not go to another church’s fundraiser or outreach. Often believers who reach out to another church for assistance on a project will be turned away because, as they will likely tell you, “You are not a member of this congregation.”
I was thinking during a three-hour event that intended to bring the local churches together for a night of worship, how, or why, our local churches have largely isolated and kept to themselves. I believe it goes way beyond the fact that most churches are busy with their own missions, with some spending countless hours serving the poor, others serving families, others preparing missionaries, while others serve internationals. Being stretched so thin already, how could they participate in someone else’s ministry? Of course, they cannot. But they can make time to come together to celebrate our common beliefs and the mission we all share, to exude the love of Jesus and our faith in Him.
In my mind, it is political affiliation, opinions on social reform, economic ideas, and the way different churches apply the Bible to our current culture that are keeping us apart today. What do all these things have in common? They don’t belong behind the pulpit. I’ve experienced first-hand what it is like to listen to pastors include their political stance into their Sunday sermons. While I shared the views of the pastor, it was painful for me to listen to it each week, and others in the congregation did not necessarily share his views. It divided the church body and caused a lot of pain. I attended a weekly Zoom session that was dubbed as a Q&A on the Bible, which actually turned into a platform for the pastor to expose all the political and social conspiracy theories he read about or heard on the news. On a very poplar and favorite radio station I listen to in St. Louis, which hosts many of America’s top biblical preachers, I have heard their newest preacher in the lineup take a shot at economic policies of the current federal administration, give opinions on the war in Afghanistan, immigration policy, take jabs at the welfare system and more, without fail, every time I hear him speak; and his audience never cheers louder in the pews than when he throws punches at political, societal, and cultural topics. It is embarrassing to me to listen to the congregation applause and cheer at this rhetoric, it is clear the validation of their opinions and position are much more important to them than drawing nearer and being more like Jesus Christ. Still, in another experience, I talked to a pastor of a church who said he did not believe the Bible was completely relevant in today’s culture, and that we needed to interpret it to fit what we feel and believe in, today.
I can honestly say it has made me angry and is still making me angry today. I wonder if it is my place to tell a pastor what he or she should preach or speak on, if it is my place to feel such emotion over what the leaders of churches believe. After all, I am what they call a layman. I did not go to seminary, and I don’t have a degree or any right as far as I know to teach the Bible. But I do believe in the Holy Spirit, and I am certain, based on what I’ve read in the Bible, that He will give us the knowledge and wisdom to discern biblical truth and the voice of God when He wills.
Ephesians 1:16-18
…remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened…
1 Corinthians 2:10-12
10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.
Galatians 1:11-12
11 For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. 12 For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
I meditated on that anger and my thoughts went to Jesus, who flipped over the tables of the money changers in the temple. The Bible says He was angry, angry because His Father’s house was being defiled. He was zealous for the Father and for His authority and due respect. What an action He took! Today, fellow believers, I think it is time we flipped over some tables! Excuse me for a moment while I use Biblical prose to speak in the Old Testament prophetic (I do not claim to speak prophetically here):
The Lord, your God says,
“You are using My pulpit to advance political agendas and your affiliations to political parties. You are causing division and anger, and most certainly isolation. Flip that table over and get it out of My house!
You criticize your leaders for their economic policies and their ideas for social reforms, insisting that yours are better. Why have you not prayed for the leaders I have placed above you? Instead you spread anger and hate for those I have placed in authority. Flip that table over and get it out of My house!
The judgements you make on people who are involved with social and political movements you do not agree with, no matter how wrong the movement might be, it is on a table in My sanctuary. They are my children too, and they are lost, hurting, bitter, and afraid! Who are you to judge? Did I not teach you to love? Flip that table over and get it out of My house!
To the liberal churches who no longer believe My Word is absolute and infallible truth, who fear preaching My truth due to the retribution they may face, who have bowed down to the demands of culture and the despicable idols of today, flip that table over and get it out of My house!
And for the congregations, who have joined together and gathered around pastors who will proclaim their political, social, and economic leanings, so they can feel safe in numbers, so they can know where their allies are, flip that table of pride and self over and get it out of My house!”
(I love reading the prophets!)
Jesus Christ spent some of His most precious and final words praying to the Father that we would be one in Him and in the Father, just as He and the Father are one.
Ephesians 4:4-6
4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
How can we be one when we are divided so easily on the whims of the current (or previous) administration or the current cultural movement or the current social upheaval? How can we be one when one church preaches the Word of God, while another preaches current politics sprinkled with the Word of God, and yet another has thrown the Word of God out the window in favor of the demands of culture and how we feel? We cannot and we will not, until we can remove ourselves and our emotions and refocus on the focal point, the truth as spoken by the Word of God, the Bible.
When Paul was in Roman custody, in Caesar’s house, he did not bargain with or try to convince Caesar to change his policy on welfare, economics, slavery, or war. He preached the Gospel of Jesus. Why do we invest our time together as a body on these matters? Do you not see that this path is dividing us even further than our traditional differences in biblical interpretation ever could?
(As a footnote, don’t think for a minute that I don’t feel that biblical truths against abortion, sexuality, and oppression should be spoken on in church. Quite the contrary. These are biblical truths, not political sides, and I’ve heard many pastors speak on these biblical truths while keeping politics out of it. If you are looking for one listen too, check out Alistair Begg from Truth for Life Ministries (https://www.truthforlife.org/). I once made a simple statement in a church worship service I was leading that we need to “let our little boys be little boys and our little girls be little girls.” I was reprimanded and essentially fired by the pastor for being “political” in church. Hogwash! This pastor fears the world and what the world thinks when biblical truth is spoken and defended. There is a clear difference in preaching Truth and social/political bickering. If you can’t discern it, then pray to the Holy Spirit to guide you, He will be faithful to those who are seeking.)
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