Posted on 03/06/2015 9:56:03 AM PST by bad company
I often have to hear how people say about our Church, “You know, I don’t go to your church and won’t go, because it’s like a train station there—who don’t you see there? It would be alright if they were good people, but they’re not! I met one of them. Do you know what sort of man he is? And that girl is not any better. I won’t even mention the rest. And they go to services, cross themselves and don’t even blush…”
Why are there so many unfortunate, wretched, broken lives, strange and simply bad people in the Church, while the saints and righteous ones are hardly to be found? This scandalizes and turns away many.
But this is in fact the most remarkable thing, that there are only sick people all around! It means that you have come to the right place. It means that everything you have read in the Gospels and heard about Christ is true.
Who did the Lord take to heaven first? The repentant thief. Publicans, harlots, lepers, and the demonically possessed came to Him from all around. Not the righteous. The sick. All the rest had no time for Him. There were just fine without Him.
Just fine, without God. The Gospel calls this state death. Because the soul without God is a dead soul.
People are always confusing the Heavenly Church with the earthly Church. From this comes the misunderstanding, doubts, and confusion. All the saints and righteous ones are there, in the Kingdom of Heaven. But here on earth, the Church is a hospital for sins, spiritual illnesses and death. In our Church there is only one who is absolutely healthy, pure, perfect, and sinless. He is our Lord and God Jesus Christ. And it is by His power that the Church is delivered, treated, and cured.
Why is it that when we see sick, lame, and coughing people in an ordinary hospital no one gets the desire to point to his temples, turn heel and run? That is why it is a hospital, so that the sick would come and be healed. This is even more true for the Church, where it is not the body being healed, but the eternal soul. That sick people come with terrible wounds and diseases testifies to the power of the doctor they are seeking. Sinners who have resolved to be delivered from their sins and death testify to Christ.
And when I look at people in church, my heart is filled with joy, because the Lord is here, with us, and He is healing. Sometimes people themselves don’t know why they go to church. The pain itself, the wounds that won’t stop gnawing at their hearts lead them here. Then suddenly, it all goes away. Without understanding the services, in general vaguely understanding what is going on, the person suddenly feels that he is now better. He—that is he, the heart—his heart, though just recently bleeding it is now peaceful and well. People can lie, books can deceive, but your own heart tells the truth. And this is the most remarkable thing that you can feel in the Church.
Why are so many sick people at the hospital?
Does not the God of the Holy Bible command that we not only LOVE GOD but LOVE OUR NEIGHBORS as well?
Church is a place for redemption. That is why you see flawed people in the church.
So you are saying then that the Old Testament says that the ONLY people bad things happen to are the ones who deserve it? Does that mean that the people bad things DON’T happen to deserve the lack of bad things happening to them?
Job is an excellent resource for that question, and I’ll check out the commentary, and thank you :)
That sounds about right.
I wasn’t the one who asked the question .. so why are you addressing this to me ..??
Another game huh .. LOL
My church is a place for sinners to meet their Savior.
It’s full of all kinds of people, because all kinds of people are called to repent and to place their trust in Jesus.
I never understood this line of logic. Bad people go to Church because its a good place to go if you want to get better.
It’s also why fat people go to gyms. They seek change.
After you’ve been a Christian for awhile there should be evidence of a regenerated heart.
Instead of STUDYING THE BIBLE .. and learning what it says and how it relates to the individual. Too much group think
Well, my Bible says we're supposed to feed Jesus' sheep (John 21:17). Not government -- the Christian, since Jesus was talking to Peter. That's a perfectly legitimate, and in fact mandated, function of the Church.
I find that thinking across the board.
I don't think it's exclusive to any one denomination over another.
Post of the thread.....
So you are saying then that the Old Testament says that the ONLY people bad things happen to are the ones who deserve it?
I am not saying it; the Lord says it. Look at Isaiah 58, Jonah 3 are Ezekiel 8.
I totally agree. I've been in church all of my life, and still am... I'm a church musician.... but I gotta say..... our churches today give sin a pass. I agree we're sinners and nobody is perfect, (especially me)... but there is no expectation of a regenerated heart or a changed life. I'll say this, some of the meanest, most gossiping, most hypocritical, most fake, most divisive, most hurtful, most vindictive people I've ever met are in church every Sunday. It is said that many many churches have many many people who don't really know the Lord. They are there for the social event. To enhance a resume. To enhance their business. To have something to belong to, or because they just think they're suppose to go.
Its also said a church is to be a hospital for the sick.... I'm not sure I totally agree with that. I think Sunday is suppose to be a gathering of the believers to worship God. A gathering of Christ's church. And non-believers come looking for Christ.
Okay... I'll step down off the soapbox. Sorry for the vent.
The second part of the question was whether people bad things did NOT happen to were undeserving of bad things happening to them too. Is that your position?
I think you’re right about that, and think it would make a refreshing debate :)
“we are all sinners”
WE ARE ONLY SINNERS BEFORE WE RECEIVE JESUS AS OUR SAVIOR. After that .. you can no longer claim to be a sinner .. if you do .. then you’re lying about how much you know about Christ.
And .. after 3 years of Bible School .. I believe I may have learned a FEW things about Jesus and GOD.
How about you ..??
Doesn't sound like Paul agrees with you.
Also Ecclesiastes.
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