83. CORPORATE, CHRISTLIKE LOVE FOR THE FATHER AND HIS SON (u): Pursuing Christlike holiness (8)

(continuation of Meditation 82)


We have seen earlier in the New Testament that God couples Christlike holiness in individual and church life by disciplining churches to safeguard that holiness. The Letter to the Hebrews encourages individual Christians and churches, saying: “Make every effort ... to be holy; without holiness no-one will see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14)

Furthermore, Hebrews reminds us that “God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.” (Hebrews 12:10)

So, what might God want to say to our churches today through the way He disciplined New Testament congregations? Let us carefully reflect upon all the earlier mentioned cases.

Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11)

In Meditation 78 we mentioned this couple, that by their hypocritical action endangered the purity of Christlike love and compassion in the early church in Jerusalem. The apostle Peter exposes their performance as a satanic assault on the church.

From the beginning of mankind (see Genesis 3), Satan has been God’s adversary. He is always bent on destroying God’s work. Jesus says of him: “He was a murderer from the beginning and has always hated the truth. There is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44)

The apostle Peter warns his fellow-Christians: “Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour.”
(1 Peter 5:8)

I think that through this dramatic story God gives us and our churches some serious warnings:

1. Satan and our sinful action

Although each church member bears the blame for his or her own hypocritical behaviour within the church, it is Satan “who fills the human heart” to act in an evil way. (Acts 5:3)

The apostle Paul explains that Satan is determined to use the sinful action of Christians and non-Christians for his own dark strategies! He uses sinning man as pawns in his evil schemes.

Therefore, Paul urges the Ephesian church: “Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil.
For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms.
Use every piece of God's armor to resist the enemy in the time of evil, so that after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground...” (Ephesians 6:11-14a)

We can find the same notion elsewhere in God’s Word. See 1 Kings 22:21-22, 1 Chronicles 21:1-3, Luke 22:3, John 13:2 and 27.

2. Sinning against each other is sinning against God

In the story of Ananias and Sapphira, the apostle Peter says to Ananias: “You lied to the Holy Spirit ... You weren't lying to us but to God” (Acts 5:3-4). To his wife Sapphira, Peter said later on: "How could the two of you even think of doing a thing like this-- conspiring together to test the Spirit of the Lord?” (Acts 5:9)

We might tend to forget that in sinning against each other, we first of all sin against God! He has given us the command to love each other. In breaking that command we actually sin against God.

In 2 Samuel we read how the prophet Nathan charged king David with his adulterous behaviour against Uriah’s wife: “Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes?”
(2 Samuel 12:9)

Later on in David’s penitent prayer he acknowledges that in his adulterous behaviour he was first of all sinning against God: “Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight.” (Psalm 51:4)

3. God’s judgment is certain

In executing His righteous judgment on this couple, God saved the young church in Jerusalem from an early descent into compromise as far as sin is concerned. The untimely death of Ananias and Sapphira was a terrible punishment of God that shocked the church back onto the right track; that of pursuing Christlike holiness.

Although the Old and New Testament tell us of other similar divine punishments (e.g., Korah, Dathan, Abiram, Achan, the Corinthian and Thyatiran churches, etc.), I don’t know of any contemporary examples.

However, it does not mean that God overlooks our evil actions. The apostle Paul warns the Corinthian church and us by saying: “We must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in our bodies” (2 Corinthians 5:10).

None of us will ultimately escape from God’s righteous judgment of our public and hidden sins. Yet, in the face of God’s holiness, the apostle John comforts us when he writes: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. ...
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defence--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins...” (1 John 1:9 and 2:1-2a)

The fatal story of Ananias and Sapphira is a severe warning to us and our present-day churches. It shows that God does not ignore our sins or the sins of our churches. We might take misconduct  within our churches lightly. We might brush aside the idea of a judging and punishing God.

Yet, the Lord Jesus-Christ warns our contemporary churches just as He did when He warned the New Testament churches:
“All the churches will know that I am the one who searches out the thoughts and intentions of every person. And I will give to each of you whatever you deserve.” (Revelation 2:23)

We better take heed!


(to be continued)


Hebrews 12:14, Hebrews 12:10, 2 Samuel 12:9, 1 John 1:9 and 2:1-2a are quotes from the New International Version. All other quotes are from the New Living Translation.
         

82. CORPORATE, CHRISTLIKE LOVE FOR THE FATHER AND HIS SON (t): Pursuing Christlike holiness (7)

Since Meditation 76 we have been looking into a third characteristic of a church that loves our triune God wholeheartedly. We described that characteristic as follows:

c.) To love God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ wholeheartedly as a church means to pursue holiness in preparation for Jesus’ return in glory.

c-4. ) Today we want to ask ourselves the question: how might God speak to our churches through His dealings with those New Testament churches that did not obey His Spirit and His Word and did not pursue Christlike holiness?

In Meditation 78 we wrote:

"We know that God’s Spirit wants to transform the local church (and every Christian within it) into the likeness of our triune God. Therefore, the apostle Peter gives the order: “... you must be holy in everything you do, just as God-- who chose you to be his children-- is holy. For he himself has said, ‘You must be holy because I am holy.’” (1 Peter 1:15-16). In short, to live a holy life means to live a Christlike life. And pursuing holiness as a Christian community means to pursue a Christlike lifestyle as community. In Meditation 77 we mentioned some examples of a Christlike communal life."

So, where do we go from here?

-- If our heavenly Father wants our churches to love Him and His Son Jesus Christ wholeheartedly,

-- and if pursuing Christlike holiness is an expression of that love,

-- how then does God wants our churches to deal with members who do not pursue Christlike holiness?

It is a very difficult question from which we cannot run away. God has seriously raised this matter in His dealings with His people in Old and New Testament times. Let me mention two particular cases:

1. The apostle Paul uses examples from Israel’s history to warn us of the danger of leading an unholy lifestyle. To the Church in Corinth the apostle writes: “These events happened as a warning to us, so that we would not crave evil things as they did.” (1 Corinthians 10:6) and again in 1 Corinthians 10:11 : “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfilment of the ages has come.”

2. The Lord Jesus uses His exhortations to the churches in the book of Revelation as a severe warning to our present church communities. Seven times He cautions us by saying: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

(Revelation 2:7.11.17. 29 and Revelation 3:6.13.22)

If a church wants to pursue Christlike holiness out of love for God, it must guard itself against everything that hinders Christlike love to develop and grow strong.

The apostle Paul urges the church in Corinth, saying: “Don't team up with those who are unbelievers. How can goodness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and the Devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? And what union can there be between God's temple and idols?

For we are the temple of the living God. As God said: ‘I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people.

Therefore, come out from them and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord. Don't touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you. And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty’” (2 Corinthians 6:14-18).

Then Paul concludes: “Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.”

(2 Corinthians 7:1)

Here God actually speaks through the mouth of His apostle:

if a church pursues Christlike love and holiness, it truly behaves as My temple, My residence on earth.

Such a church conducts itself properly as My people, and by My Spirit I will live with them and walk among them.

In fact, such a church proves to be My family and its members show themselves to be My children.

Yet, I think that for a church, the practice of pursuing Christlike holiness with all its implications is fraught with difficulties. Let me mention two factors that complicate this church practice today:

1. All reborn church members, including the leaders, remain ‘sinners saved by grace’. Indeed, the Spirit of God lives in them and among them. Yet at the same time, their own selfish, rebellious nature is not absent.

Ideally, God’s Spirit grows ‘the life of Christ’ in their hearts and keeps the ‘old self’ under control.

Sadly enough, there are many reasons why such a victorious Christian lifestyle does not always govern a church and its members (see Meditation 66).

Besides, the apostle Paul warns us against the ‘survival tactics of our old self’, like he did when he wrote to the church in Rome: “Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.

The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's Law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.” (Romans 8:5-8)

If Christlike love, humility and compassion does not rule a church, or at least its leaders, the practice of pursuing Christlike holiness will be shipwrecked on the way.

Church history is loaded with awful stories of dictatorial church leadership, legalistic church practices, distress caused by unbiblical church discipline and the misery of cold-hearted excommunication practices.

The apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in Galatia (modern Turkey): “Dear brothers and sisters, if another Christian is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself” (Galatians 6:1).

2. Here in the West we live in a society that worships individualism, hedonism and materialism (see Meditation 48). I wonder how many churches in the West are filled with members and leaders who are still ingrained with the secular culture of our days. Is the teaching and practice of pursuing Christlike holiness as a corporate and individual lifestyle not lacking in many churches today?

If a church does not function practically as Christ’s Body and God’s temple (i.e. His residence on earth), and if Christian life is more about spiritual self-realisation and spiritual wellness, the pursuit of Christlike holiness becomes a non-item on the church agenda.

Besides, I think that the deplorable stories of disastrous church discipline in the past might frighten many church leaders to even give this matter any serious consideration.

Yet, as we wrote earlier in this meditation, we cannot run away from this subject. God couples Christlike holiness in individual and church life with the practice of church discipline to safeguard that holiness.

Therefore, in the coming meditations, we will consider carefully what God might want to say to our present-day churches through His dealings with wayward New Testament congregations. So, hold on, please!

(to be continued)

1 Corinthians 10:11, Revelation 2:7 etc., 2 Corinthians 7:1, Romans 8:5-8 are quotes from the New International Version. All other quotes are from the New Living Translation.

81. CORPORATE, CHRISTLIKE LOVE FOR THE FATHER AND HIS SON (s): Pursuing Christlike holiness (6)

(continuation of meditation 80)

In this Meditation we want to examine how God dealt with the churches in the book of Revelation that did not obey God’s Spirit and God’s Word and did not pursue Christlike holiness. (For the way Jesus Christ, the Messiah, lectures these churches in Revelation see also Meditation 54).

The powerful Church in Ephesus (modern Turkey)
At the end of Paul’s second missionary journey (c. AD 52) he paid a short visit to Ephesus (Acts 18:19-22). It was his first visit to this town while he was on the way to Jerusalem and Antioch.

His third missionary journey (c. AD 52-56) was first of all aimed at Ephesus. Paul stayed there for over two years evangelising and planting a church in this, the largest city of Asia Minor and the centre of the Roman administration in that province (Acts 19:8 and 10).

When Paul departed from Ephesus, he left his co-worker Timothy there to consolidate the new church and warn against false teachers (see Paul’s first letter to Timothy).

Later on the Lord Himself addresses the powerful Ephesian church for having tragically lost the way of pursuing Christlike holiness.

He threatens them with His judgment if they do not repent:
“ I have this complaint against you. You don't love me or each other as you did at first!
Look how far you have fallen from your first love! Turn back to me again and work as you did at first. If you don't, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches. (Revelation 2:4-5)

As I wrote in Meditation 54, ‘the removing of the lampstand’ might be an expression that announces the end of the involvement of God's Spirit in a church’s transformation into the likeness of Christ.

When passionate love for the Lord and for each other dies in a church, the church’s business may continue as usual, but the governing and transforming presence of God’s Spirit is stifled and gone.

The permissive Church in Pergamum
(modern Turkey)
The church in Pergamum is only mentioned in the book of Revelation. As I wrote in Meditation 54, this church tolerated ungodly behaviour and false teaching in their midst:
“And yet I have a few complaints against you. You tolerate some among you who are like Balaam, who showed Balak how to trip up the people of Israel.
He taught them to worship idols by eating food offered to idols and by committing sexual sin. In the same way, you have some Nicolaitans among you -- people who follow the same teaching and commit the same sins” (Revelation 2:14-15).

The Lord seriously warns this church. He tells them what He will do when they don’t deal with the false teachers in their midst: “Repent, or I will come to you suddenly and fight against them [false teachers] with the sword of my mouth” (Revelation 2:16).

The compromising church of Thyatira
(modern Turkey)
As I said in Meditation 54, the Lord severely condemns the church in Thyatira for condoning those who preach, practise and promote libertinism and debauchery:
“I have this complaint against you. You are permitting that woman -- that Jezebel who calls herself a prophet -- to lead my servants astray. She is encouraging them to worship idols, eat food offered to idols, and commit sexual sin” (Revelation 2:20).
   

If this church and its false prophetess do not repent, the Lord’s judgment on this church will surely come: “I gave her time to repent, but she would not turn away from her immorality. Therefore, I will throw her upon a sickbed, and she will suffer greatly with all who commit adultery with her, unless they turn away from all their evil deeds.

I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know know that I am the one who searches out the thoughts and intentions of every person. And I will give to each of you whatever you deserve.” (Revelation 2:21-23)

The ‘contaminated’ church of Sardis (modern Turkey)

In Meditation 54 we saw that this active church made a positive impression on outsiders. Yet, in the opinion of the Lord it was ‘dead’. It had contaminated itself with the impious ways of its pagan surroundings. No pursuing of Christlike holiness here!

The Lord addresses the unholiness of this church, saying: “I know all the things you do, and that you have a reputation for being alive -- but you are dead. ... Your deeds are far from right in the sight of God” (Revelation 3:1-2).

The Lord calls this church to repentance and threatens it with judgment: “Go back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it firmly and turn to me again. Unless you do, I will come upon you suddenly, as unexpected as a thief” (Revelation 3:3).

The wealthy, materialistic and self-sufficient church of Laodicea (modern Turkey)
The apostle Paul might not have visited this church personally. Yet, he mentions it in his letter to the church in Colosse (Colossians 2:1 and 4:13-16).

In Meditation 55 we wrote that this church had grown into a wealthy, hardened and self-sufficient community. The Lord Jesus severely rebukes this worst of the ‘seven churches’ because of its proud, half-hearted, in-name-only piety. There was no passion for pursuing of Christlike holiness in this church!

The Lord harangues it, saying: “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish you were one or the other! ... You say, 'I am rich. I have everything I want. I don't need a thing!'.

And you don't realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.

I advise you to buy gold from me -- gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich.

And also buy white garments so you will not be shamed by your nakedness. And buy ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see” (Revelation 3:15 and 17-18).

The Lord gives this church a very severe warning: "So, because you are lukewarm -- neither hot nor cold -- I am about to spit you out of my mouth" (Revelation 3:16).

Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of every local church. He loves the church and wants to set it free from everything that hinders His Spirit to advance Christlike holiness amongst its church members. The Epistle to the Hebrews says: “Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness” (Hebrews 12:10).

Since Meditation 78 we have looked into the question of how God dealt in New Testament times with churches that did not obey His Spirit and His Word and did not live up to His view on Christ’s church.

In the coming meditations we want to consider what God might want to say to our churches through His dealings with those New Testament congregations.

(to be continued)

Revelation 3:16 and Hebrews 12:10 are quotes from the New International Version. All other quotes are from the New Living Translation.