(continuation of
Meditation 83)
Introduction
We saw earlier that in
the New Testament God couples Christlike holiness in individual and church life
with 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
cases mentioned previously.
The Church in Corinth
Today we want to find
out what God might say to me and to my church through the way He dealt with the
church in Corinth:
Controversy because of
leadership preferences
As we noticed in
Meditation 78, the lack of Christlike holiness first of all came to light
through the controversy because of leadership preferences (1 Corinthians
1:10-12 and 1 Corinthians 3:1-4). This caused divisions in the church and a
tragic loss of unity and peace, mutual love and care and a joint cause of
action. Through it all it seems that the congregation had lost its God-given
vision for the salvation of the lost. Instead, it was locked up into shameful
infighting.
In 1 Corinthians 3:1-4
the apostle Paul describes the state of this church: “...I couldn't talk to
you as I would to mature Christians. I had to talk as though you belonged to
this world or as though you were infants in the Christian life. I had to feed
you with milk and not with solid food, because you couldn't handle anything
stronger. ... you are still controlled by your own sinful desires. You are
jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. ... You are acting like
people who don't belong to the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 3:1-3)
Proverbs 13:10 exposes
pride as the root of quarrels: “Pride only breeds quarrels...”
Jesus points to the
fact that the human heart is the seat pride: “It is the thought-life that defiles
you. For from within, out of a person's heart, come evil thoughts ... envy,
slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within; they
are what defile you...” (Mark 7:20-23)
When the apostle Paul
speaks in his letters about our sinful or evil nature, he means the same as
said by Jesus in Mark 7:21 about the human heart. Paul says: “When you
follow the desires of your sinful nature, your lives will produce these evil
results: ... hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish
ambition, divisions, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your
own little group ... and other kinds of sin.” (Galatians 5:19-21)
Referring to our sinful
or evil nature, Paul writes to the church in Ephesus: “You used to live just
like the rest of the world, full of sin, obeying Satan, the mighty prince of
the power of the air. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who
refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passions and
desires of our evil nature. We were born with an evil nature, and we were under God's anger just like everyone
else.” (Ephesians 2:2-3)
Jesus declares that
such sinful attitude of the human heart “... makes you unacceptable to God.”
(Mark 7:23)
The apostle Paul
restates this declaration of Jesus in Galatians 5:19: “Let me tell you again,
as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the
Kingdom of God.”
Here are some other
examples from the New Testament where the apostles warn the churches for
‘unchristlike’ and unholy behaviour:
-- Paul’s laments in
his second letter to the church in Corinth: “I am afraid that when I come to visit you I won't like what I
find, and then you won't like my response. I am afraid that I will find quarreling,
jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfishness, backstabbing, gossip, conceit, and
disorderly behavior.” (2 Corinthians 12:20)
-- He warns the
Galatian Christians, saying: “... if instead of showing love among yourselves
you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying
one another.” (Galatians 5:15)
-- Again in Galatians
5:26 the apostle writes: “Let us not become conceited, or irritate one
another, or be jealous of one another.”
-- The apostle James
cautions Christian congregations: “If you are bitterly jealous and there is
selfish ambition in your hearts, don't brag about being wise. That is the worst
kind of lie. For jealousy and selfishness are not God's kind of wisdom. Such
things are earthly, unspiritual, and motivated by the Devil. For wherever there
is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and every kind
of evil.” (James 3:14-16)
How does a church
escape this kind of power struggle?
By focusing on God’s
Word. The apostle Paul shows
the Christians in Corinth that focusing on God’s Word prevents us from
quarrelling. He writes : “Dear brothers and sisters, ... If you pay
attention to the Scriptures (i.e. the Bible), you won't brag about one of your
leaders at the expense of another.” (1 Corinthians 4:6)
By seeking God’s Will. David asks God: “Teach me to do your will, for you
are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing.” (Psalm
143:10)
By the guidance of
God’s Spirit. Paul explains to the
Galatian Christians: “When the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will
produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23)
I think this is an
appropriate moment to reflect prayerfully on the disposition of my church:
-- Is my church
affected by quarrels, divisions or power struggles regarding our church
leadership?
-- Do envy, gossip,
slander or pride prevent unity, peace, mutual love and care to blossom in my
church?
-- If one or more of
these attitudes are found in my church, Christlike holiness might not be a
pursuit of my church.
-- Here is a personal
question: do I hinder Christlike holiness to flourish in my church because of
my involvement in any of the above-mentioned attitudes?
How good to know that
God wants to encourage and comfort me and my church with the words from 1 John
1:7: “If we are living in the light of God's presence, just as Christ
is, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son,
cleanses us from every sin.”
Next time we will see
how God responded to the leadership controversy in the Corinthian church and
what He might say to me and to my church through the way He dealt with it.
Hebrews 12:14, Hebrews
12:10 and Proverbs 13:10 are quotes from the New International Version. All
other quotes are from the New Living Translation.
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