Truth is an interesting matter. It seems however that in these days it is getting to be more difficult to find. I got a mailing last week that was asking for funds to help a family that had allegedly been misused and abused by our government. It looked a little suspicious and so I did a little research. Come to find out the guy had been convicted of more than five felonies. It reminds me of a verse in the book of Proverbs:
Proverbs 23:23 Buy the truth, and sell it not;
In the case of this letter that I received, it really is not such a big deal, however, as believers there are issues that we ought to be aware of and on top of. I think that one of the biggest is the misinformation that flows around concerning the Church and the work of God in our world today. Jesus warned his disciples that many would push and shove their way into Church business and corrupt it.
One of the largest and most apparently successful church ministries in our nation has just “bit the dust” and it is interesting to read what those who were closest to it are saying. These folks are observing that the church had been over run by worldly business principles and techniques. It is important to note that this church had been held up as a model for other churches to follow.
I believe these things happen because of our insatiable appetite for material success. We want our church to be more than respectable in a material sense. We are so image conscious. In this context it is important to note that Christ taught in Matthew chapter eleven in contrast to this that His business in this world would be characterized by a lack of material success and results, it would not be characterized by worldly sophistication and that it would be corrupted by men.
The image that the church ought to have is that of godly, humble and meek people, a people that hunger and thirst after righteousness. In these days such folks are more often held in contempt. Another “great” church leader of our times has instructed that such people ought to become “blessed subtractions” from our churches.
I have found myself having to battle with these things for over forty-five years now. I shouldn’t be surprised; the Master said it would be so.
