What the People of the “Last Days” will be Like...

If we are in fact living in the “time of the end”, what will humanity be like? How will they act?

What will be the characteristics and behavior of people living in the days just prior to the second coming of Christ?

You can get a snap shot of expected human behavior during this period that will be characterized by Godlessness at 2 Timothy 3:1-5. The apostle Paul writes...  There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.

Paul then goes on to list 20 personality traits that would characterize ungodly people. Have you observed some of these characteristics in those living in your community? Consider what has been said in recent times about the people of today.

“Lovers of themselves.” (2 Timothy 3:2) People are insistent\ on doing their own thing as never before. They are becoming gods unto themselves, and expect to be treated as such.—Financial Times, [newspaper], England.

“Lovers of money.” (2 Timothy 3:2) The ego of materialism has in recent times overpowered the spirit of modesty. Unless you are seen as rich in society your life is not worth living.—Jakarta Post, [newspaper], Indonesia.

“Disobedient to parents.” (2 Timothy 3:2) Parents are puzzled to find their 4-year-old ordering them around like he’s [French King] Louis XIV or their 8-year-old screaming... I hate you!—American Educator Magazine, United States.

“Disloyal.” (2 Timothy 3:2) The vastly increased willingness of men to leave behind partners and children constitutes perhaps the single greatest change in moral values during the past 40 years.—Wilson Quarterly- Magazine, United States.

“Having no natural affection.” (2 Timothy 3:3) Family violence is the dominant factor in the everyday life of communities around the world.—Journal of the American Medical Association Magazine, United States.

“Without self-control.” (2 Timothy 3:3) Many stories that occur on the newspaper’s front page every morning reflect minds lacking self control, moral fiber and mercy towards their fellow human beings and even themselves. . . . If our society continues to favor aggression the way it is now, our society will soon enter a phase of moral annihilation.—Bangkok Post, [newspaper], Thailand.

“Fierce.” (2 Timothy 3:3) Irrational anger and uncontrolled rage are seen on the road, in abuse within families and in the apparently gratuitous and unnecessary violence which often accompanies crime. Violence is experienced as random and unpredictable and people are left feeling disconnected and vulnerable.—Business Day, [newspaper], South Africa.

“Lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God.” (2 Timothy 3:4) Sexual liberation has become a moral crusade, in which Christian morality is the enemy.— Boundless, an Internet magazine.

“Having a form of godliness but denying its power.” (2 Timothy 3:5) A former prostitute in the Netherlands acknowledged that opposition to legalization [of prostitution] comes largely from religious groups. She paused, then said with a grin that when she was a prostitute, several [religious] leaders and ministers were among her regular clients. Prostitutes always say their best clients are from the religious community, she laughed.— National Catholic Reporter, [newspaper], United States.

According to God’s Word... the “End of the Age” will be a time when humanity is at its worst.

Matthew Chapter 24... Signs of the End of the World... NOW?

Read this article as a perspective on how Jesus’ prophecies in Matthew chapter 24 “might apply”

to our world today.

A murder in Oklahoma. Several years ago a 16-year-old boy and a companion entered a convenience store in Oklahoma City and opened fire on the store clerk.

The 16-year old instigator of this rampage described the murder in these words: “I squeezed the trigger and heard him scream. I hit him... I squeezed the trigger again, and the bullet entered through his heart and through his lungs. Blood splattered all over the opposite wall and he hit the ground. Then we walked out. We didn’t take any money. We didn’t take any merchandise. We just took the life of an innocent man... for Satan.” Investigators said later that the 16-year old wanted “to see what it felt like” to kill somebody.

Did that story shock you? Probably not. It happens all the time.  If you watch daily news programs, you’re well past being shocked by the evil that men and women are capable of doing to one another. When did evil become so common that we are no longer shocked by it?

Long ago, Jesus sat on a hillside with His disciples and predicted such a time as this. Later, the disciples asked Jesus privately, “What will be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3).

In response, Jesus outlined the signs that would precede His second coming. Here is something amazing. When we compare Jesus’ prediction in Matthew 24 with the predictions in the book of Revelation, they provide an incredibly accurate picture of our day. Was Jesus speaking about events of our time—signs in nature, in society, and in knowledge?

Today, it seems like these signs are being played out in the headlines splashed across our daily newspapers, on the evening news... everywhere we turn we see similar tragic events. If you’re a serious student of the Bible and think about the second coming of Christ... you can’t help but wonder if what Jesus said in the Olivet Discourse is being fulfilled on the world stage in this generation.

Let’s examine each of these signs––nature, society and knowledge––individually.

Signs in the World of Nature

Jesus turns His attention to the natural world: “There will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places” (Matthew 24:7).

Do we see famines today? North Korea is experiencing a famine of extraordinary proportions. Look to Sub-Saharan Africa. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization reports nearly 10 million people are in need of emergency food. Without it... they will perish.

Experts estimate that for more than a billion people in the world today, about a sixth of the world’s population, chronic hunger is an ever-present part of daily life. Ten thousand people a day, or more than 3.5 million people per year, die of starvation.

“There will be famines and pestilences,” Jesus said. “Pestilences” are diseases affecting crops, livestock or human beings and can be caused by nature or by human carelessness.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that an estimated 50,000 to 120,000 premature deaths are associated with exposure to air pollutants in the United States. Most of the third-world is ten times worse than the U.S. Disease-causing bacteria are developing resistance to antibiotics, and new diseases are appearing for which science has not found a cure.

Jesus said there would be earthquakes in the last days. Today we have 4000 seismograph stations in the world that record 12,000 to 14,000 earthquakes per year—that’s approximately 35 earthquakes per day. The “big one” is on its way, scientists tell us, and all these are preliminary to the dramatic earth-shaking events that will foreshadow the second coming of our Lord.

Signs in the World of Social Life

No signs are more obvious or inescapable than those in the social world.

Jesus plainly predicted: “But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark” (Matthew 24:37, 38).

And what was life like in Noah’s day? Moral values were discarded for pleasures, marriage vows were broken, divorce was common, the social and moral fabric of society in Noah’s day disintegrated. Standards that were once the norm, God’s standards, were no longer acceptable.

What about the moral fabric of society in the 21st century? Living together outside of marriage is commonplace, widely accepted and even encouraged. Now more than 30 per cent of all births in America are to unmarried women. The marriage rate has fallen nearly 30 per cent since 1970, and the divorce rate has increased about 40 per cent. Truth is considered relative; morality is an individual preference; right and wrong are no longer absolutes. The resulting violence is sweeping our nation. Frankly speaking... if Jesus does not come soon, we will destroy our culture through immorality and violence.

Signs in the World of Knowledge

Every time you boot up your computer, you fulfill a prophecy in Daniel: “But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase” (Daniel 12:4). This verse suggests that both knowledge about the prophecies of Daniel and knowledge in general would increase.

Knowledge has never before increased as fast as it does today. It is estimated that 80 per cent of all the scientists who have ever lived are alive today. The scientific material they produce every 24 hours would take one person a lifetime to read.

And not only is knowledge increasing exponentially, the accessibility of that knowledge is phenomenal. If you wanted to know something years ago, you had to go to a public library and invest hours in research. Today, knowledge is accessible at the click of a mouse.

Daniel’s prophecy that “knowledge will increase” is speaking especially of the knowledge of God’s Word, the truth about Jesus, the gospel message of salvation and His expected return. The Bible predicts a powerful worldwide spiritual revival before the coming of Jesus: “This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14).

Before the coming of Jesus, unprecedented doors of opportunity for the proclamation of the gospel will open around the world. Is Matthew 24:14 being fulfilled now... around the globe?

From Russia, Africa, India, China the countries of the Middle East to the remote islands of the Pacific, millions are turning to God’s Word, committing their lives to Christ and His Kingdom. God is on the move everywhere in the world. This preaching of the gospel on such a scale with such receptiveness has never happened before. If any person on earth “has an ear and desire to hear”, they can hear the gospel. Is this generation witnessing the prophetic signs of Jesus’ eminent return?

Is there anything in your life that would keep you from being ready for His return, should it happen soon? Jesus longs to save you. He longs to have you live together with Him forever.

There is too much evidence to simply say this generation is no different than any other generation since Pentecost and the founding of the Church. This is no ordinary time. God’s final call is going out all over this planet.  Millions around the world are responding. Now is the time to prepare for His soon return.

The Second Coming of Christ WILL Happen

The second coming of Christ is the blessed hope of the Church, the grand climax of the gospel. The Savior’s coming will be literal, personal, visible, and worldwide. The way of this sin-filled world is not going to continue as it is... consuming generations of people who are born and then die, saved or unsaved. Jesus was telling us the end would one day arrive. He would return. He admonished believers just prior to his death, in the verses of Matthew chapter 24... to be on the watch and prepared for His return.

It is foolishness to believe that “this generation” could not possibly be the generation that will experience the second coming of the Lord. The evidence is all around us, all around the planet... so why not this generation?

It is reasonable and logical in light of the evidence, that we may well be living witnesses to the complete fulfillment of the end-time prophecies. Consider the evidence. Do a bit of personal soul searching. Why do so many believers reject the possibility that now, this time in human history, may indeed be the “time of the end?”

Believers in the first century church thought Christ’s coming was going to happen in their lifetime. They were focused on being spiritually ready for His return. They heard Jesus loud and clear... be watchful, aware of the world around you, love one another, love God with your whole heart, be obedient, serve others and preach the gospel and my eminent return. Jesus is saying the same words to all Christians today.

Today, like the Christians of the first century. we don’t know the day or the hour of His coming. Therefore, we must be ready at all times. R4L

Matthew 24 -- Past...Present...Future?

Would you like to stir up a heated debate about Biblical prophecy? If that’s your aim, then you’ll need a good starting point... how about the Olivet Discourse as recorded in Matthew chapter 24? You can probably foment the debate to a fever pitch among elders and scholars even in the same church body.

A review of various Bible Commentaries clearly shows that there is little agreement about the meaning of Matthew 24. This section of Scripture has perplexed many interpreters and caused a multitude of speculations and differing opinions about what Jesus meant. In fact, it might be fair to say that there may be no passage of Scripture that has been the focus of more controversy than the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew’s Gospel record.  It’s like throwing fuel on a simmering fire... soon it rages.

D.A. Carson, a well known New Testament scholar, begins his commentary on Matthew 24 with these words: "Few chapters of the Bible have called forth more disagreement among interpreters than Matthew 24 and its parallels in Mark 13 and Luke 21. The history of the interpretation of this chapter is immensely complex" (The Expositor's Bible Commentary, volume 8, page 488). No kidding.

Carson's statement amplifies the difficulties people have encountered when trying to interpret Matthew 24. While the chapter is a marvelous collection of prophetic implications, it has been victimized by considerable theological speculation. Several theories, spawned by a misunderstanding of this chapter, have generated confusion in the religious community.

Interpretations of Matthew 24 have spawned entire religious movements, denominational creeds, divisions and divisiveness. It has been used to endorse the “labels” attached to various schools of eschatological thinking such as... Pretorism, Realized Eschatology and Dispensational Premillennialism.

This article isNOT about finding common ground with any particular interpretive perspective on Matthew 24. It's about simple TRUTH. It is essential that we understand what Jesus was saying in Matthew 24. Christ is returning... aside from the Cross and the Resurrection “the day [or time] of His return will be the day of all days”. Nothing is more important to a believer than understanding what Jesus meant in Matthew 24. But we must approach its interpretation with great caution, avoiding self-serving simplistic views and arrogant dogmatism.

The Context is Critical

Studying Matthew 24 in the larger context of preceding chapters will help avoid interpretation pitfalls. Considering the importance of “context”... the background to Matthew 24 actually begins at least as far back as chapter 16:21. There, we are given the following summary statement: "From that time Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life."

By his comments, Jesus set the stage for what appeared to be to the disciples a showdown in Jerusalem between himself and the religious authorities. He continued telling his disciples about this imminent conflict as they made their way to Jerusalem (20:17-19).

During the time Jesus was explaining that he was to suffer at Jerusalem, he took Peter, James and John up to a high mountain. There, they experienced the transfiguration (17:1-13). This of itself must have made the disciples wonder whether the establishment of the kingdom of God was close at hand (17:10-12).

Jesus also told the disciples they would sit on 12 thrones judging Israel "when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne" (19:28). No doubt, this sparked additional questions about the time and manner of the coming of the kingdom of God. Jesus' talking about the kingdom even prompted the mother of James and John to ask him to give special positions in the kingdom to her two sons (20:20-21).

Then came the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, in which Jesus rode into the city on a donkey (21:1-11). This, said Matthew, fulfilled what the prophet Zechariah had spoken, and which was thought to refer to the Messiah. The entire city was aroused, wondering what would happen as Jesus arrived. In Jerusalem, he overturned the moneylender's tables and took other actions to demonstrate his messianic authority (21:12-27). "Who is this?" people asked in response to his audacious behavior (21:10).

Next, in 21:43 Jesus told the chief priests and elders of the people: "I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit." His audience knew he was talking about them. Jesus' statement could have been taken as an implication that he was ready to establish his messianic kingdom, but the religious leaders holding power, would not be a part of it.

Is the kingdom to be established?

The disciples who heard this certainly would have been confused, wondering what was going to happen. Was Jesus ready to announce his messiahship? Was he ready to put down the Roman authority? Was he on the verge of ushering in the kingdom of God? Would there be a war, and what would happen to Jerusalem and the sacred temple?

We now come to Matthew 22 and verse 15. Here the final scene begins to develop with the Pharisees laying plans to trap Jesus by asking him a question regarding the paying of taxes. They hoped to use his answer as the basis for accusing Jesus of rebelling against the Roman authority. But Jesus answered rather cleverly, and their plan was foiled.

That same day the Sadducees also had an encounter with Jesus (22:23-32). Not believing in the resurrection, they asked him a trick question about seven brother s marrying one woman. Whose wife would she be in the resurrection?, they asked. Jesus answered them indirectly by telling them they didn't understand their own Scriptures. He confounded them by pointing out that there is no marriage in the kingdom.

Next, the Pharisees and Sadducees together tested Jesus on the meaning of the greatest commandment in the law (22:36). He answered them by quoting Leviticus 19:8 and Deuteronomy 6:5. Then Jesus asked them a trick question about whose son the Messiah was to be (22:42). They fell into his trap, and "no one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions" (22:46).

Chapter 23 shows Jesus criticizing the teachers of the law and the Pharisees. Toward the end of the chapter, Jesus talked about sending them prophets, wise men and teachers whom they would flog, kill and crucify. He laid the responsibility for all the slain prophets at their feet. The anger and tension of the religious leaders was obviously growing. The disciples must have been wondering about the meaning of these hostile encounters. To them, Jesus gave the appearance of provoking these encounters. Was Jesus about to take control of the government as Messiah?

Then, in a prayer to Jerusalem, Jesus spoke of its house as becoming desolate. This is connected to his cryptic comment: "For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord'" (23:39). By this point in time, the disciples must have been utterly confused, curious and anxious about the things Jesus was saying. Was he about to proclaim himself King? Would his seemingly unlimited power overturn the Roman empire?

Temple to be destroyed

After these things, Jesus leaves the temple. As he was walking away, his anxious disciples pointed to its buildings. In Mark's words, they said, "Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!" (13:1). Luke says the disciples remarked how the temple was "adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God" (21:5).

Think of what must have been going through the disciples' minds. Jesus' comments about Jerusalem's desolation and his confrontation with the religious leaders both frightened and excited the disciples. They must have wondered why he was speaking of impending doom on Judaism and its institutions. Wasn't the Messiah coming to glorify both by becoming the Messianic King? By their comments about the temple, it seems as if the concerned and confused disciples were thinking, Surely, nothing can happen to this beautiful temple in which God dwells!?

Jesus then made the disciples more curious and frightened. He brushed aside their lavish praise of the temple. "Do you see all these things?" he asked. "I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down" (24:2).

This must have been shocking to the disciples. They thought the Messiah was going to save Jerusalem and the temple, not allow both to be destroyed.

As Jesus spoke of these things, the disciples must have thought about the end of gentile rule and the glory of Israel, both which are prophesied so many times in the Hebrew Scriptures. They knew these events would occur at "the time of the end" (Daniel 8:17; 11:35, 40; 12:4, 9). It was at this time that the Messiah would appear or "come" to usher in the kingdom of God. It would mean that Israel would again rise to national greatness and prominence throughout the known world.

Those confused and anxious disciples would have been thinking... surely this is what Jesus was preparing to do. He is the Messiah, our King and he’s going to restore Israel and bring forth the kingdom of God... now. R4L

Living the Christian Life with Joy

“Some people have a warped idea of living the Christian life. Seeing talented, successful Christians, they attempt to imitate them. For them, the grass on the other side of the fence is always greener. But when they discover that their own gifts are different or their contributions are more modest (or even invisible), they collapse in discouragement and overlook genuine opportunities that are open to them. They have forgotten that they are here to serve Christ, not themselves.”

― Billy Graham, Hope for Each Day: Words of Wisdom and Faith

PRAY FOR A HEART AND SPIRIT THAT ARE NEW, RIGHT AND FIRM.

Ancient King David was a great leader of his time.  He also struggled to hold up his relationship with God.  Most of his life was filled with turmoil, sinful conduct and the consequences of those choices.

Yet he is the only person in all of Scripture, the entire Bible, who is called out “by God’s own words… “a man after MY own heart.” 

Acts 13:22 says of David, “After removing Saul, he made David their king. He testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.‘”

Is there something in David that we can aspire to in our Christian lives today?

Let’s start by examining David’s feelings about his relationship with God.  The following words describe the heart of David as revealed in his own writings:

Humble – Lowborn men are but a breath, the highborn are but a lie; if weighed on a balance, they are nothing; together they are only a breath. Psalm 62:9

Reverent – I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies. Psalm 18:3

Respectful – Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and my body with grief. Psalm 31:9

Trusting – The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1

Loving – I love you, O Lord, my strength. Psalm 18:1

Devoted – You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound. Psalm 4:7

Recognition – I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders. Psalm 9:1

Faithful – Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Psalm 23:6

Obedient – Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart. Psalm 119:34

Repentant – For the sake of your name, O Lord, forgive my iniquity, though it is great. Psalm 25:11

David’s example is a proven road map for how we are to live our life in harmony with God.

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10). The “right spirit” here is an established, firm, unwavering spirit that guided his every thought and action. He wanted to be done with the instability that he experienced, that led to his sin and family troubles.

What does it mean to be a person after God’s own heart? It means your life is in harmony with the Lord. What is important to Him is important to you. What burdens Him burdens you. When He says, “Go to the right,” you go to the right. When He says, “Stop that in your life,” you stop it. When He says, “This is wrong and I want you to change,” you come to terms with it because you have a heart for God. That’s bottom-line, biblical Christianity.

One might ask.. why isn’t David crying out for self-control and restraint? Why isn’t he praying for men to hold him accountable? Why isn’t he praying for protected eyes and sex-free thoughts?

The reason may surprise you… David knows that his sexual sin was just a symptom, not the disease. People give way to any kind of sin because they don’t have the fullness of joy and gladness found only by being in Christ. Their spirits are not steadfast and firm and established in a right relationship with God. They waver. They are enticed, and they give way to sin because God does not have the preeminent place in their feelings and thoughts that He should.

David knew this about himself.  Do we?  David is showing us, by the way he prays, what the real need is for those who sin. Not a word in Psalm 51 about sex.  Instead: “Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. . . . Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing, firm, established spirit.”  David dug deep into his soul to find the real problem… his heart was not as “full of the things of the Lord” as it should have been. 

David understood that IF his heart and every thought of his mind could be FULL of the things of God, then there would be no room for anything else.  No room for doubt or contemplations of sin. This is profound wisdom for us.

Psalm 51:15 says… “O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.” Praise is what joy in God does when obstacles are taken out of the way. That is what he is praying for: O God, overcome everything in my life that keeps my heart dull and my mouth shut when they ought to be praising. Make my joy irrepressible, overflowing with praise.

Verse 13 declares David’s deepest desire… “Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.” David is not content to be forgiven. He is not content to be clean of sin. He is not content to have a right spirit. He is not content to be joyful in God by himself. He will not be content until his broken life serves the healing of others. “Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.” The upshot for David was to live from a heart devoted to helping others.  The upshot for us is the same… to have a life of effective and passionate evangelism, unencumbered by sin.   Which brings us to the last point.

Psalm 51:17 is profound… “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”  David discovered the wisdom of the ages… that God had crushed him in love and that a broken and contrite heart is the mark of all God’s children.

When you are a man or woman after God’s heart, you are deeply sensitive to spiritual things. Second Chronicles 16:9 explains it this way: “For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.”

What is God looking for? He is looking for men and women whose hearts are His…completely. That means there are no locked closets. Nothing’s been swept under the rugs. That means that when you do wrong, you admit it and come to terms with it. You long to please Him in your actions. You care deeply about the motivations behind your actions. God is not looking for magnificent specimens of humanity. He’s looking for deeply spiritual, genuinely humble, honest-to-the-core servants who have integrity.

God wants Integrity.  He wants to see us as complete, whole, innocent, having the simplicity of life, wholesome, sound, unimpaired by sin and malice towards our fellow believers.  It’s what you are when nobody’s looking. We live in a world that says, in many ways, “If you just make a good impression, that’s all that matters.” But you will never be a man or woman of God if that’s your philosophy. Never. You can’t fake it with the Almighty. He is not impressed with externals. He always focuses on the inward qualities, like the character of the heart . . . those things that take time and discipline to cultivate.

Brokenhearted joy.  This is foundational to everything. Being a Christian means being broken and contrite. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you get beyond this in this life. It marks the life of God’s happy children till they die.

We are broken and contrite all the way home — unless sin gets the proud upper hand.  Being broken and contrite is not against joy and praise and witness. It’s the flavor of Christian joy and praise and witness.

Consider the words of Jonathan Edwards, an American revivalist preacher and theologian of the early 1700s…

All gracious affections [feelings, emotions] that are a sweet [aroma] to Christ . . . are brokenhearted affections. A truly Christian love, either to God or men, is a humble brokenhearted love. The desires of the saints, however earnest, are humble desires: their hope is a humble hope; and their joy, even when it is unspeakable, and full of glory, is a humble brokenhearted joy.

Disunity in the Church… a recipe for failure

Sometimes we have to face the reality of a sickness before we are willing to seek treatment. Please read the next sentence carefully... One of the greatest sicknesses in our churches in America is disunity. Indeed, many of the problems we think we have are really just symptoms of the breakdown of unity in the church.

The early church in Jerusalem thrived because it was so unified. Acts 2:47 says: “They were praising God and having favor with all the people. And every day the Lord added to them those who were being saved…” The phrase “having favor with all the people” refers to those on the outside looking at the people of the church… the inside. They saw a selfless and unified body and were attracted to it.

So what are some of the key reasons we are seeing the breakdown of unity in our churches? Consider these reasons and contemplate whether these things are happening in your congregation.

1.  Gossip. Church members talk about one another instead of talking to one another. Paul calls church members who gossip people “filled with all unrighteousness” (Romans 1:29).

2.  Actions cloaked in darkness. I once heard of a church personnel committee and a few church staff members who “conspired in darkness” to fire their preacher without ever meeting with him first or giving him reasons for his dismissal. Then they refused to respond to church members who were asking questions.

3.  Failure to confront church bullies. Some church members seek power in a church they can’t get elsewhere. They are devious and dangerous. They must be courageously confronted and if necessary removed from the fellowship.

4.  Self-serving church members. Some church members insist on getting their way for everything from worship style to the order of the worship service. Biblical church membership, however, is selfless and more concerned about others and bringing glory to God.

5.  Lack of prayer. A church that does not pray together is likely to fragment into special interest groups.  I know of a church where gathering for group prayer is like pulling teeth.

6.  Fear of confrontation. Too many church members would rather sweep problems under the rug than deal with them. I know of one church where two deacons were known to be having extra-marital affairs. No one wanted to deal with it, so it was ignored.

7.  Adopting the hypercritical spirit of culture. This reality is especially true in blogs and social media. I’ve seen elders/pastors attacked publicly on Facebook in “darkness.”.

8.  Low expectations. Many churches have no clear guidelines on what it means to be a part of the body of Christ. If you expect little from members, that’s exactly what you’ll get. And some of them will use their idle time to gossip, criticize, and tear down.

9.  No church discipline. The majority of churches have no process for church discipline, or they have a process in place in theory only.  Sin is never dealt with.

10.  Churches known more for what they are against rather than what they are for. This negativity becomes pervasive in the congregation and destroys church unity.

11.  Fear of losing members. A church can be held hostage, plagued by a spirit of divisiveness by one or two member. No members are courageous enough to confronted the person(s) because they don’t want to lose members or offend feelings.

12.  Failure to be evangelistic. A church cannot be both evangelistic and divisive. Divisiveness usually wins.

13.  Power groups. Sometimes the bullies in the church get allies to form power groups. They may be informal groups, or they can be formal groups like elders, deacons, staff, or personnel committees.

14.  The silent and fearful majority. Do you think it is not always good to know the truth? Such a statement is unbiblical and symptomatic of members who let evil exist because they are afraid to confront it.

One of the greatest problems in our churches is the breakdown of church unity. It is insidious, debilitating, and destructive.

Paul urged us “to walk worthy of the calling you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, accepting one another in love, diligently keep the unity of the Spirit with the peace that binds us” (Ephesians 4: 1-3).

Jesus said in John 13:35: “By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

The breakdown of church unity is one of the most critical problems in our churches today. The question for all of us… Are we part of the problem, or part of the solution?

The Wicked Who Harm the Fellowship of God's Church will NOT Win!

“Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil” (Ecclesiastes 8:11).  What a sad, depressing, and discouraging commentary on the attitude of man toward sin.  History records thousands of instances where justice has been defeated and even humiliated by delaying punishment of the evil doer.  When the guilt of one has been proven beyond doubt, he should be punished straightway. 

This same sad commentary can also be found in the church of our Lord.  In many congregations’ sins are just “swept under the run” and, although they are never completely forgotten, they are ignored.  This action is preferred over doing it the Lord’s way (2 Thessalonians 3:6) and allows the congregation to wear the facade of peace, love, happiness, and contentment.  It lulls the brethren into a false sense of peace and unity.

If evil, like a raging fire, would scorch us all at once, we would take more care in doing the Lord’s will in such matters.  However, when issues are hidden by time or a perpetrator is concealed from view by the anonymity of modern technology– “swept under the rug” – our willingness to do the Lord’s will becomes more lax and we begin to get comfortable in sin and many more problems arise (“a little leaven ferments the whole lump”). 

Sins that are not dealt with swiftly will have consequences that may be beyond our immediate vision but will cause trouble just the same.  Simply “swept under the rug” they will leave “lumps” that will be stumbled over time and time again.

The apparent success of the sinner should not discourage others from doing that which is right.  His false pride and arrogance, combined with other forms of wickedness in his life, are grievous to the Lord and motivates him to falsely accuse the faithful whom he regards as his enemies.  This is purely a cowardice method used to deal with that which he cannot meet otherwise.  King David wrote about such a one:

His ways are always prosperous; your laws are rejected by him; he sneers at all his enemies. He says to himself, “Nothing will ever shake me.”  He swears, “No one will ever do me harm.”  His mouth is full of lies and threats; trouble and evil are under his tongue. (Psalm 10:5-7).

“But when grace is shown to the wicked, they do not learn righteousness; even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil and do not regard the majesty of the Lord.” (Isaiah 26:10).  Favor shown to the wicked will be unappreciated and will not improve his/her conduct but will only make it worse.  And even though such ones may be surrounded by the goodness of the faithful, they will continue in their unjust life, in their unholy ways, and in their disrespect for God and His faithful followers.

“The Lord is not slow concerning his promise…” (2 Peter 3:9)).  In God’s time, the wicked man will finally receive his “reward” as well as all who aid and abet evil actions.  Those who fear the Lord (and not the evil of the sinner) will receive favor from the Lord.  Shall we obey the Lord or continue “sweeping it under the rug?”