Trenton Bulletin 28 January 2001

"Look What Kind Of People" (Kent Heaton)

The bible study has been going well and the points that you planned on making have been made with the emphasis upon scripture. The one that you are teaching has tried to be honest in the approach that you have presented. You sense an element of uneasiness in their voice as they fight to agree with the plain teaching of the scripture because there no longer remains an argument against what they must do.

Yet, in a moment of desperation and to quickly change the subject away from the obvious end that the study is bringing the student to challenge, the following statement is blurted out: "Well, look what kind of people you have in your church." The inference is very simple to understand as they seek to throw light upon the lives of one or more members of the church as being examples of anything but those things that befit Christians in the New Testament. This is a hard pill to swallow when you must then go on the defensive to try to rescue everything you have studied in the glaring light of the immoral lives of those members who care very little for spiritual things.

Many times this tact may throw the whole study off its course and the individual that you have sought to teach has left with the satisfaction that they will not have to face the truth that they learned that night. They accomplished this by throwing up the immoral lives of your own brethren. Trying to defend this attack is as difficult as raking leaves in a whirlwind. You just can't gather it all in to make a pile of anything. I believe that there could be a cause for this thinking (on our part) and I would suggest we realize the importance of the question and learn how to answer with scripture.

When someone uses this approach in your studies with them, use the statement as another tool to show the wisdom of God's pattern for the body of those who are saved. Acts 2:47 shows that "the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved." We can show that the church (i.e., the body - Ephesians 1:22,23) is made up of those who are saved. Numerous passages can be used to show the love and harmony that should exist in the church and that those who profess to be the disciples of Christ should live such before all men.

Acts 9:31 shows that the church had peace, was edified and multiplied. Paul talked of kindness, love and forgiveness in a number of his letters to the different churches. Help the one you are studying with see the true pattern of the New Testament church in regard to keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Plant that firmly in their minds with scripture.

With this concept in their mind, turn back to Acts 2 and begin a simple study of the development of the church and the people that made up its membership. Acts 4:33-37 shows that the church is doing quite well as the members are sharing with one another and "they had all things in common" - what a wonderful group of people. If I wanted to be part of any church, I would want to be part of that group. Are they perfect? Let's look in Acts 5 where Luke begins by saying, "But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession." All of a sudden we begin to read about in the church those who were guilty of lying, greed, jealous and possibly pride. But these are Christians! They are members of the church! They are members of the saved body of Christ! Can it be?

Acts 6 begins with the problem of neglect, murmuring and racial prejudice of the Grecian against the Hebrews. We have those who say that they are Christians and look how they are acting! In Acts 15 the church is plagued by false doctrine as "some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, 'It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.'" Now these are those who heard the inspired words of Peter and the apostles! They call themselves Christians? Would you want to be part of a church like that? Not me, let's go to the church in Corinth.

First Corinthians 1:2 says "To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:" If you want to obey the gospel and become part of the church, this must be the place to be ... or is it? A quick look at the letter that Paul writes to these Christians and one finds division (1:11), immaturity, worldly minded and fleshly minded people (3:1-4), open sexual immorality (5:1-13), Christians suing one another (chapter 6), profaning the Lords supper (chapter 11), disruption in the assembly (chapter 14), Christians who do not believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ (chapter 15) and so on with the reading of Second Corinthians.

We could look at the church in Ephesus and see that problems were going to arise there as well. Acts 20:28-30 says, "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves."

The churches of Galatia had turned away to a different gospel (Galatians 1:6,7), the church in Thessalonica had those who walked disorderly (2 Thessalonians 3:11), the people of Crete were known as liars (Titus 1:10-16), the church of Sardis was "dead" (Revelation 3:1) and the church of Laodicea was called "lukewarm" (Revelation 3:14).

This is reality. This is the realism of the church in the New Testament. This is how it really is. The church, which is composed of people, is going to encounter these kinds of problems. If the church in the N. T. went through these kinds of troubles, will the church today go through any less? Do we present to the world that the church is the place where "perfect" people go and that if they become members of the Lord's church, that everything will always be smooth and unified?

The family of God has problems! This is not by any means to condone the actions of those worldly members who by their very lives destroy the influence for good that the church is seeking to accomplish in the community. How many people have turned their back on the church because of members living ungodly before their neighbors?

Here is the lesson for the friend that you are trying to teach and for us. Yes, the church is made up of some people who care very little for spiritual things. They are a shame and blight to the cause of Christ. But in the New Testament, the truth continued to march on. Even in the face of all the troubles that brethren had to endure, the truth was everlasting. The need for them to obey the gospel is paramount and the truth will not change because of the lives of some of the members.

All must give account for their lives and so will your friend if they refuse to answer the gospel call. Point out the people in the New Testament church that continued to march on for the cause of Christ. The church in Sardis was dead in the words of Christ. But he said in Revelation 3:4, "You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy."

If there is any pattern to follow in the church, let it be the example of these few souls who overcame the influence around them and were found worthy. Ask your friend if they know of the lives of those who are faithful in the church. Ask them to follow their example and obey the gospel before time is no longer afforded for them. Be ready to give an answer.

"Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation." (1 Peter 2:11,12)

"But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks." (Ephesians 5:3,4)