Christ’s Ambassador

Of many churches today, it would not be an extravagant claim to say that ‘they have all turned aside, they have together become corrupt. There is none who does good. No, not one.  Ps 14:3

The scriptural definition of the church is the body of Christ, The Lord himself being the head of the body. Paul’s question keeps resonating because believers are yet to supply the right answer. Is Christ divided? But nowadays instead of the one body of Christ, we have several appearances of so called ‘bodies of Christ’. Each group claiming to be the right one and others are the wrong associations. Each group has ‘Constitutions’, Articles and Memorandum of Association and Board of Trustees all registered according to the guidelines of the Corporate Affairs Commission. And in the midst of all these, the Holy writ, Bible is relegated to the background. It’s used only as a symbol but the Church Constitution gets quoted to support doctrines. Effectively, we are today still making the same mistakes the Pharisees made, holding fast the traditions of men.

The Lord quoted Isaiah’s words to expose these errors in Mark 7:6,7.

“Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites; as it is written:

These people honor me with their lips

But their heart is far from me.

And in vain they worship me,

Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men”

A simple proof that these prophesy describes the churches of today even more than it did the Pharisees is this: If all believers today still practice the doctrines of the Apostles as done in the first Church, why then are many churches only growing inwards and not outwards? Why are there differences in teachings? Why can’t a minister in the Baptist Church for instance be recognized in the Apostolic Church? Why are some practices described as ECWA standard while the same are seen as sinful in the Redeemed Christian Church of God? Why can’t an Anglican feel comfortable worshiping in the Catholic Church? Why do some claim charismatic and others orthodox and yet still some are Pentecostal? Again, Paul’s question: Is Christ divided?

Recently, a Pastor friend of mine shared an experience with me. The lease on the building his church was using had expired and the owner refused to renew. My friend was faced with the challenge of moving his congregation at a short notice. He needed a temporary venue for worship pending the time arrangements would be finalized for a permanent building, so he approached the Minister of a church nearby. Between the two ministers the timings of the various activities were agreed upon, such that there could no conflicts. But the Board of the hosting church refused to approve the plan. Why? Because they were of different denominations. There was an unexpressed fear that the guest church would poach the members of the host church. Paul’s question again: Is Christ divided?

While discussing these issues, my friend asked me a hypothetical question that goes like this: “What would have been the reaction of the Board of the proposed host church if they were told that: because we have this accommodation challenge, here, take over the congregation, all one hundred of them. Let them become members of your church”? My answer was that “They would have started celebrating and testifying that the Lord is Good” Now let’s be honest here: Would that have been because they really wanted more new members in their assembly so that they could deliver same to Christ as bride without spot or wrinkles? Hardly so. If churches of today were interested in populating the kingdom they would have been all over town preaching the good news and winning souls, just as the Apostles did. They would not have departed from the Apostle’s doctrines. Christ says we would be known as his disciples if we loved one another. So what would have been the real motive behind their jubilation? The real reason would have been the bulging of the offering bags. The love of money is the root of evil.

On a sad note, what is flamboyantly practiced today is churchianity spiced with success and personality cults. The abomination of desolation is now standing in the Holy Place just as Daniel prophesised in Dan 11:31. Satan, the promoter of church-ianity is now in control of today’s churches and he is the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place, where God used to be. He has defiled the sanctuary and taken away the daily sacrifices as Daniel prophesied. This is one of the atrocities of religion.  Church-ianity is led by the hirelings of the Devil. It is cultism disguising as churches. This wide gate and broad way leads to destruction and many are going by it. Pause now and “…examine [yourself] as to whether you are in the faith” 2Cor 13:5a Emphasis mine. What do you practice? Christianity or churchianity?

Let those who have ears heed the warning of the Lord: “…when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet standing in the holy place…” (Mt 24:15) “Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her” (Lk 21:21). “And  I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues” (Rev 18:4)

On this note I appeal to all believers to pay more attention to the programmes of the International Bible Society. And here at home, let us give good support to The Bible Society of Nigeria. I appeal to all church leaders in Nigeria to also support the programmes of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) for this is a sure way to re-unite the churches under the guidance of the Holy Spirit who is leading us to all truth, or, is it time to flee the churches?