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THE WAY AROUND! [Hebrews 13:17a]
During a recent and tightly contested mayoral election in Long Beach, California, the incumbent, Beverly O'Neill, was prevented from running for reelection due to "term limits." In the end, however, the June 4, 2002, election results revealed she had retained her office. In the words of a spokesperson for her honor, "The mayor found a way around the law."
What, pray tell, is the mayor of California's 5th largest and the nation's 33rd largest city telling our young people? As a leader, she should be sending a message which encourages observance of the law, not how to circumvent it!
Isn't this just another sign for our time? Hasn't the word of God warned us there would be days like this? Isn't the pedophilia problem devastating the Roman Catholic body just a symptom of this day? Haven't the pervert-priests and the bypass-bishops just been finding a way around the Law?
SINKING THE SHIP! [
Galatians 2:5]
In 1974 the Lutheran Church International agreed it could allow for papal supremacy in the interest of reconciling with the Roman Catholic Church. Their leadership reasoned that the Pope was in a better place "politically" to represent their faith to the world for the remainder of the 20th Century, as well as in whole of the 21st Century.
This is quite typical of many well-meaning, ecumenical efforts on behalf of reconciliation, world peace, and unity. While the ideals pursued are commendable (as far as man is concerned) a conservative and biblical worldview should reject them out of hand as a desertion of the true Gospel.
Kingdom progress may not be achieved by temporal compromise or political expediency.
As someone said years ago, "The boat may very well be in the water, but the water may not very well be in the boat. So too, the church may very well be in the world, but the world may not very well be in the church."
LOWERING THE BAR! [Ephesians 4:11-16]
Someone told me of a small high desert community which organized a marching band. They got high marks for spirit and good intentions, but not for music.
You see, in a town where the high school’s senior class is usually less than a couple of dozen, it’s difficult to find anyone to play an instrument, let alone play one well. They didn’t audition and interview potential members; they bribed, cajoled and promised, accepting any who came forward. The fact is they lowered their standards till every instrument had a player. But their performances? Horrible!
Most of us understand when standards are lowered in a situation like the above but what if a professional orchestra were to do this? An orchestra is organized to combine unique independent musical elements into a harmonious and melodious whole, there’s no room for degradation of standards.
A church is a lot like a symphonic orchestra, though far more consequential. A church is also like a small town, there seems always to be a dearth of people for their labor pool. Most small churches would get “high marks for spirit and good intentions,” but not for impressiveness.
Small churches can’t afford to cajole and manipulate just to increases in membership; taking any and all who come. Small churches must resist the temptation to degrade quality for quantity. Churches are intended to be organized to combine independent “natural” giftedness into a “supernatural” harmonious union: there really isn't room for degradation of standards.
Far too many churches have been willing to lower standards regarding membership, even those concerning office holders. If we can imagine the ruin degraded standards would bring upon a professional orchestra, why do we have so much trouble seeing the dangers of degrading biblical standards for The Body of Christ?
One reading of the New Testament is enough to impress the reader of the importance of overcoming and perseverance … I suggest we revisit those passages and stop becoming entangled with the world just to increase Body fat! (added 2/25/06)
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