Where Stand the People of God?
By Tom Gilbreath
In a typical horror movie, the usually teenaged hero at some point turns to a trusted source for help. It might be a parent, teacher, clergyman, or police officer. Then, to his horror, the young person learns that the ogre got there first. He finds that the once trusted source of help has been compromised — killed or perhaps even taken over by the monster.
A scenario might go like this. Chased by demons, a teen goes to his pastor for help. But when they are alone, the pastor’s mouth twists into a sinister grin as devil horns sprout from his head. Silly? Sure. But in this case, it reflects something real. When corrupted by sin, institutions meant to help become part of the problem.
That’s especially true of a church that turns away from God as He has revealed Himself in scripture. The clergy in such churches don’t sprout literal horns, but they become part of the monster they should be fighting.
The Old and New Testaments give many warnings against false teachers. In his dramatic farewell to the elders of the Church at Ephesus, Paul warns in Acts 20:29-30 (NKJV) that “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.”
Verse 28 reminds us that Christ “purchased” each member of the true Church “with His own blood.” Yet some would look on people so precious to God as mere profit centers. “Speaking perverse things” literally means “speaking distorted things.” They distort the word of God for personal gain. They may look nice and friendly, but the scripture calls such teachers, “savage wolves.” That makes them wolves in shepherd’s clothes.
2 Timothy 3:13 says, “Evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.” Thank God for pastors and elders whose teachings remain true to the Bible. But not far away from the faithful church, maybe just down the street, an “imposter” fills the pulpit. The KJV calls that person a “seducer.” Such teachers have always been around, but they are increasing in number and in their level of perversion.
The Bible is full of miracles and good news. It offers a close, personal relationship with the Friend “who sticks closer than a brother” … and that Friend is also “King of kings and Lord of lords” forever and ever! The Word of God offers the certainty of heaven. All that and so much more ought to be enough. But lots of people are more interested in the baser things. They want assurance that God approves even of actions that His Word expressly condemns. And they don’t want to be seen as different or weird. So, they choose the ever-changing fashions of political correctness over the eternal and unchangeable Word of God.
Imagine a woman sick from sin. In desperation, she turns to the Church, the people she always hoped would have the answer. There, she sees the vacant eyes of the unfaithful staring back at her. She hears the people say, “Don’t worry. We are just like you.” Instead of help, she beholds in them the very monster from which she had hoped to find deliverance.
At that moment, satanic horns sprout, the horror movie becomes real, and hope dies.
The Gospel of Jesus is not like the message of the world. It warns that all have sinned, and until Christ saves us, we are headed for a cliff. God calls Christians, not to join in the deadly plunge, but to tell everyone about the dangers of sin, and about the beauty of salvation in Jesus.
