Church Practices

Popular theology has transformed church services from an opportunity to learn—"Let all things be done unto edifying" (1 Corinthians 14:26)—to an opportunity to experience a performance. In many churches, the congregation has become more performance-oriented than learning-oriented. So much of the modern world is geared towards delivering a performance: sports, news, movies, television, video games, etc. When Christians tune into the world more than they tune into the Word, performance orientation is inevitable. When performance-oriented Christians come to a church service, they are coming to experience a performance about God, not increase their intimate knowledge of God or Jesus Christ whom he sent. Performance-oriented Christians have moments of spirituality and walk in weakness. They take what they hear as a performance and only incorporate those points that they have determined to be applicable to their lives or those points they found memorable. When people see a movie or a stage play, they can easily repeat key phrases or describe key scenes; however, their lives are rarely changed because of the movie. In addition, performance-oriented people tend to glorify the "actor" (pastor, et al) and seek to emulate him. Thus, they are "Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth" (2 Timothy 3:7).

Also, thou son of man, the children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the LORD. And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness. And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not. (Ezekiel 33:30-32)

In contrast, when learning-oriented Christians come to a church service, they come prepared to increase their intimate knowledge of God and Jesus Christ whom he sent—their wisdom. Learning-oriented Christians do not decide what to learn or not to learn, because they do not know what knowledge will be examined on the test—Day of Judgment. "Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh" (Matthew 24:44). Learning-oriented people determine to become their teacher's best student and those students often become the teacher's assistant and eventually the teacher. In short, learning-oriented congregations fulfill the commandment to "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good" (1 Thessalonians 5:21) as did those in Berea:

And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few. (Acts 17:10-12)

On the flip side, the minister that has not cleansed his heart of performance orientation will directly or indirectly perform for his audience even if he truly desires to teach them something. Woe unto the minister that is performance-oriented. A performance-oriented minister with a performance-oriented audience will ultimately produce philosophy. To which Paul admonishes us to "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ" (Colossians 2:8). Church services have to be radically transformed to produce congregants that come to learn and environments that foster learning. We have to move away from the traditions of man that have polluted the church. For example, false practices like seeking after signs, redefining the way to God, escape over suffering, and emotionalism over faith, have become prevalent in the church. We will examine these in the next few pages.

SIGNS OVER PURIFIED HEARTS

Popular theology has made signs—manifestations of the Spirit of God—more important than purified hearts (see "The Principality of Tradition" and "Part Three: The Modern Church (Built on Quicksand): Synagogue of Satan"), especially the lesser half-sign of speaking in unknown tongues (see "God Bearing Witness"). Yet, Jesus often reminded us in the Gospels: "An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign" (Matthew 12:39). Paul also lets us know that "we walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7); walking by sight means to be led by the spirit of pornography which demands the evidence of things not seen. Said another way, the spirit of pornography requires that God prove himself visibly before those infected will "believe that he is" (Hebrews 11:6). We see this in operation with Thomas, one the twelve apostles: "But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe" (John 20:25). Moreover, seeking a sign is equivalent to tempting God: "Ask thee a sign of the LORD thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the LORD" (Isaiah 7:11-12).

The sign of the New Covenant can only be "seen" by what fruit (Galatians 5:22-23) it produces not by what gift of the Spirit is manifested; as the scriptures state, "Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them" (Matthew 7:16-20). The evidence of a purified heart, the evidence that we are rightly related to God through his Word is fruitfulness (John 15:16; Galatians 5:22-23). Remember, "the gifts and calling of God are without repentance" (Romans 11:29); therefore, someone that does not have an intimate relationship with the Lord or has backslidden, may still be operating in a gift or calling. In other words, God making use of them does not signify that God approves of them. This point is highlighted in the scriptures below:

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Matthew 7:21-23)

Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. (Luke 10:19-20)

"The snare in Christian work is to rejoice in successful service, to rejoice in the fact that God has used you. ... The tendency to-day is to put the emphasis on service. Beware of the people who make usefulness their ground of appeal. If you make usefulness the test, then Jesus Christ was the greatest failure that ever lived. The lodestar of the saint is God Himself, not estimated usefulness."⁶⁷ Rejoice that you are rightly related to God through his Word and by his Spirit: rejoice that you are growing from living to please yourself to living to please God—rejoice in becoming righteous, which engenders fruitfulness (John 15:8; Romans 7:4).

BROAD WAY OVER NARROW WAY

In an ongoing effort to dilute the Word of God, Satan has spoken through once stalwart and uncompromising ministers of Jesus Christ in an attempt to redefine the way to God—salvation. The way to God per these ministers is no longer narrow as states scripture: "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it" (Matthew 7:13-14). In an interview with Newsweek, one of these compromised ministers spoke by the spirit of antichrist on the way to God and eternal life:

A unifying theme of [Billy] Graham's new thinking is humility. He is sure and certain of his faith in Jesus as the way to salvation. When asked whether he believes heaven will be closed to good Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus or secular people, though, Graham says: "Those are decisions only the Lord will make. It would be foolish for me to speculate on who will be there and who won't ... I don't want to speculate about all that. I believe the love of God is absolute. He said he gave his son for the whole world, and I think he loves everybody regardless of what label they have." Such an ecumenical spirit may upset some Christian hard-liners, but in Graham's view, only God knows who is going to be saved: "As an evangelist for more than six decades, Mr. Graham has faithfully proclaimed the Bible's Gospel message that Jesus is the only way to Heaven," says Graham spokesman A. Larry Ross. "However, salvation is the work of Almighty God, and only he knows what is in each human heart."⁶⁸ [Emphasis added]

First of all, the word "good" has to be redefined. Good can only be defined as compared to God, not as compared to the world. Good is absolute with God; however, it is relative with the world. "And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God" (Luke 18:19).

What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. (Romans 3:9-12)

This attempted redefinition speaks to what happens when the people of God get more concerned with the ways of the world than "thus saith the Lord." "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron" (1 Timothy 4:1-2). Scripture is clear and without variableness on this subject of salvation: "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6). What's more:

Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead ... This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:10-12)

For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. (John 5:22-23)

Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:9-10)

Thus, there is no need to "speculate on who will be there and who won't." Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus or secular people have equal opportunity to "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost" (Acts 2:38). The gift of repentance unto life is available to all, just "Ask, and it shall be given you" (Luke 11:9). "Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto [Jesus]" (John 6:45); however, "He that hateth [Jesus] hateth [the] Father also" (John 15:23). Refusal to come unto Jesus means that one desires destruction by not accepting the great salvation of the Lord (see "Understanding Salvation" for more on this). "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber" (John 10:1).

ESCAPE OVER SUFFERING

Many in Christianity are embracing doctrines that promise escape from tribulation, suffering or struggles. These false doctrines include the myth of the Rapture (see "Rapture & Heaven"), the myth that God wants to make you rich—financial prosperity (see "Prosperity"), and the myth that your season, your harvest, or your time is now. All these myths are an attempt to escape from what scripture promises: "In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). Scripture also states, "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment" (Mark 12:30); and "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him" (John 14:21). We see from these scriptures that in order for us to satisfy the first commandment we must "have" and obey all of God's commandments—obey his Word. To have his commandments we must continually study and believe his Word. Belief in his Word inherently brings obedience with the help of the Holy Ghost. Obedience to God's Word, however, runs counter to our carnal nature; therefore, like Jesus, it is necessary to suffer to learn obedience. "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered" (Hebrews 5:8). It is in suffering that we learn patience: "For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise" (Hebrews 10:36). In addition, in suffering we gain more intimate knowledge of God; that is, we increase our experience of him delivering us out of our troubles as we obey: "Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction" (Isaiah 48:10). Moreover, in suffering we increase our hope in the Lord: "For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope" (Romans 8:24). Thus our suffering builds patience, experience and hope (see "Understanding Discipleship" for more on suffering and the life of a disciple), and it is through our hope in the Lord that we can rejoice with joy unspeakable "that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming" (1 John 2:28).

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. (Romans 5:1-5)

What's more, fear or fear of death should not be an issue for the believing Christian: "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7). "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man ... Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage" (Hebrews 2:9, 14-15). Therefore, "Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life" (Revelation 2:10). Let us pursue after the righteousness "which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead" (Philippians 3:9-11). And "when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory" (1 Corinthians 15:54-55)?

EMOTIONALISM OVER FAITH

Popular theology has promoted emotionalism ("bodily effects", "feelosophies," and fleshly theologies) as an indicator of God's presence. Many say, "I feel the presence of God in this place" or "Let's usher in the presence of the Lord in this place" or "I feel God telling me to ..." or "Let's set the atmosphere for the holy Spirit." They are really promoting mysticism: knowing God by personal experience over knowing God by his Word and by hearing his voice (see "Preach Another Gospel" for more on this topic). "Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more" (2 Corinthians 5:16). "For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh" (Philippians 3:3). "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth" (John 4:24). We worship God in spirit and in truth through his Word. His Word is spirit: "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life" (John 6:63); and his Word is truth: "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth" (John 17:17). "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6).

Popular theology has set us on a course towards destruction because we believe that we can come to God the Father through physical means instead of through his Word, Jesus Christ. To paraphrase Jesus, "because thou [felt something], thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not [felt], and yet have believed" (John 20:29). "For we walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7). Many Christians falsely believe they can feel God when, in reality, they are really feeling themselves, or worse, devils. Evil spirits "market and sell" certain feelings. How often has a feeling of sadness "come over" a person or a feeling of anger or a feeling of fear or a feeling that God is present? When a Christian "buys into" that temptation, they open the front door and invite in that evil spirit, and give the spirit full access to their "house" (see "By Faith" for more on this). Even if God's presence is among us, we are commanded to obey his voice:

Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him. But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries. (Exodus 23:20-22)

Christians are called upon by God to train themselves—exercise their senses—"to discern both good and evil" (Hebrews 5:14). Growth in training—growth in discernment—requires death to our former selves: "And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts" (Galatians 5:24). That training is based on continual study of, belief in, and obedience to, the Word of God.

Conclusion

As can be seen from the examples we have documented thus far, the church has locked itself into many false practices that have misdirected our focus from the Lord Jesus Christ and our growth to perfection. Over the next few sections we will examine more practices that have their source in the world and not in God.

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