Post Number 21: Back to The Bible
Back to the
bible is a call that draws attention to the fact that the body of Christ in the
modern days has deviated from the standards set by the apostles, hence the need
to return to bible standards of Christianity. It is a call to return to the
revival of apostolic signs, Holy Ghost fireworks, miracles and unlimited
demonstration of the power of God to deliver to the uttermost.
It is a call
to return to teaching absolute holiness within and without as a pre-requisite
for heaven. It is a call for the modern day Church to conform to the standards
of the Early Church founded by the apostles. It is a call to return from modern
church to model church. The early church of the apostles was the model.
Back to the
Bible is a call for a return to spiritual worship which is the power of God to
achieve the following:
1) To produce in men a new birth which
is a spiritual process also known as a regenerative revival that redeems a lost
soul from spiritual death to a new life in Christ Jesus (John 3:3) (1 Peter
1:2
e To establish people in the faith
(Romans 16:25)
3) For spiritual growth (1 Peter 2:2)
4) To cleanse the church (Ephesians
5:26)
5) Peace and protection (Ephesians 6:17)
6) To prepare a people to be partakers
of the Kingdom of God
We see in
the modern day Church an increase in the number of church ministries without a
corresponding increase in the number of regenerative Christians whose lives
have been transformed. There are more of sinners known as church sinners than
saints in the congregation. Many are in the church but are not in Christ therefore
are not new creatures (2 Corinthians 5:17).
The practices
of the modern day Church have been modernized and are not consistent with
Scripture. The standard set by the apostles was the doctrine of apostolic teaching,
fellowship, breaking of bread and prayers (Acts 2:42).
The early
church was a glorious church that performed signs and wonders empowered by the
Holy Spirit; were together in one accord, having all things common; breaking
bread from house to house and eating their meat with singleness of heart;
praising God and having favor with all the people.
In the early
church, the Word of God was preached to the people on daily basis and the Lord
added to the church those that should be saved, who heard the Word and were
obedient to it (Acts 2:42-47). It was a balanced church which foundation was
built on the Word which produced Power, Purity and Prosperity. In the modern
day church, prosperity is available but power and purity are scarce.
The modern
day churches pursue signs, miracles and wonders without the Word as their
foundation. Any church built on miracles will fade away but any church built on
the Word will abide forever because the Word of God abides forever (Isaiah
40:8).
The teaching
standard of the apostles taught the nations ALL things in the Word that Christ
commanded. No person had the right or the authority to qualify or limit, add or
subtract from any of the original teaching and practices lay down by Christ.
Every word of the Bible was taught and practiced by all Christians.
The
fellowship doctrine of the apostles is based on fellowship with God the father
and His Son Jesus Christ in who are light and in whom there is no darkness
(John 8:12). It is a fellowship that did not mingle with the world of iniquity
and darkness because God is Light (1 John1:1-7) and in Him is no
unrighteousness.
The modern
day church has imported the darkness in the world into the church to the extent
that it is becoming increasingly difficult to differentiate between a Christian
coming to church and a disco dancer in the world. The most glaring evidence of
worldliness in the modern day church lies in immoral dressing.
The early
church focused on preaching a regenerative revival that brought sinners to the
altar in tears to accept Christ. The regenerative revival in the early church
was a revival that translates a sinner from death to life which is Jesus basic
mission. The sermons preached from the pulpit in the early church were as
flames of fire that rend the hearts of the hearers (Acts 2:37) to run to Christ.
The modern
day church focuses more on a materialistic revival in which the physical and
financial wellbeing of the flock takes precedence over their spiritual
wellbeing. However, the spiritual wellbeing of the flock should be the basic
occupation of a true Minister of the Gospel (Matthew 6:33).
The modern
day church attracts unbelievers through messages that have been watered down;
that meets the needs of their body rather than their soul; that promises
happiness on earth, rather than righteousness that leads to eternity; that
makes sinners comfortable in sin and iniquity yet claim to be saved.
The modern
church consists of more professing believers than real practicing Christians
whose profession and practice do not align (Matthew 7:21) (Proverbs 11:4). Proverbs
30:12 says,
‘There is a generation
that is pure in their eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness’
Many modern
day churches do not teach ALL things that Christ commanded but teach selected
topics that the people want to hear contrary to what God wants them to hear (Isaiah
58:1). It teaches fanciful and misleading messages to a congregation whose
lives are bound in sin rather than teach about sin and how to be delivered from
sin which is Jesus basic mission (Matthew 1:21) (Galatians 1:8).
Another principle
in the early church that the modern church has neglected is making disciples of
men. A disciple prefers his relationship with his Master above all others (Luke
14:26). He bears his Cross and follows His Master continually and not for a
while. A disciple forsakes all that he has whenever required for the Kingdom of
His Master (Luke 14:27, 33).
Discipleship
is to perfect and release a convert who has become a disciple into the ministry
(2 Timothy 2:2). Many modern day churches keep members in their fold for many
years without discipling them to become useful vessels for the Lord’s use in
ministry especially in evangelism which every believer is called to do (Matthew
28:18-20).
In the
modern day church, unlike the early church, there is much moral decadence and
lawlessness. There is powerlessness unlike the power demonstrated by Paul and
Silas in Macedonia who turned the world upside down in Acts Chapter 17.
The average modern
day Christian cannot hear directly from the Lord and runs after pastors and
prophets to do the hearing for him. There is a shift from focusing on Christ to
focusing on men which leads many men to worshiping the creature more than the
creator (Romans 1:25).
Pastors of
many modern day churches do things to glorify themselves and not to glorify
Jesus Christ. They draw attention to themselves rather than to Jesus Christ who
is the founder of the church and who has a name above all names (Philippians
2:9-10).
A typical
example is where a pastor says, ‘meet me on the mountain on Sunday for
solutions to your problems’, which draws attention to self as the solution
provider and not to Jesus. Many modern day pastors display their pictures on
their church signage to draw attention to themselves. These actions constitute
vain glory which is a sin damnable in hell.
The average
modern day Christian does not live his Christian life in the right manner. He
does not study the Word of God on his own and does not attend bible study
lessons and Sunday school classes in church. In many modern day churches, the majority of
the members and leaders do not attend bible classes and house fellowship. They
cannot give their time to God but want to receive.
He is also a
prayerless Christian who does not pray habitually but prays only in church to
ask from a God whom he has refused to get intimate with through His Word (John
8:31). He does not want to pay the price to know God and His righteousness but
wants the blessings and the promises in the Word fulfilled in his life contrary
to Matthew 6:33.
The modern
day church has in its fold too many baby Christians who fail to grow, who spend
10 to 20 years in church but whose lives are not transformed to spiritual
giants, and are enslaved to their pastors and prophets. Many modern day churches
teach messages that entertain their members rather than convict sinners for
repentance.
Many modern
day churches teach that one can follow Christ without carrying a cross i.e.
that one can serve Christ without dying for him; without suffering persecution
and without forsaking anything contrary to Luke 14:26-33.
Many modern
day church pastors have become ‘gods’ in their assemblies where their members
build a relationship with them rather than build a relationship with God.
Therefore, the average modern day Christian is an idol worshiper who worships
his ‘church’ and ‘pastor’ above God. Denominational ism is self-righteousness
which is damnable in hell fire.
The offices
of Pastor and Prophet have been so bastardized by con artists in ministry that
many well-meaning Christians do not wish to associate with them. It is becoming
more of a stigma to be addressed or identified as a Pastor or Prophet in these
modern days.
Therefore,
the modern day church is a modernized church that lacks fire and power unlike
the early church which operated in One Accord and brought down fire from heaven
(Acts 2:1-4). It is the Pentecostal fire
that comes through tarrying in God’s presence that makes soul winning to be
effective.
The TV &
radio evangelism noises of many modern day churches, their financial/prosperity
bait used to attract sinners, their attractive buildings and beautiful pulpits and
other gimmicks without a genuine and practical devotion and dedication to God
can bring sinners into the church auditorium but cannot win their souls into
the Jesus Kingdom. If souls are won, usually they do not abide (John 15:16).
Therefore, the modern day church is a master at creating backsliders from
inception of their soul winning campaigns.
The modern
day church pulls huge crowds to its crusades, but is a noisy church that lacks
the power to make a positive change in the society. Many modern day pastors
teach superficial religion and messages based on human wisdom mainly for
amusement and a temporary emotional experience but certainly not a genuine
encounter with the Holy Spirit. Where the church ministry does not have the
level of spirituality required to convey God’s mind to the congregation, then
it is all a ruse and noise making! (1 Corinthians 2:4-5).
Therefore, Back
to the Bible is a call for a restorative revival (Hosea 6:1-2) to cure the worldly
and backslidden condition of the congregation in the modern day church. It is
time to revive the church as in the days of Ezra in Nehemiah chapter 8 where
the Word of God was preached to the people distinctly and interpreted in the
way it was written and meant to be understood, not giving a personal
interpretation.
Back to the
bible is a call for a restorative revival that will create an awakened people
whose transformed lives will preach the gospel to others as in Antioch (Acts
11:26) where the disciples were first called Christians. An awakened church can
only preach the gospel to a dying and lost world through its own awakened
people whose lives have been transformed.
Transformation
of lives from darkness to light is the basic mission of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Any gospel that cannot transform lives from sinfulness to the righteousness
that is of God (Deuteronomy 6:18) is not of God and is another gospel and a
false gospel (Galatians 1:8-9). The gospel of Jesus is the power of God unto
salvation (Romans 1:16).
Back to the
Bible is a call to church leaders to return to the apostolic standards and
practices that nurture their members with the right teachings to mature them
for ministry and to move out of the church to work for the Lord.
Further,
back to the bible is a call to you and me as individuals who will give account
before Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10) to return to bible day Christianity. You and
me as individuals constitute the church of Christ and not the buildings. The
church buildings are merely the geographical address of the body of Christ in a
locality. Back to the bible implies that you and me return from following the
multitude doing evil (Exodus 23:2) and start doing what is right in the sight
of the Lord (Deuteronomy 6:18).
In
conclusion, Back to the Bible is a call to you to live a transformed life that
preaches the gospel to unbelievers. Many want to see the power of the gospel at
work in terms of holiness and righteousness in the lives of men that will make
them believe that salvation is real. It happened at Antioch (Acts 11:26) where
the disciples were first called Christians when the people in the city saw that
their lifestyle and behavior were not different from the life of Jesus whom
they preached.
Is your Christian
lifestyle a reproach to the gospel? Return to the bible day apostolic standard.
Prayer: O God my Father, revive your
church starting with me.
Ayodele Adegbulugbe
www.xtianrace.blogspot.com
