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| PentecostalTheology.com
[“This young pastor is certainly not out to win any popularity contests!” – Christopher Alam]
[May the church awaken in this hour and be the true overcoming church – Ray E Horton]
THE PRIMARY THREAT TO THE CHURCH IN AMERICA IS THE CHURCH
By Ryan Cagno
Not the President or his enemies, not the state or the deep state, not your political adversaries on right or left, not Big Tech censorship, not mainstream media or alternative media, not capitalists or communists, not the courts, not rioters or roving bands of guys in buffalo hats.
Always Been That Way
No, the Church is the Church’s greatest threat. And it’s always been this way for God’s people.
May we only be faithful to our calling and remember that the Church is the one true ‘shining city on a hill’, and not even the gates of hell can overcome it
The Israelites were undone by their lack of faith in God, not by the giants in the land. (Num 13-14)
The reign of Solomon was undone by his own moral failings, not by foreign threats. (1 Kings 11)
The kingdom of Judah was undone by idolatry, and injustice against the poor. (Jer 5)
Jesus spends conspicuously little time addressing threats from the outside world, but levels sharp judgment against both the religious leaders of his day (Matt 23) and even his own followers (Mark 8:31-38).
And Paul tells the church in Corinth: “For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside.” (1 Cor 5:12-13)
Wow Upon Us If …
Woe upon us, then, if we continue to wage culture war against the world while ignoring the things that are corrupting and destroying the Church from the inside.
Woe upon us when we embrace a posture of militancy and defensiveness, rather than sacrificial love. (John 18:36)
Woe upon us when we seek the good of the Church through political power – something even Jesus didn’t do (Matt 4:8-10) – when we tie our fate to fallen human leaders. (1 Sam 8)
Woe upon us when we believe there is any “existential threat” that could overturn the command to turn the other cheek or love our enemies. (Matt 5)
Woe upon us when we rage against those who would persecute us, instead of embracing persecution with patient joy. (1 Pet 4:14-16, Matt 5:10-12)
Lord have mercy on us. May we have enough trust in God to believe that there is no outside existential threat – no giants in the land – formidable enough to turn the Church aside. May we remember that we thrive in persecution, and wither in prosperity. May we only be faithful to our calling and remember that the Church is the one true “shining city on a hill”, and not even the gates of hell can overcome it.
