Some believers were overwhelmed at the seemingly stagnant growth and spiritual inactivity of some of our churches. With so many churches in our communities, and so much preaching on radio, television, “why are there so many problems in our churches?” I would like to share with you some of the things that God has revealed to me concerning His marvelous grace at work in some of these difficult conditions.

About 10 years ago, a preacher went to a local church and was amazed at the fact they were still small in size for the many years they have been an established church. He could see there was confusion and fighting among them. He also found that the attendance in the services was just as inconsistent as it was 10 years before. Thirdly, He noticed that the church finances were at an all-time low. The pastor said that over the years, some of the members in the congregation decided to move on to other churches where they felt things would be better.

Yes, it is true God is not the author of confusion. What is really going on? From my position as the pastor, you may be wondering, “what do I see?” “I see Jesus.” In spite of all that may appear, God’s grace is the only way. I see Jesus unconditionally loving us (whatever state we may be in), in spite of our refusal to allow Him to have His way in us.

I see Jesus giving us a free choice to go our own way independently of Him without forcing and condemning us. I also see Him lovingly allowing us to follow our indulging hearts down paths that will ultimately bring us pain and heart-ache due to our selfish independent living; to the end we may come to realize that we need Him more than anything else.

It is through the grace that God reveals to us, that we are able to allow Him to work in us. God wants us to choose to let Him control and to direct our lives instead of us or others through self-sufficiency. We all can clearly see that God is not making us do what is right. There are no “guard dogs” to follow us around to make sure that we do the right thing, read the bible, study, pray or attend services. “It is whoso ever will,” surrender their wills to allow God to work in them.

It may seem like the right thing to do by setting up systems to control, reward, and punish behavior in order to establish what is called an “ordered structure,” however unless God is directing us, it is legalistic and of the law. An attempt to achieve an ordered structure this way is simply trusting in our performance independently of the Holy Spirit (i.e. walking after the flesh), and thus being under Satan’s control. Those who labor under law are trying to please God their way, and in their ability (independently of Him). This my friend will always lead to frustration and failure. We are not sufficient within ourselves. We need Jesus to do all in and through us. This in reality is grace.

The Living Bible paraphrases Colossians2:20-23 as; “Since you died, as it were, with Christ and this has set you free from following the world’s ideas of how to be saved - by doing good and obeying various rules - why do you keep right on following them anyway, still bound by such rules as not eating, tasting, or even touching certain foods? Such rules are mere human teachings, for food was made to be eaten and used up. These rules may seem good, for rules of this kind require strong devotion and are humiliating and hard on the body, but they have no effect when it comes to conquering a person’s evil thoughts and desires. They only make him proud.”

Now let’s get down to the “nitty-gritty”. God tells us in Colossians 2:6: “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, [so] walk ye in him:…” We received Christ completely by putting our faith in God’s grace. We did not offer the Lord anything on our part, but came just as we were. We did not receive Christ based on our behavior, whether good or bad, whether we read the bible or followed the rules, and yet God saved us.

Now after being saved by grace through faith, many think they can change themselves, others, and other things by works (what they can do) which is not the same way they were saved. “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, [so] walk ye in him:”The same way we are saved, is the same way that we live - “by grace through faith,” - i.e. trusting God to do all in and through us.

It is true that there are those in our churches who are not punctual as well as those who do not come to church, or pay tithes as they should. There are those who show a lack of concern and respect for others, those who upset others and are easily upset or offended. There too are those whose life styles are unbecoming as Christians. It is also true that there are Christians who read and study their bibles, fast and pray, give tithes and offerings, and faithfully attend church services and yet they do not see nor experience God’s unconditional love relationship with Jesus. (If you like a more comprehensive list of the problems in the church see Galatians 5:19-21).

My friend, these problems are in every church and in every city, more are less to some degree. However, these issues in our churches are simply symptoms of a greater problem. That is why there is little time spent addressing these issues in the epistles of Paul.

Some believers leave their churches because they see problems there. They think that by going to a new church, things will be different. One of the reasons that Christians know the problems where they attend is because they know or socialize with the members at that church. They have no doubt had good as well as bad experiences with each others. Now, if they are not satisfied at their church, most likely a church where things seem to be better will usually appeal to them until they find fault. When we are not content the grass will always look better to us on the other side of the fence. However, be careful, maybe that is where the septic tank is.

Some believers think that if the pastors doesn’t set up rules or guide-lines for Christians to follow, they will not do the right thing. However I say that God’s grace gives the believer the choice to choose to allow Him to lead him/her without the element of manipulation by law or legalism. This means that those who trust in themselves to do things their way are bolder in taking advantage of this position by not submitting to the grace of God which in effect leads to some of the disorder that we may see in our churches.

Setting up fence-laws is not the answer to order in our churches. Law appeals to our flesh to keep it, however, neither law, rules nor regulations can change men’s heart toward God. In fact, they do the very opposite when we trust in them. When we have confidence in law (trusting in our ability to do what God requires independently of Him), we are in essence looking to ourselves which is pride. Remember it is; “….not of works lets we boast” (Eph. 2:10B).

Beloved, realize this one thing; we can not change anything or anyone. This would include us. It is true that some things need to change, but a greater truth is that the change must first begin with us. Also, realize that most people that we encounter are not spiritual enough to treat us the way we think they should. The solemn truth about the whole situation is that most of us are not spiritual enough to treat one another as Christians should. The proof of the pudding is in the eating - the problems in our homes and churches.

All the problems that we face in our Christian lives are simply symptoms of a greater problem - self-sufficiency, which means that we trust in ourselves. There is no law (by self-effort) to fix this condition. Only Jesus can. If you really want to see change in your church, let Jesus fix you so that you can love your neighbor as yourself in spite of him or herself. Let Him strengthen you with might in your inner man and make you strong in the Lord so that you will be able to bear each others burdens and the infirmities of the weak. Let Him love in and through you so that you can love your enemies and pray for those who despitefully use you.

We must stop making excuses about what wrong with our churches and why we can not get along with each another. We must submit ourselves to God so that He can reveal the reality of the dying of the Lord Jesus in us so that His life can be made manifest in our mortal flesh. Then my friend, when we look in the mirror we will see a glorious Church without spot or wrinkle.

This is the city that sits on a hill that can not be hid. And as the tired, weak, worn-out, beaten-down, and battered saints (and sinners alike) who walk in darkness see the glorious light of Christ shinning in and through us, they will come to that Light (Jesus) and glorify God the Father.

“Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” II Corinthians 3:17-18.

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