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The Great Need in the Church Today
Marshall Flowers
No one can successfully deny that the church of our Lord is facing a great crisis today. During my lifetime I have seen the church splintered and fractured o v e r a number of different things, such as: women teachers, women and hats, women s p e a k i n g in Bible classes, dividing into classes, located preachers, the n u m b e r of cups in the communion service, church cooperation, church benevolence, etc., etc., etc. But I am p e r s o n a l l y convinced that the church today faces the g r e a t e s t crisis of all in the issue of "Liberalism."
In Colossians 2:7 the Bible says, "Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding t h e r e i n with thanksgiving." This passage presents, at one and the same time, the basic cause and cure for liberalism. The prime reason that liberalism is making such headway in the church today is b e c a u s e many of our m e m b e r s are not "rooted and built up in him and stablished in the faith"! Rather than being "steadfast and unmovable," they f o 11 o w the crowd. Whatever the issue is today-some members eagerly jump aboard. If the issue changes tomorrow, so do they! B r e t h r e n, we have a battle ahead of us! Every concerned Christian needs to arm h i m s e 1 f with the "sword of the S p i r it, which is the word of God" (Eph. 6:17), and as a "good soldier of Jesus Christ" (2 Tim. 2:3) "fight the good fight of faith" (1 Tim. 6:12). In the language of Jude it is "needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints." (Jude 3.) What then is the g r e a t need in the church today? We need elders today who are "rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith." Men who are able to "convict the gainsayers." (Tit. 1:9.) Men who truly s h e p h e r d the flock and protect them from the evil one, guarding them with their own lives, for the "good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep." (John 10:11.) Men who can and will stop the mouths of "men who o v e r t h r o w whole houses teaching things which they ought not." (Tit. 1:11.) God, give us this kind of elders!
We need preachers who are "rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith." Men who study diligently and are God's approved w o r k m e n, being able to handle aright the word of truth. (2 Tim. 2:15.) Men who will "preach the word; be urgent in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching." (2 Tim. 4:2.) Men who will not shun to "declare . . . all the c o u n s e l of God." (Acts 20:27.) Men who are not afraid to withstand to the face those who are to be blamed. (Gal. 2:11.) Men who love the truth and the souls of men enough that they are willing, not only to be bound, but also to die for the name of the Lord Jesus. (Acts 21:13.) God, give us this kind of preachers!
We need teachers in our Bible classes who are "rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith." Teachers who not only teach the old paths, but who walk in them themselves. (Jer. 6:16.) Teachers who know and will teach "the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean." (Ezek. 44:23.) Teachers who refuse to use any Un-scriptural materials o r methods. Teachers who love their students and are mindful of how terrible it is in the sight of the Lord to cause someone to be lost-better that we o u r s e 1 v e s be drowned. (Matt. 18:6.) God, give us this kind of teachers!
We need church members who are "rooted and built up in him, and s t a b l i s h e d in the faith." M e m b e r s who do not just say. "Lord, Lord," but who earnestly and wholeheartedly strive to do the "will of the Father which is in heaven." (Matt. 7:21.) Members who truly seek "first the kingdom of G o d, and his righteousness." (Matt. 6:33.) Members who truly "w ill to do his will" and thus "know of the d o c t r i n e" (John 7:17), because they "study to show themselves approved unto God" (2 Tim. 2:15). Members who are h e n c e f o r t h "no more children, tossed to and fro, and c a r r i e d about with every wind of doctrine" (Eph. 4:14), but are those "who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil" (Heb. 5:14). Members who "believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God." (1 John 4:1.) Me m b e r s who, as the Bereans, search the Scriptures daily to see whether the things they hear are so. (Acts 17:11.) Me m b e r s who exercise themselves unto godliness and "refuse profane and old wives' fables" (1 Tim. 4:7), and every other fable or untruth. God, give us this kind of members!
The great need in the church of our Lord today, brethren, is for elders, preachers, t e a c h e r s. and m e m b e r s who are "rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith"! The battle lines are drawn! And as the poet has so well said, "Soldiers of Christ, arise and put your armor on; strong in the strength which God supplies through his beloved Son. Stand then, in his great might, with all his strength endued; but take to arm you for the fight, the panoply of God. Leave no u n g u a r d e d place, no weakness of the soul; take every virtue, every grace, and fortify the whole. That having all things done, and all your conflicts past, you may overcome through Christ alone, and stand entire at last." God, give us this kind of fortitude!