Liberalism.
Sexual immorality.
Hypocrisy.
Worldliness.
Unbelief.
Apostasy.
Compromise.
These crises are not novel, even among the communion of the saints. The study of Church history--the honest study, at least--reveals many sordid chapters in the story of Christ's body. The Church has always been imperfect. She has always been a work in progress. She has always had her ups and downs, her steps forwards and back, her moments of shame, or perhaps, her shamelessness.
What does this mean to the Christian? Why should this motivate the Christian to study Church history? Well, this reality should actually be encouraging. As we witness the continual decline of the theological and moral standards of the Church, this checkered past should remind us that we have not passed a point of no return. The sexual revolution has not conquered the Church. God has not abandoned His plan for His elect. Technology and Science, the twin deities of humanism, have not rendered faith and purity obsolete. The declaration of our Savior--that the gates of hell will not prevail against His Church--has not been nullified! God is not dead!
You see, my brothers and sisters, our God has always worked through a remnant. In fact, one could accurately describe the Bible as the story of the remnant. The Garden, the Exodus, the Conquest, the Captivity, the Return, the Twelve, the Persecution of the Church--all these remind us that nothing, not even meager numbers or lukewarm believers, can eradicate God's plan or God's people. God will build. God will purify. The Holy Spirit is at work in the world! Jesus Christ is the Author and Finisher of our Faith, the true Seed of the woman, the true Remnant!
Orthodox Christianity does not need to compromise to survive. Faithful Christians do not need to abandon our moors to stay relevant. On the contrary, our relevance will be established as we stand against the floods of corruption and the waves of compromise. Our influence upon social institutions and upon the masses will come and go, but the Church will endure! Worship Centers packed with itching ears was never the goal, nor the product, of the Gospel anyway!
So as we watch megachurchs and megadenominations, along with their leaders, grovel at the feet of liberalism, we must remind ourselves that it is okay, nay, it is a privilege, to be a part of the Remnant.
Sexual immorality.
Hypocrisy.
Worldliness.
Unbelief.
Apostasy.
Compromise.
These crises are not novel, even among the communion of the saints. The study of Church history--the honest study, at least--reveals many sordid chapters in the story of Christ's body. The Church has always been imperfect. She has always been a work in progress. She has always had her ups and downs, her steps forwards and back, her moments of shame, or perhaps, her shamelessness.
What does this mean to the Christian? Why should this motivate the Christian to study Church history? Well, this reality should actually be encouraging. As we witness the continual decline of the theological and moral standards of the Church, this checkered past should remind us that we have not passed a point of no return. The sexual revolution has not conquered the Church. God has not abandoned His plan for His elect. Technology and Science, the twin deities of humanism, have not rendered faith and purity obsolete. The declaration of our Savior--that the gates of hell will not prevail against His Church--has not been nullified! God is not dead!
You see, my brothers and sisters, our God has always worked through a remnant. In fact, one could accurately describe the Bible as the story of the remnant. The Garden, the Exodus, the Conquest, the Captivity, the Return, the Twelve, the Persecution of the Church--all these remind us that nothing, not even meager numbers or lukewarm believers, can eradicate God's plan or God's people. God will build. God will purify. The Holy Spirit is at work in the world! Jesus Christ is the Author and Finisher of our Faith, the true Seed of the woman, the true Remnant!
Orthodox Christianity does not need to compromise to survive. Faithful Christians do not need to abandon our moors to stay relevant. On the contrary, our relevance will be established as we stand against the floods of corruption and the waves of compromise. Our influence upon social institutions and upon the masses will come and go, but the Church will endure! Worship Centers packed with itching ears was never the goal, nor the product, of the Gospel anyway!
So as we watch megachurchs and megadenominations, along with their leaders, grovel at the feet of liberalism, we must remind ourselves that it is okay, nay, it is a privilege, to be a part of the Remnant.
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