This is Part 3 of our series, Training Ground, where we continue covering the real purpose of the church. In Part 1, we included various opinions that people sent us about their view of fellowshipping at church, and in Part 2,we looked more closely at how “doing church” has changed over the last several decades. If you missed either of these newsletters, you can check them out by clicking on the images below:
As we continue in Part 3, we look at God’s true design for His church and some of the abuses taking place today, as well as the fallout that occurs when we ignore what the Lord has clearly laid out in His Word.
Protecting the Flock
Comment from one of our readers:
Absolutely not. The key word is “fellowship”: Do you think it is biblical to invite lost people into fellowship with believers? Fellowship implies partnership: Acts 2:42 “fellowship,” the same word as “partners” in Luke 5:10 (James and John were “partners” with Peter). “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” We are not to be yoked together with the lost and cannot have fellowship or communion with them (the verse suggests that fellowship with them is impossible). That said, we can and should invite them to meetings where the gospel is preached and taught. But fellowship, no.
2 Corinthians 6:14-16
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Those verses probably have a lot of applications in our lives. If I am unequally yoked with anything, whatever it is, I will be pulling in two different directions. And, of course, that push-pull will never end well.
Would we invite lost people to church if we were in another country? Let’s say you lived in Iran. You meet in an underground church. Would you invite a lost Iranian to your church? Why or why not? Can you see the problem it would cause if you did that in Pakistan, Afghanistan, or China? If it’s dangerous to invite unbelievers into underground fellowships where Christianity is illegal, think about the impact it brings to churches when their guard is down.
One person said,
“Going to church should be more like the gym than going to a movie. It should be a workout and not for entertainment.”
Equipping or entertaining. What is your church doing? Remember what the correct biblical definition of a church is.
Highways and Byways
Comment from one of our readers:
Yes!!! We, as believers, are to be fishers of men! We are to share the truth that we know with unbelievers. The Great Commission is to spread the gospel. Love our neighbors—the lost. They need to see our faith put into practice—opportunities to see our faith.
Matthew 22:9,10
Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.
Highways are outside of the church. Now, don’t misinterpret what is being said here. They are inviting people to a wedding feast, not to church. They are inviting people to Heaven. They are inviting people to be saved. They are inviting sinners to have their sins washed away by believing the gospel.
Revelation 19:7-9
Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
Will lost people be at the wedding supper of the Lamb? Of course not! That feast is for us. It is for believers. It is for folks who are born again, and what a time that will be!!
But what does this also tell us? We need to be in the soul-winning business to make sure the wedding supper of the Lamb is a full house and all the seats are taken!
Lost or Saved?
Comment from one of our readers:
I would say it is biblical to have lost people in the church to hear the message and fellowship, but it would be unbiblical to have them partake in the Lord’s Supper, lead prayer, etc.
Acts 2:46,47
And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
Interestingly, some people use these verses to say that church is for lost people. But as you can tell, they don’t say that at all! Who was God adding to the church? Saved folks! Kind of simple.
Because, if there is not some kind of separation between the saved and unsaved, then truly anything is possible—and I do mean anything.
How would you like to be the pastor of a church that brags about transgender folks serving in your church? Yes, I just wrote that. And there is even more that First Baptist Orlando allows in their church. Watch this short video and hear it for yourself:
It sure seems that the church’s purpose, biblically, isn’t evangelism; it’s the building up of the saints. Evangelism can happen there, but it’s not the purpose of the church. The purpose of Jesus’s followers is evangelism. It is our job to get out to the highways and byways of life to reach lost souls for Him.
Matthew 18:11-13
For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.
Interestingly, some folks have used these verses to support inviting lost people to church. But read them again. They are really saying the opposite! YOU and I MUST GO out and find the people who have gone astray. It implies they are not with you right now. You are the one who goes out to find the lost, makes sure they are saved, and then plugs them into your local church.
The Fallout
Also, did you ever think about church being a very uncomfortable place for lost people? I have heard that more than once through the years. When they attend church, they are worshipping a God they don’t even know exists yet.
Do you understand now why some nonbelievers complain about church folks always asking for money? Many have been sitting in a service when money was being talked about, but they were lost. They didn’t have the spiritual discernment to understand why giving was being discussed.
Comment from one of our readers:
According to Romans 8:9, “…Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.” Back to Romans 8:7, “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” There is no spiritual discernment, and they cannot understand God’s Word without the Holy Spirit’s guidance. They must be saved in order to have fellowship, and 1 John, speaking to believers, emphasizes this as well. So submit therefore unto God, because they are already condemned. Can two walk together except they be agreed?
What if a lost person comes to church on Sunday, and the pastor talks about the biblical command that women should not be preachers or pastors of churches? What would their take be? Do they think we are bigoted? Do they think we are misogynistic? Remember, they can’t spiritually discern the truths of the Bible as an unbeliever.
And, by the way, Rick Warren has been a huge advocate for women preachers. He ordained three women pastors during his time at Saddleback. He has since turned over the reins of his church to someone else. And as you may have guessed, it is a husband-and-wife team who co-pastor the church now!
The Bible says one thing, and we love to do the opposite. If biblical discernment is low, then you can’t biblically tell right from biblically wrong. If his church had been taught the Scriptures, the congregants would have called him out on women pastors. And if he didn’t want to listen to them, then they would have left and found a biblically sound church to go to in Southern California.
Truly, the need to discern the purpose of the church is greater now than ever before. We need to rightly divide truth from error, which we will cover in the last of this series coming out on Wednesday.
Until the nets are full,
P.S.
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