Hope and Glory

I posted the comment below over at Mike Ratliff's blog Possessing the Treasure on thread named "Hope".

In his post Mike Ratliff encourages the true followers of the Lord Jesus Christ as we walk the path the King has set before us. Mike says:

If our walk is free of suffering, affliction, persecution, or troubles then it is more than likely that we are not in the fight. We are not in the battle. We are not stepping out on faith as the Lord leads. However, if we abide in our Lord we will also obey Him. That means that we will take on His yoke and pull the plow alongside Him. That does not mean that we will be free from suffering. Instead, it means that we have our treasure in Heaven rather than on earth. It means that our hope is there, not here. It also means that our hope is sure and our mood should be one of unquenchable confidence because we see both our salvation accomplished by looking back and the fulfillment of it by looking forward. We are on the victory side.

Below is my comment:

Coram Deo // Feb 10th 2007 at 7:44 pm

As the Lord shows us what is really going on in the church that is Christian in name only it is easy to become overwhelmed. - Mike Ratliff

Well said, Mike. It often seems that the "church militant" is MIA.

In my opinion part of the problem with many (most?) professing Christians is the sad fact that many (most?) professing churches of the Lord Jesus Christ fail to deliver the whole counsel of God.

The average evangelical church seems more focused on the numbers in the pews and the dollars in the offering plate than with genuine expository preaching of the Word of God.

Sadly this has resulted in a luke-warm professing church that has sold its spiritual birthright for a worthless bowl of worldly pottage. These lifeless hulls are fit for nothing. But the true believer ought not be discouraged with the growing apostasy, rather he should take heart in the understanding that our Sovereign King has ordained all things, no matter how perilous or perplexing they may seem in our sight. For within the professing apostate visible church is hidden a pearl of great price; the invisible church!

Every believer should be educated about how Christ builds his church according to the revealed truth of Holy Scripture. And you can rest assured that as always, God's way is not man's way.

I highly recommend Bob DeWaay's article "Redefining the Church" for a clear and refreshing contrast between the visible and the invisible church. Bob succinctly juxtaposes the visible and invisible church, and along the way Bob irrefutably traces the modern church growth apostasy all the way back to its poisonous roots in Rome.



Lord may we be obedient and faithful servants! Help us to be lamps through which your glorious light may shine into a sick and dying world!