Two verses that you may not see as related, yet.
“For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” (1st Tim. 6:10)
And
“And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;” (2nd Peter 2:13)
“How else are we to reach them if we do not invite them into the church?”
You have sat in the pews next to them, and then heard their vulgar language during the week, you have seen them smile and shake hands with those in the congregation, and then heard of the spiteful way they have treated others. Perhaps you have even witnessed how since their arrival new Bibles or hymn books are in the pews, perhaps a new addition to the building, or the pastor driving a new vehicle.
“I don’t have time to visit everyone during the week, and I cannot expect my parishioners to do my job of reaching out to the lost.”
There are few worse sins than an entire congregation inviting the world into their assembly, and far too often it is not the spots and blemishes they consider, but the additional income from those who simply want their ears tickled.
Many times, I have read that men of God who have been called by the Almighty to lead a flock would rather have ten men who have devoted their lives to the Lord Jesus Christ than one hundred in the pews who are lukewarm.
“And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.” (Mark 4:19)
That new vehicle, the addition to the church building, even the sin of vanity that can point to that person and say, “He comes to my church.” All these and more make those spots and blemishes seem a little less intrusive, a smaller sin, if you will, when it seems as if, as a whole, it is the right thing, the polite thing to do, to invite them in and treat them as if they are part of the family of the Living God.
A much wiser man than myself has penned these words in relation not only to the subject matter in this short letter to you, but about our lives in regard to it as well. “God would rather see a hole in your clothes than a spot.”
How many of your friends fit here, how many people do you associate with on a regular basis that are causing you to carry a spot on yourself, a blemish because you have chosen to try to live in two worlds at the same time?
“Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.” (Matt. 15:14)
My friends, if you are not leading them to the cross of Christ, then they are leading you towards the world.
“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” (2nd Cor. 6:14)
It starts innocently enough, someone saying to a lost soul, “You should come to church,” instead of asking them about the condition of their soul, instead of witnessing of the truth of the Scriptures to them. But then, that is where we are at, isn’t it. How rude would it seem, how can one say they have a Christlike attitude if they were to look at that person and say, “I cannot invite you to worship with us, but I will spend as much time as needed to reveal all I know about my Savior.”
No, no, we can’t have that, all are welcome, no matter what.
So where do you draw the line, two women kissing in the pews? The loose woman dressed in alluring attire? When will you judge with righteous judgment, when will you judge amongst yourselves?
Holiness before the Lord is being overshadowed by the possibility of being rude, politeness is preferred over righteousness.
“If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:” (2nd John 1:10)
The love of money tries its very best to wash out those spots, to cover those blemishes, but God can still see them.
Isn’t it sad to think that you need to keep your armor on even in church?
