The Main Problem Faced By the Church Today

[B Griffin]

I recently heard a preacher on Christian radio discuss what he said was the main problem faced by the church today. He identified the problem as being friendship with the world. He may not have mentioned it, but it reminded me of James 4:4 -- "Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God."

Just before the spot aired, I was prayerfully considering the main problem faced by the church today. I could have thought it was ironic that I was thinking about this very topic moments before it was aired. But my first thought was that God was prodding me to consider the real problem ahead of time to prepare me to better understand what the preacher was about to say.

The main problem faced by the church today is not its friendship with the world. The main problem faced by the church today is its lack of friendship with the Spirit of God who lives in our hearts. To many, including this preacher (based on his sermons and writings and those of his subordinates), the Holy Spirit is a "voice in your head" that cannot be trusted, must be held at bay until you verify what He says is consistent with your understanding of Scripture, is silent except to exault Jesus, does not lead us into all truth, does not reveal things to come, does not communicate with our spirits directly, and does not directly teach us the deep things of God that only He knows.

It is curious to me that James directly links friendship with the world with lack of friendship with the Holy Spirit.

4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”? (Jas 4:4–5)​

The solution to the main problem faced by the church today is simple:

7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. (Jas 4:7–10)​

The Lord God, who lives in our hearts is jealous for us and for our attention to Him. He wants us to resist the devil, submit to Him (to the Spirit who dwells in us), draw near to Him (to the Spirit who dwells in us), and to humble ourselves before Him (before the Spirit who dwells in us). If we do this, He (the Spirit who dwells in us) will draw near to us (glory!) and He (the Spirit who dwells in us) will lift us up.

 

[bling]

There are two reasons for a business to go under and that is poor leadership and/or lack of funds. There is plenty of money to get the work done (look what is happening among the unregistered church in China) so that leaves poor leadership. Yes, we are to be led by the Spirit of Christ dwelling within us, but we need help to do that from true Christians being led by the Spirit within them.

 

[timothyu]

A simple community club survives because everything goes to the people rather than to profit the club. Churches could learn from community clubs that are closer in nature to the first churches than churches are today.

Also.. there are two beings within us as we are hybrids, our self that focuses on self interest and animal instincts (the world), and a spirit which is connected to God but is of no use to Him unless we reject the flesh, the self, in preference for the spirit and the will of God. A choice similar to the Garden. Those are the two you mentioned.

'you double-minded.'
'friendship with the world' (flesh)
'The Spirit who dwells in us'

 

[ViaCrucis]

I haven't finished it yet, but I am in the process of digesting Rev. Bryan Wolfmueller's Has American Christianity Failed? which is a look, examination, and critique of popular American Christianity and how it has been shaped by unbiblical ideas. Wolfmueller is a Confessional Lutheran pastor, so anyone who reads it should know that it's going to be unashamedly Lutheran in perspective. But I doubt the criticisms Wolfmueller makes will only be recognizable by only Lutherans.

Has American Christianity Failed? - Concordia Publishing House

Wolfmueller sounds the alarm against the problems with Christianity in America and offers a beautiful alternative: the pure Gospel.

www.cph.org

Has American Christianity Failed?

Check out this great listen on Audible.com. American Christianity teaches the centrality of the individual: my will, my experiences, my decision, my heart, my work, and my dedication. Yet we couldn't be more unaware that Christ and His saving and comforting work are being lost. Our minds and...

www.audible.com

-CryptoLutheran

 

[2PhiloVoid]

I recently heard a preacher on Christian radio discuss what he said was the main problem faced by the church today. He identified the problem as being friendship with the world. He may not have mentioned it, but it reminded me of James 4:4 -- "Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God."

Just before the spot aired, I was prayerfully considering the main problem faced by the church today. I could have thought it was ironic that I was thinking about this very topic moments before it was aired. But my first thought was that God was prodding me to consider the real problem ahead of time to prepare me to better understand what the preacher was about to say.

The main problem faced by the church today is not its friendship with the world. The main problem faced by the church today is its lack of friendship with the Spirit of God who lives in our hearts. To many, including this preacher (based on his sermons and writings and those of his subordinates), the Holy Spirit is a "voice in your head" that cannot be trusted, must be held at bay until you verify what He says is consistent with your understanding of Scripture, is silent except to exault Jesus, does not lead us into all truth, does not reveal things to come, does not communicate with our spirits directly, and does not directly teach us the deep things of God that only He knows.

It is curious to me that James directly links friendship with the world with lack of friendship with the Holy Spirit.

4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”? (Jas 4:4–5)​

The solution to the main problem faced by the church today is simple:

7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. (Jas 4:7–10)​

The Lord God, who lives in our hearts is jealous for us and for our attention to Him. He wants us to resist the devil, submit to Him (to the Spirit who dwells in us), draw near to Him (to the Spirit who dwells in us), and to humble ourselves before Him (before the Spirit who dwells in us). If we do this, He (the Spirit who dwells in us) will draw near to us (glory!) and He (the Spirit who dwells in us) will lift us up.

Oh, good gravy! The main problem facing Christians today isn't as much succumbing to worldly double-mindedness as much as it is our being raked over as we live in an epistemic Double-Bindedness ... that is, we live in an era where an existential break-down in society is upturning and preempting any one person's efforts to see Christianity as a real option by which to explain "reality." We no longer believe in biblical hope and it's natural for people, even Christians, to doubt and thereby recline toward sin as a a default reaction...

Maybe we all need to do a better job of becoming better educated about the various social, psychological, economic, political, scientific, and even hermeneutical, issues we all face and which make "believing" so difficult?

Personally, I've had enough of status-quo, fundamentalistic Christianity. It stagnates human well-being and the development of a more realistic and healthy, and hopeful, outlook on life.

 

[B Griffin]

There are two reasons for a business to go under and that is poor leadership and/or lack of funds. There is plenty of money to get the work done (look what is happening among the unregistered church in China) so that leaves poor leadership. Yes, we are to be led by the Spirit of Christ dwelling within us, but we need help to do that from true Christians being led by the Spirit within them.

I do wonder about the path forward that will lead us out of this morass.

Individually, of course, we are able to overcome every obstacle that keeps us from having an intimate persaonal relationship with the Lord because He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world. All it takes is to trust Him as He leads, guides, directs, teaches, corrects, and comforts us from the intimacy of our own hearts.

Corporately, though, given our obstinance, I don't see the same path forward without widespread repentance.

 

[B Griffin]

Maybe Christians could do a better job of becoming better educated about the various social, psychological, economic, political, scientific, and even hermeneutical, issues we all face that make "believing" so difficult?

This is an interesting comment. Maybe you can offer some insight into how some of these things make trusting the Lord difficult.

 

[bling]

I do wonder about the path forward that will lead us out of this morass.

Individually, of course, we are able to overcome every obstacle that keeps us from having an intimate persaonal relationship with the Lord because He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world. All it takes is to trust Him as He leads, guides, directs, teaches, corrects, and comforts us from the intimacy of our own hearts.

Corporately, though, given our obstinance, I don't see the same path forward without widespread repentance.

We might look to what is happening in China. Small house churches, small budgets, no one is paid, highest position being house church leader, and everyone being trained to lead making disciples, since the growth requires splitting the group up to fit into houses.
before we go blaming the masses, what are we doing? If you started today making disciples (allowing the Spirit to work through you making disciples) with a small group and averaged just one disciple like yourself each year (someone who could also average one disciple per year), in 37 years you run out of people on earth (10 billion) to be in your small group, even if you die along the way.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

This is an interesting comment. Maybe you can offer some insight into how some of these things make trusting the Lord difficult.

Most of the problem today centers on the fact that way too many folks in various Church denominations assert exaggerated claims about the Bible or about the veracity of their favorite denominational spin on what Christianity "is." I think if Christians, and especially their leaders, became better informed about a number of things pertaining to the Bible (i.e. they nned to become more widely educated and more widely read), they'd see that they mistakenly set people up to fall away when certain interpretations are presented and promoted to dogmatically. They need to realize that pumping up biblical expectations through the erroneous formulation of exaggerated doctrines, particularly those related to Health, Prosperity, and/or the inflated idea about the Inerrancy of the Bible, leads to further heartache rather than hope in eternity.

Being that a number of Church leaders preach without really being Epistemologically justified and/or rational with the way they assess the truth value of Christianity, they make the eventual collision with Reality that much more painful for those being thrown by the problems we all experience in life. And hence, we then see an onslaught of not only Ex-Christian media influencers taking the reigns of various social platforms and further disaffecting society, but those same ex-Christians are moved emotionally to become indignant and political rather than simply remain passive. Some of them have made it their calling to trounce on the Christian Faith, bringing about further disinclinations among other people who are also struggling with belief in Jesus.

Moreover, we also have Christians in our society who think it's also their job to sort the wheat from the chaff among believers. Those Christians are often self-proclaimed prophets, and it's not so clear that they've actually been authorized to judge people nor to get all political about their own theonomically laced visions for society.

 

[RandyPNW]

I recently heard a preacher on Christian radio discuss what he said was the main problem faced by the church today. He identified the problem as being friendship with the world. He may not have mentioned it, but it reminded me of James 4:4 -- "Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God."

Just before the spot aired, I was prayerfully considering the main problem faced by the church today. I could have thought it was ironic that I was thinking about this very topic moments before it was aired. But my first thought was that God was prodding me to consider the real problem ahead of time to prepare me to better understand what the preacher was about to say.

The main problem faced by the church today is not its friendship with the world. The main problem faced by the church today is its lack of friendship with the Spirit of God who lives in our hearts. To many, including this preacher (based on his sermons and writings and those of his subordinates), the Holy Spirit is a "voice in your head" that cannot be trusted, must be held at bay until you verify what He says is consistent with your understanding of Scripture, is silent except to exault Jesus, does not lead us into all truth, does not reveal things to come, does not communicate with our spirits directly, and does not directly teach us the deep things of God that only He knows.

It is curious to me that James directly links friendship with the world with lack of friendship with the Holy Spirit.

4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”? (Jas 4:4–5)​

The solution to the main problem faced by the church today is simple:

7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. (Jas 4:7–10)​

The Lord God, who lives in our hearts is jealous for us and for our attention to Him. He wants us to resist the devil, submit to Him (to the Spirit who dwells in us), draw near to Him (to the Spirit who dwells in us), and to humble ourselves before Him (before the Spirit who dwells in us). If we do this, He (the Spirit who dwells in us) will draw near to us (glory!) and He (the Spirit who dwells in us) will lift us up.

That's pretty well said. I would only suggest that "avoiding friendship with the world" is indeed a problem in the Church. There is a constant temptation to water down doctrine so as to not be offensive to "newcomers."

I hear less doctrine condemning moral sins like homosexuality out of fear of gay people who visit the church. It is understandable that we should not drive people away before allowing them to hear the Gospel fully. But to begin to cull out essential moral doctrines at the pulpit is, I think, a big mistake.

People who are "friends" with the Holy Spirit allow this experience to be degraded and almost die by this kind of compromise with the world. It is like "boiling the frog slowly."

As more and more friendly chats with the world takes place, on non-Christian subjects, there is the temptation to "remain friendly" by avoiding certain topics. Though this may be okay for awhile, in the end there must be a clear assertion of belief in Christian morality. Otherwise, our "friendship" with Christ, via the Holy Spirit, will gradually die.

 

[B Griffin]

That's pretty well said. I would only suggest that "avoiding friendship with the world" is indeed a problem in the Church. There is a constant temptation to water down doctrine so as to not be offensive to "newcomers."

I hear less doctrine condemning moral sins like homosexuality out of fear of gay people who visit the church. It is understandable that we should not drive people away before allowing them to hear the Gospel fully. But to begin to cull out essential moral doctrines at the pulpit is, I think, a big mistake.

People who are "friends" with the Holy Spirit allow this experience to be degraded and almost die by this kind of compromise with the world. It is like "boiling the frog slowly."

As more and more friendly chats with the world takes place, on non-Christian subjects, there is the temptation to "remain friendly" by avoiding certain topics. Though this may be okay for awhile, in the end there must be a clear assertion of belief in Christian morality. Otherwise, our "friendship" with Christ, via the Holy Spirit, will gradually die.

I actually agree with the preacher (and with you) that the church has a problem with wanting to be friends with the world. I just don't think it's the biggest problem we face. The church faces many problems today. This is not new. Just look at the NT Epistles. We have the same issues as discussed there, but on steroids.

The problem of friendship with the world that James addressed is a worldwide problem today.

Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. (Jas 4:4)​

The envy, strife, and divisions that plagued the Corinthian church (and others) is a worldwide problem today.

1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; 3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? (1 Co 3:1-3)​

The legalism that plagued the Galatians (and others) is a worldwide problem today.

Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? (Ga 4:21)​

The worldliness that plagued the church at Colosse (and others) is a worldwide problem today.

Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. (Col 2:8)​

Yet all of these problems have the same solution -- Trust the Spirit of the Living God as He leads, guide, directs, teaches, corrects, and comforts you from the intimacy of our own hearts.

Solution for friendship with the world

5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”?...​

7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.​

[The New King James Version (Jas 4:5, 7–8). (1982). Thomas Nelson.]​

Solution for envy, strife, and divisions

12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. 13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. 16 For “who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Co 2:12–16)​

Solution for legalism

16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law... 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (Ga 5:16–18, 25)​

Solution for worldliness

6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. 8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. (Col 2:6–10)​

Our problem is that not trusting the most trustworthy One in the universe has been almost universally institutionalized. We must repent of our distrust if we want to solve these other problems.

 

[RandyPNW]

I actually agree with the preacher (and with you) that the church has a problem with wanting to be friends with the world. I just don't think it's the biggest problem we face. The church faces many problems today. This is not new. Just look at the NT Epistles. We have the same issues as discussed there, but on steroids.

The problem of friendship with the world that James addressed is a worldwide problem today.

Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. (Jas 4:4)​

The envy, strife, and divisions that plagued the Corinthian church (and others) is a worldwide problem today.

1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; 3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? (1 Co 3:1-3)​

The legalism that plagued the Galatians (and others) is a worldwide problem today.

Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? (Ga 4:21)​

The worldliness that plagued the church at Colosse (and others) is a worldwide problem today.

Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. (Col 2:8)​

Yet all of these problems have the same solution -- Trust the Spirit of the Living God as He leads, guide, directs, teaches, corrects, and comforts you from the intimacy of our own hearts.

Solution for friendship with the world

5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”?...​

7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.​

[The New King James Version (Jas 4:5, 7–8). (1982). Thomas Nelson.]​

Solution for envy, strife, and divisions

12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. 13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. 16 For “who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Co 2:12–16)​

Solution for legalism

16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law... 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (Ga 5:16–18, 25)​

Solution for worldliness

6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. 8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. (Col 2:6–10)​

Our problem is that not trusting the most trustworthy One in the universe has been almost universally institutionalized. We must repent of our distrust if we want to solve these other problems.

Yes, I very much agree with you, and well said! I put in use certain strategies that involve my staying close to the Lord. One, I pray over and over that my love for Him grows and dominates all else. Also, I look to certain verses, lifelong, such as "Set your minds on things above, and not on the earth."

Also, I prioritize doing things that serve the Lord's interests, rather than just enjoy myself. I do not spare enjoying things myself, as the Lord gives, but I prioritize the more important things.

And so, I believe in "walking with the Lord" as Enoch did, and was "taken." If we just walk and talk with the Lord all the time, every day, I think we can check those things that pull on our weak flesh.

Yes, the solution, according to Paul and the rest, is to focus on the ways of the Spirit, and to thereby overcome the lusts and covetousness of the flesh. Well said!

Equally important, I think, is that we keep everything tempered by "love." If it isn't done in love, it's worthless. Do you just "sort of like" your spouse? Or, do you run to them, eager to see them, wanting to be with them, to please them, to see them smile?

We should never treat God like He's 2nd rate, or a pet. He made us and deserves our highest worship, which is the offering of our lives to His service.