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This is the third article in our 10-part series of excerpts from our new book, “In Vain Do They Worship Me, Teaching as Doctrine the Commandments of Men.”
As stated previously, the purpose of this book is to shine a light on the reasons for the frightening collapse in morality in America in recent years. Although America was built on the foundations of the education and discipleship system outlined in Scripture, we began abandoning these precepts in the mid-19th century in favor of a new church doctrine formally termed Pietism.[1] This doctrine places a false division between what is deemed “secular” and “sacred,” effectively silencing the churches regarding social and political issues causing chaos and destruction in our society. But God speaks constantly on these same issues throughout the Bible, warning nations and people of unethical, unrighteous behavior and the consequences of rejecting His Law in our culture.
Here is the next great concern.
Grave Error # 2:
“Focus on Grace—Not Good Works”
Do we no longer emphasize the fruit of works because we live in the Age of Grace?
Ephesians 2:8-9 states: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Verse ten continues: “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” ( ESV, emphasis added)
No orthodox Christian would deny or downplay the first half of the above scripture. By far, this has been the predominant message delivered in most American churches week-after-week for decades. The fact that we are saved by grace through faith and not of works is the key to understanding the doctrine of salvation.
But once saved, then what?
The Scripture goes on to teach that we are saved for a purpose—to do those good works God created us for, even before we were born. We are made in the image of God, who is always working for our benefit, and we are made to reflect His image to the world. In other words, we are called to serve and bless humanity just as Christ washed the disciples’ feet and laid His life down as a sacrifice for others. Again, we’re saved by grace through faith—not by works. But we are clearly warned in James 2:26 that “faith without works is dead.”
Devoid of focused emphasis from the pulpits on this matter, the Church in America has become lifeless and ineffective in the fight against evil. This contest can only be won by boldly proclaiming truth in all spheres of life, not simply limiting its application to the individual, the home, and the local church. The entire world is the battlefield. The Great Commission calls the Church to teach (disciple) all the nations, and if we do not make this a priority first in our homes and congregations, how can we be trusted to do so outside our primary sphere?
Graduation Day
Scripture teaches that discipleship requires continual progress in our walk of sanctification towards Heaven. We are always to be growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ from the day of our new birth until our last earthly breath. Heb 5:13-14 states:
“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.”
Continuing in Heb. 6:1-2, we are admonished:
“Leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.”
The principle here is comparable to the building of Solomon’s temple described in 1 Kings 5-7. Laying the cornerstones and foundations was the most critical element in the construction of this magnificent house of worship, but it would serve no purpose without following the instructions for completion of the superstructure to be built upon it. Repeating the process of laying the foundation over and over again would result in no temple at all, leaving it empty, formless, and purposeless.
Again, we’re told in Ephesians 2:10 that we are created to model Christ in all our lives and do those good works he has created for us. God did not save us and then immediately beam us up to heaven as in a Star Trek episode or sci-fi movie. He leaves us here for a purpose. “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.” (John 14:12) And among those works is to contend for the faith (Jude 3) by combating evil and promoting righteousness. (Romans 12:9, 2 Corinthians 10:4-5, Ephesians 5:11) We have a grand purpose in God’s grand timeline of history (His-Story)!
Breck Wheelock writes,
In today’s culture, as at any time in history, we live in a battleground of ideas. However, because mass communication and social media can travel anywhere throughout the globe at the speed of light, the battle of ideas, at this point in human history, has nearly reached a climax. The barriers of time and space, which had up until recently been able to confine the suppression of truth to various degrees, have been completely breached. Never before has man been able to communicate the evil thoughts and intents of his heart without borders and/or time constraints; but thanks to mass communication, he now can. Sin is now able to metastasize throughout every nation of the world with little to no resistance vis-à-vis global technology. This is the world we now live in.
For many decades, the leadership in the vast number of Protestant churches has been teaching—either explicitly or implicitly—that it is unacceptable, irreverent, and/or inflammatory to address current social or political issues from the pulpit, even in the context of teaching the Scriptures. I would contend that among those three adjectives, only the term “inflammatory” applies; however, is it wrong to speak on inflammatory issues when there is Scriptural warrant to do so? Did not Christ address inflammatory issues—and with great boldness? Was He fearful of losing His audience when He did so? Was that not the example that He taught, and His disciples modeled as well? Jesus said in Revelation, chapter three, “I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.” No doubt this is an “inflammatory” warning that applies today!
Breck continues,
Why are pastors so reluctant to address inflammatory issues? Is it out of fear? Are we not in a war?! Certainly, there should be a little bit of “them’s fightin’ words” between opponents in a war. Certainly we must be offensive (to a certain degree) if we are to take ground from the enemy.
Consider these incisive and poignant words from Thomas Watson:
Scripture teaches “Small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14). Indeed, hell will be taken without storm: the gates of hell … open of their own accord (Acts 12:10); but if we get to Heaven, we must force our way; we must besiege it with sighs and tears and get the scaling ladder of faith to storm it. We must not only work—but fight. Like those Jews who built the wall of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 4:17-18), “Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked.”
A Christian is commanded to difficult service; he must charge through the whole army of his lusts, every one of which is stronger than Goliath. A Christian has no time to drowse; he must be either praying or watching; either upon the mount or in the valley, on the mount of faith or in the valley of humility. Worldly things are not obtained without labor. What toiling is there in the shop! … And do we think Heaven will be had without labor?
The Cost of Downplaying Works
When churches emphasize grace while discouraging the pursuit of good works, the church and the people who fill the pews become listless, passionless, and voiceless in the social arena surrounding them. This leads to an inevitable breakdown in the culture, affecting every man, woman, and child in the community and nation. It has often been stated that government flows downstream from the culture, meaning that the values accepted in the society will eventually guide the policies of the government—leading to laws that govern the practices and behaviors it promotes or allows. Consider the radical changes that have taken place in America since 1962 when the Supreme Court abolished prayer in public schools, or look at the horrendous and disastrous sexual agenda that has overwhelmed America since the Supreme Court approved gay marriage in 2015. The culture affects the government, then the government imposes laws and demands the acceptance and compliance of all its citizens to those laws. All this has occurred in America while the church at large has been silent.
The truth is, most people don’t recognize that God has placed the headship of all society and government upon the shoulders of Christ, and we, His children, are to carry out this mission as best we are able. Christ lifts up or casts down all governments, but he makes His disciples to be responsible to follow His commands, regardless of what others say.
If your church is not speaking up biblically against the issues attacking the church today, consider meeting with your church leadership and respectfully encouraging them to do so. The people are crying out for leaders to give them marching orders to battle against these evils tossing the church to and fro!
[1] A Brief History on Pietism and Statist Rulers—Why Rulers Promote a Pietistic Form of Christianity by Pastor Matt Trewhella