Nowhere else, part 1

Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory..
Ephesians 3:8-13

I am a life-time member of the VFW; it is a highly organized nation-wide congressionally chartered civic (non-governmental) service organization. The VFW has a national headquarters, and there are fifty-some state “departments”, and within those, several regions; each “post” or local chapter is part of a region; each of these levels of organization have officers to carry out the VFW’s chartered purposes and goals.

There are requirements for joining (we just can’t take anyone) and and believe it or not, there are behavioral standards for members once they join. A member can be removed for bad conduct (but like in most churches, this hardly ever happens.).

We have special hats (yes, they are military looking) with pins and badges on them. We wear them at public events and at our meetings. We make a ceremonial display of our rallying banners, both of our nation, and of the VFW itself. We make an oath of loyalty to what these banners represent. We have members only meetings, we lay and collect dues, and we interact with the society in which we live, to benefit VFW members, veterans in general and veterans’ families.

But, is the VFW the only such organization that can do these things? Can other groups of people band together, wear hats, have meetings, post a banner recite loyalty oath, own a clubhouse and help the society, veterans (or other select groups) and their families? Can other people organize in our society and do the same things the VFW does? Yes, and there are quite a few of such groups, some more specialized (emphasizing ethnicity, era of service, gender, religious affiliation, etc). The VFW does not oppose anyone who, in a free nation, organizes and seeks to help veterans and their families; in some cases, the VFW even partners up with them. Point is, while the VFW is a respected endorsed and reputable group, they have no exclusive claim any particular part of their activities.

Is this also true of the church? Some would erroneously say, yes. Is the church the only organization that can do the things it does? Can other groups of people, who are not part of the church, band together, build a building or set up a tent, meet in it, talk about “God,” conduct divine “worship,” perform ceremonial acts and teach “truth,” and propose meaning and solutions concerning the various slings and arrows we encounter?

The answer is yes, of course, There are outsiders who regularly purport to do these very things. But can they really do what the Church of the Firstborn from the Dead does?

No. Not if we define things like ‘God,’ ‘truth,’ ‘worship,’ etc. as the Scripture defines does.

There are certainly many out there finding fault with the church as it is. Reflecting on my experience, I can see their point. I myself have never been treated more cruelly and slanderously than how I have been treated by church people. Ok, except for those times “over there” when bullets were whizzing past my head, but you expect that kind of thing in combat; you don’t expect it from within your own Household. But the failures of the church’s people are not the failures of the church’s One Foundation.

The fault finders clamor for the church to get up off her backside and effect more transformation of the world’s institutions, to engage is more aggressive political activism, and have as her goal more economic and social equity. (uh, …compared to what? I ask…)

Yes, perhaps some of the church has lost it’s way. Having no will to fight and make the case for a faith defined by divine revelation (the Bible) and rooted in the events of history (the Incarnation) she has, in many quarters, retreated and revisioned and repurposed herself for acceptance by her enemies. She has allowed the prophets of unbelief to seduce her in a mission creep toward respectability and impotency.

It does indeed seem to be that she has lost her first love while performing for the world an abstract religious pantomime devoid of meaning and power. Largely, what passes for the church is possessed by a spirit of man-centered religiosity out of step with the Holy Spirit of God: an impressive, clever, but ultimately meaningless and fruitless endeavor.

But there are also churches who have notsuccumbed to this deception. They are not chapters of respectability, nor are they particularly impressive or influential, at least, not as the world defines such principles.

J. Gresham Machen: There are congregations, even in the present age of conflict, that are really gathered around the table of the crucified Lord; there are pastors that are pastors indeed. But such congregations, in many cities, are difficult to find. Weary with the conflicts of the world, one goes into the Church to seek refreshment for the soul. And what does one find? Alas, too often, one finds only the turmoil of the world. The preacher comes forward, not out of a secret place of meditation and power, not with the authority of God’s Word permeating his message, not with human wisdom pushed far into the background by the glory of the Cross, but with human opinions about the social problems of the hour or easy solutions of the vast problem of sin. Such is the sermon. And then, perhaps, the service is closed by one of those hymns breathing out the angry passions of 1861, which are to be found in the back part of the hymnals. Thus the warfare of the world has entered even into the house of God, and sad indeed is the heart of the man who has come seeking peace.

To the church and to the church alone is granted by the King, Jesus, exclusive right and power to do what it does in His name: the attributes, charges and privileges which only the Church possesses. What are they?

Among all the organized (and disorganized) groups of men out there, or ever have been out there:

Only the church has perfect union with her Savior and Head, Jesus Christ,
as such then–
Only the church is the divinely created and divinely ruled Kingdom of God in this world,
so it follows–
Only to the church is given the unique privilege to visibly represent Christ’s continuing rule in the world by their public profession and life of submission to Him.

Among all groups of men, only the church —
…is the essential element of redemptive history – that is, God’s plan to save sinners.
…has the constant presence of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Spirit.
…is a partaker in the Covenant of Grace
…is the true house of prayer for the household of God.
…has the glorified, ruling and victorious Son of God for an advocate with the Father.
…receives the gifts the Holy Spirit for governance and ministry of the Word.
…is granted stewardship of the apostolic treasure, God’s Word.
…is commissioned to make His disciples from the people of all Nations.

Among all the people of the world, only those in the church —
…have access to all the outward means of grace.
…are instruments of the Holy Spirit.
…have the provision of every good thing for their life
…are assured of God’s Protection of their soul unto eternity.
…receive the kind and Fatherly care and discipline unto perfection in glory.

Oh, and one more thing true only of the church – it is only the church whom Christ has loved and given Himself for, that He might sanctify her.

What weight has the church among all the other interests in your life, in view of these things? Well, if we accept only what we can see with our eyes as we look at what we call ‘the world’, we might be led to see the church as passe, inert, dated, just vestiges of an old superstition. We see the how the church is intellectually banned from public appearance and discourse by the “wise” of this age. And, if our eyes were the only way to see things, we might have reason for despair that the church has lost its “juice” in the world.

But we see by faith not by sight; this faith is not a blind hoping or a way to fill in gaps we can’t explain some other way. Faith is a real, actual way to apprehend reality.

In fact, it is the best way.

Take a look, gaze with faith upon all the things which are unique to the church and those in it, for it is these things to which we need to be woke – they are reality, they are not the product of some contrived legal theory.

We need none of the things which the somnambulant world now serves up – critical race theory, the social justice gospel – they are the passe ideas conceived in unfeeling hearts, seduced by sirens singing a sanctimonious chorus of hypnotic Svengalis – counterfeit justice and ersatz peace, a message gutted of it redemptive power only to have it replaced by man’s speculation.

In this world we have difficulty, tribulation and conflict, sure, but are you not weary of the picket signs, the latest outrage, the pandering crusade of so-called experts on what should be done to fix the world and effect peace? Me too.

J. Gresham Machen (again): “Is there no refuge from strife? Is there no place of refreshing where a man can prepare for the battle of life? Is there no place where two or three can gather in Jesus’ name, to forget for the moment all those things that divide nation from nation and race from race, to forget human pride, to forget the passions of war, to forget the puzzling problems of industrial strife, and to unite in overflowing gratitude at the foot of the Cross? If there be such a place, then that is the house of God and that the gate of heaven. And from under the threshold of that house will go forth a river that will revive the weary world.”

Professing to be wise, they are fools, fools who have built their house on the sand of activism. Great will be the fall of it.

The church possesses so many things which you can’t do without, and are found nowhere else.

Can you really afford to do without all the things which faith leads us to see about the church?

Can you really afford to ignore how God has been pleased to appoint the church to minister to you, and you to the church?

I would think not, not if you are truly seeing with faith. The church is unique among all organizations because it is, in essence, an eternal organism, the body of Christ. I pray you see this more and more clearly.

And if it happens that your vision with your eyes of faith is a little blurry, then ask your Father and He will give freely and without reproach, and so with faith receive the word implanted, able to save your souls.