The Dimming of the Lights

The Evolution of the Church

"And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying," (Matthew 5:2). 

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 5:16 ).

Jesus began a thoughtful dissertation seeking to enlighten the multitude on the blessings they can expect in the Kingdom of God.   In chapter five of Matthew, there is a sense that Jesus is concern about the suffering of the multitude.   He began his teaching session with eight proverb-like proclamations, without narrative, "cryptic, precise, and full of meaning.   These eight proverbs, these axioms are called Beatitudes.  The Beatitudes are eight blessings recounted in the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew. Each one includes a topic that forms a major biblical theme.  There was nothing in this discourse or the ones that followed to indicate that Jesus made his follower a promise of earthly treasures.  How he or she should live to obtain heavenly treasures was the core of his many messages.

In the second part of Matthew 5, Jesus referenced his followers as a light bearer and a light bearer has an obligation to the world.    There was nothing complicated about Jesus messages, and there is nothing complex about his messages today unless viewed from the perspective of a modernistic and apostate society.  When given a light, our options are clear; we can be a help to other travelers or we can use the light for our benefit only.   If we use our light to help others, then we are using our light to glorify the Father, which is in Heaven.    

 Jesus proceeded to show multitude that the benefit of being enlightened was to help others see the light.  When men burn a candle, they do not conceal the light but place it where it may be of use. Therein, with Christianity, it is not a concealable gift, but it is to shed light on the wickedness of the world.  The encouragement offered was, let your light shine and not hide it under a bushel.  The symbology of a bushel symbolizes anything, which might conceal the light.  Jesus wants others to see our holy life, our honest conversation, and our faithful instructions.    In all business, at home and abroad, in prosperity and adversity, we are to let our light shine brightly.   The purpose of letting our light shine and seen by others should not an act of self-promotion; it is the glorification of our heavenly Father through the life we live, this is a requirement of salvation.

In the message Jesus is speaking to the individual, the church would not come into existence until the day of Pentecost.  After the formation of the church, the church became a collection of light bearers combined as one body in Christ.   The light of many Christians within the organized church have dimmed and become hard to distinguish even in a dark world.   A strange paradox has arisen.  The distinguishing signs of light that are not comprehended by the darkness have begun to fade as the attribute of this divine light and darkness are seems to be blending.   In Jesus famed letter to the church of the Laodiceans, he describes this malady as being lukewarm.    A detestable condition, he threatens to spit out.

The Pharisees were concern about how others perceived them. Therefore, they went to great length to impress the multitude.  They mastered the art of speaking, praying and dressing.  Every facet of their public and religious life centered on the concept of how to impress.  True Christians should act to glorify God and care little what men may think of their action.  Honoring God is more profitable than receiving honors from others.

John was marooned on the Isle of Patmos because of his message, because of his light.   The intent of his captures was to extinguish his light, yet alone on the Isle, his light was able to shine brightly.   Jesus began his letters speaking to the church but ended his message with a profound statement to the individual light bearer.   There is a time when the light of Christ can shine more brightly separated from the confusion and of the organize church. 

What does it mean to glorify God?  Does this mean coming to church and participating in the program?  Does this mean follow after those who are about self-promotion? Jesus said to let our light shine that men might see your good work and glorify your Father.  If we are using our lifestyle to attract other, we are not glorifying our Father.   The proclamation of, "look how God is blessing me" is not about honoring God, it is an act of self-promotion.  There is nothing about the public life of Jesus, his apostle or even Paul that was attractive to the multitudes.  The light that they carried offered blessing and hope in a world to come. 

Praise, honor to God or be led to worship him is how we glorify God. When other see in your life the excellence of religion, the power, and purity of the gospel; if they are won over to Christ we should give praise and glory to God for his mercy to a lost world.   

Prevalent within the religious community and embedded within the hierarchy of the church is the existence of a type of sin, this sin is one of the leading causes of the dimming of the lights.   This anomaly, this condition of humanity was a great concern to Jesus; he spoke of it to his disciple.  It is that sin when we open our mouth and speak things that offend the least of the saints.   The clergy has declared itself exempt from this sin, but there are no exceptions noted in the scripture.   Jesus said, "And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me; it is better for him to have a millstone hung around his neck, and cast into the sea.  (Mark 9:42)  Others have exempted themselves from this ordinance of Jesus also when in the church the right to speak your mind can easily trump the feeling of others.    Jesus issued his final condemnation of the loss of love to the representative church of Ephesus.   "Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love" (Revelation 2:4).  Here he threatens the church with the removal of the candlestick if they did not repent.

The testimony of souls driven from the place of refuse by unsavory Saints is hard for some to reconcile.   Many who claim to speak with the authority of God are guilty of committing murder with the tongue.   Repentance is slow in coming because it is hard for the self-proclaimed righteous to admit that they have done wrong.  Members of the clergy and the laity are often guilty of atrocious acts, from sibling rivalry to acts of jealousy, often these acts are played out against the backdrop of the church.  The church suffers when members of the religious community become embroiled in wrong doings directed at members of the assembly.  A pastor will publicly dislike his brother, yet he can preach a sermon about the love of Jesus.  A member can make condescending remarks such as, "don't nobody want to come out here and hear you teach Sunday School",  yet that person can stand before the assembly and testify of what God is doing for them.   The pastor who follows the rules of the Nicolaitans and teaches the doctrine of Balaam is suffering the condemnation of Jesus.  Jesus is saying, "Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth."

If we were to, follow the precepts of the scripture the light given to the church would burn brightly.   The failure of the light bearers in Jesus' letters to the church, (Revelation 1:-3:).   It is evident by his rebuke that the lights were dimming in the early history of the church.   What was it that caused Jesus to send letters of condemnation to his blood purchased church?   What was it that caused Jesus to portray himself as standing at the door of the church purchased with his blood, knocking?  How did Jesus end up being locked out of his church?  How could that be?   The Son of God is left standing at the door in a beggarly manner, asking if any man hears my voice and open the door.  

The attempt to justify sin is a significant deterrent to a brightly shining light within the household of faith.  The desire to be like those of our counterpart often cause the saints to become caught up in the temptation of man.   When we succumb to the temptations of the flesh, rather than casting them aside, we seek to justify.   In the eyes of man, once a sin is explained it is no longer a sin.  Justification comes in many disguises.   The omniscience of God, the divine attributes of the divine is often used to justify wrongdoing.  God knew I was going to sin, couple that with, "God love me", and we have the recipe for a life of crime.  

The justification of sin, defense based upon the divine and eternal attributes of God is hard to refute for the novice.  God loves his children, and he doesn't want anything bad to happen to them become the placeholder for a dimmed light.   Like the soot that builds up in the old oil lamp chimney, it must be removed daily.  The acceptance of the soot as a by-product of a burning fire is conducive to the dimming of the light.   It is hard to distinguish the port of refuge once the light is dimmed or has gone out.   Jesus message to his followers was to let your light shine brightly.

Many messengers are delivering messages that since God is a forgiving God, sin is acceptable as long as we seek him for forgiveness.   The state of mind projected from many pulpits present salvation as a work in progress, therefore, until we reach that blessed state of perfection, sin is acceptable.   The scripture base for this deception is "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (1^st. John 1:8).  This erroneous interpretation achieved through surgical removing the verse from the context and supporting scriptures and presented it as a complete thought is in error.   If we accept the above argument as true, then we have a  problem of reconciliation the rest of the book of 1^st John.      "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God" (1^st John 3:9).  To further discredit the deception, salvation was purchased by Christ on the Cross. 

The dimming of the lights of Christianity, the acceptance of non-Christian standards along with the twisting of the scripture has caused many to fall by the wayside.  The exposure of the secret life of many who claim to be faithful messengers of God has resulted in the faith of many onlookers to suffer.  To defend against the blatant abuse of the Word of God, "don't look at the person, look to Christ" has become a part of the Christian indoctrination.  Not seeing the person is an impossible feat, especially since the scripture urges us to live so that other might see Christ within our life.    Is use of that phrase an attempt to justify sin?  

Under the dispensation of the Law, God demanded judgment.  When the decision was swift, people learned to fear God.   Thus, when serving God,  "...fear God and keep his commandments"  was the conclusion of the matter (Ecclesiastes 12: 13).  As our knowledge of the good and evil began to increase, the fear of God was tempered by the love of God and the knowledge of Good began to decrease.  Daniel prophesied this change in man's knowledge before the end of time,  (Daniel 12:4).    After the abatement of instant judgment, under the dispensation of grace, Humanity began the daunting task of recreating God.  The transformation of God, known for his bouts of anger and silence, was necessary to give credence to the increase in the number false teachers entering the religious arena.   

There is numerous instance within the Holy Scripture where God's anger was a consuming fire.  There are also numerous instances where God was silent.   For at least four hundred years the Children of Israel were enslaved, the cried out to God for deliverance, and God was silent.   In his own time, God spoke to Moses and prepared a path of liberation.  Crying out to God for an audience, Job endured his sufferance in the face of a silent God.   In a time of his choosing, God appeared to Job and chastised him for his insolence.   God then directed his anger towards Job's friends for misrepresenting his will.

After numerous attempts to guide the Children of Israel into the path of righteousness, God issued a bill of divorcement to his (bride) chosen people.  Because of their sinfulness they were scattered among the nations, then God became silent.  After four hundred years of silence, God prepared a path of deliverance by sending his only begotten Son.   Throughout the New Testament the only time God spoke was to validate that Christ was his beloved Son, and he was well pleased.   Rather than clamoring for the teaching of Moses and other Prophets, the disciples were told to hear what Jesus had to say.  "And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him" (Luke 9:35 ).

During Jesus short ministry, there were many questions asked of him by his disciples, the answer to their many questions were not forthcoming.   Jesus said, "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you"( John 14:26 ). "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth" (John 16:12-13).   It is evident that Jesus is speaking of sending the Holy Spirit after his departure.  It is also clear that we should listen to and allow the Holy Spirit to guide us into the way of truth. 

Durning the dispensation of the Law, God dealt with his chosen people through his prophets and appointed leaders.  Durning, the transition between the dispensation of the Law and the dispensation of Grace God, sent his Son, and the message was to hear him.  After the Son (Jesus) complete his mission he informed the disciples that after he leaves, he was going to send the Comforter.

 Like the Children of Israel at the base of the Holy Mount, we have grown weary of hearing the Holy Spirit speak; we want to listen to the voice of God.  This new and recreated God is fulfilling all of our wants, he is speaking every day.   Hearing God speak is the ultimate citation to validate our walk with Christ.   Along the Christian journey, God is speaking to pastors and members alike, often these messages given are in conflicting with each other, and they are conflicting with the Holy Scripture.   

In Exodus God said, " Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain" (Exodus 20:7).   Judgment was speedy during this dispensation, and the fear of God often controlled men actions.   With the progression of ages and dispensations, the delay of judgment was exploited by the devil, soon the wrath of God depicted in the book of Revelation became no more than an afterthought.  Like the children of Israel, we have created our golden calf, and we are dancing and enjoying the fruit of our labor.   Remember the words of Aaron, "...these are thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt." (Exodus 32:4)

The love of money has become the golden calf created within the church.  God seems to be more concern about the amount of money given in the offering than the members presenting their body a living sacrifice.   Prophets, preachers, and teachers are engaging in solicitations over the airwaves and through the mail promising the blessing of God, the only thing you are required to do is sow a seed to their ministry.    The antic of many Aaron type leaders has caused the light within the Holy sanctuaries to become dim, and the stored wrath of God is building up. 

No longer is the church a haven for troubled souls searching for spiritual support as they await the return of Christ.  Those who have highjacked our Christian faith are using it to amass earthly treasures.  The dimming of the light within the church has become a reality.

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