God Loves Messed Up Churches

DAY 316
8-16-10
1 CORINTHIANS 5-9


Good Morning!

Sexual immorality; disputes; divorce; causing people to stumble; and judging…what a mess! And that’s only in chapters 5-9! I am often amused by those who want the modern church to look so much like the biblical churches that they miss the fact that some of those churches are not worth emulating. The church in Corinth is one of them. I think they are held up for our observation as an example of who not to be like. When we read 1st and 2nd Corinthians, we must try to separate the inspired teachings and doctrines of Paul that we need; from the ungodly behavior of the people. Keep the doctrine. Be better than the people.

The church in Corinth, however, fills another very important need for us today. Even though they were a mess, the Lord loved them very much; worked through them with power; and they were saved by God’s grace in spite of their many obvious faults. Why is this important to us? Truth be told, we are more like them than we might want to admit. We suffer from division; broken families; immorality; and sinful judging. The apple doesn’t fall far from the biblical tree.

When I read about messed up churches I thank God for my messed up church. We need God’s encouragement, grace, empowerment, and instruction too. I thank God that he loves us and uses us to do great things for him in spite of our obvious faults. So I want the church of Christ on Watters Rd. to be better than the church of Christ in Corinth; and I want us to be better than we are now.

God loves his messed up churches.

Barry