1 Thessalonians 4.7 For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness.
1 Peter 1.15,16 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”
What is the use of a great number of nominal Christians if few behave like Christians in any sense of the word? The greater concern is building a holy church, not building a mega-church. In God’s providence, He designs some churches to be numerically large. Unfortunately, the numbers do not always mean that the people or church are mature or holy. Anyone can act good and behave themselves for a few hours on Sunday and a few extra hours during a mid week study or small group. But the question is not how you act when you are around others, but how you act and what are you like when you are alone?
The modern church has a real identity problem in the sense that the church has become the focus of our identity rather than Jesus Christ. I love the body of Christ! It is Christ’s bride and my family; but I see that the church has ebbs and flows that cause people to follow the latest and coolest trends or fads. Many people today are far more concerned with “belonging” than “behaving”. They are more interested in “discussing” how they feel or what they think about Scripture with a few people than hearing a bible study on walking in holiness. Accountability and confessing our faults one to another is vital in the body of Christ. But when campuses become the new word for church, and discussion groups are more important than inductive bible study or prayer meetings, we are in grave danger.
The woman who rides the beast is called the mega harlot. She is the mega church. She is popular, but not holy. The bride of the devil, not the bride of Christ. I am not in any way, shape or form saying that a large church or Spirit born congregation that is booming is apostate. I am simply saying that numbers do not equal disciples, and church membership does not equal holiness. Jesus Christ makes people holy, not churches. Identify with Christ, not churches.
