Tag Archives: Alcohol

When Church Culture Meets Needs

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Haunted By A Scripture

I grew up in a church culture that did relatively nothing to meet physical needs. It was argued that if you gave people money, they would just spend it on booze, cigarettes, and drugs. So, we were told, “Don’t give them anything!” We had no food pantry to provide for the hungry in our city. We had no benevolent fund to assist with other needs. And yet, we thought we were being faithful to God’s Word. But there is a Scripture in James that always haunted me as I read it: “Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows” (James 1:27). What do you do with that?

Playing The Legalist

How can we just dismiss that? Or play the legalist and limit the spirit of the text to caring exclusively for orphans and widows? At the same time, we cannot be so preoccupied with physical needs that we omit the sharing of the Gospel. That is the problem with many socially minded churches. If we limit our care for people to physical needs and never share the Gospel with them, all we have accomplished is keeping them alive longer—only to prolong their ultimate meeting with God at the judgment, where their unbelief will be exposed. It is not “good deeds” or the Gospel. It is not an either–or. It is a both–and decision we must make.

What Is Pure Religion?

To James, pure religion is not the result of good deeds, but results in good deeds. We do not take care of the orphan, the widow, and the poor in order to attain pure religion. Rather, when our religion is the pure Gospel of Jesus Christ, we become Jesus “in the flesh” when we meet the needs of the orphan, the widow, and the poor. “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us” (Titus 3:5). Salvation is “…not of works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:9). But when we humble ourselves and trust Christ’s atoning work on the cross, He changes us on the inside, and the Holy Spirit gives us the heart of Jesus. As we are sanctified and grow in our faith, we will want to meet the physical and spiritual needs of the down‑trodden in our world—just like Jesus did. This ought to be a core ministry value for the church.

Look After Orphans

Look again at that verse in James, but this time let’s back up one verse and see how it flows in context from one verse to the next: “If anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue, then his religion is useless and he deceives himself. Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world” (James 1:26–27). Notice how James lumps together three very practical evidences of pure religion—three areas of obedience that demonstrate genuine saving faith: self‑control in your speech, a ministry of compassion to the needy, and practical holiness. See that? Inspired by the Holy Spirit, James places ministry to the needy and cleaning up a “potty mouth” on the same plane as living a holy life. More on that next week.

The Church: Designed To Change Us

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Building Each Other Up

Jesus never intended that we would “lone wolf” the Christian life as an individual! Rather, He planned to use the local church “community” to sanctify and change us! If you have doubts, just read Paul’s letter to the Church of Ephesus; especially, chapter 4. It was NOT his intent that we view “the Church” as some “universal body” out there somewhere! He spoke to the body of faith that made up that specific local Church of Ephesus. In v.16 he tells this church that it’s the “WHOLE BODY” that ministers to the “WHOLE BODY.” And, he says that spiritual growth happens in the corporate life of the church when all the individual members are working together properly—  “In LOVE, building each other up!”

Smoothing Out Our Rough Edges

The “each other” referred to the believers in the Church of Ephesus; not, some “universal church” on the other side of planet Earth. We can pray for believers on the other side of the planet; but, it’s simply impossible to build up believers in their faith with whom we have no physical contact or interaction! Jesus intends to use all the different people, with their diverse personalities & traits, to change us! He uses the difficult people, the annoying people, the “special grace” people, and, the sinful people to smooth out our rough— and, sometimes sinful— edges! “From Him, the whole (“local church”) body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the (“local church”) body for building up itself in love by the proper working of each individual part (of the “local church”)” v.16.  It is by our unique, diverse, spiritual experiences, with God, that together— as a “local church”— we have the opportunity to provide rich counsel & support to each other!

Mutual Support Within The Body

For the one struggling with alcohol addiction, there are believers, in the body, who’ve been delivered from it! For the one struggling with sexual sin, there are believers, in the body, who are winning that battle with the Spirit’s help! So, there’s someone who will stand with you & encourage you in the fight! For those who admit they are a gossip; or, a liar; or, have anger issues; or, a cursing tongue; or, they’re bitter— someone in the local church body has been there; or, they’re fighting the same battle; and, together there’s mutual support! The illustration of the church as a “body” is a perfect example of how the church is supposed to work. What do you do if you cut yourself? Or if you sprain an ankle? The rest of your body comes to the rescue, right? You don’t just leave the cut finger to itself; to get infected! You bandage it! You wrap the sprained ankle so it’ll heal!

There’s An App For That

Jesus designed the Church to be a body, a community, or a family, that meets one another’s needs! Someone, in the local church family, has either overcome the sin you are struggling with; and, can offer support; or, someone is fighting the same battle & together you can keep each other accountable & see God do a sanctification work in your lives!  In summary, here’s what Paul is telling the local Church of Ephesus: God makes us stronger “collectively” than we will ever be “individually.” It’s the lone ranger sheep, not engaged in the community life of the Church, that the wolf goes after! He’s easy prey! Now, perhaps you are wondering where you can find this kind of church! I’m afraid they are few; and, far between! Pray! Ask God’s Spirit to direct you! Search out this kind of church; and, BE that kind of church member! God Bless!