Everyone is Wrong

Romans 3:9 & 23, “What then? Are we better than they… for ALL have sinned and FALL SHORT of the glory of God.”

I had this dream the other night and in it my pastor had shown me a book. Opening it up I read a couple of passages. One said, “self-serving is running to follow someone…”

Why do we follow people? Is it that we are trying to gain an upper hand in some arena? Do we follow a boss beyond our moral compass to gain wealth or promotion? Do we follow pastors to gain position or notoriety, to catch their eye with our piety or giving? Do we follow heroes in worship and hopes of being like them? Do we follow a President simply because he holds an office?

Paul pointed it out beautifully. “ALL have sinned and FALL SHORT of the glory of God.” We all have sinned in the past. We all will sin again in the future. And we all, even the greatest among us, even the most anointed of leaders fall short of the glory of God… and yet we follow them.

Peter, arguably one of the greatest apostles… a man who walked on water. The proclaimed founder or at least inspiration for the Catholic church in one moment was call the rock in which Christ would build His church, but moments later was told, “Get behind me Satan.” (Matt 16:23)

Ladies and gentlemen… the whole world is corrupted by sin and if we are following anyone other than Christ we are off the mark.

The writer of Hebrews said in Chapter 13:17, “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls…” Paul said in Romans 13:1, “Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.”

To all of which I say this for those privileged enough to live in America.  What is the governing structure in America?

It is a republic. Republic meaning a government by the people for the people.

And who, or I should rather say what is the Supreme authority in this country?

Do you think it is the President? Do you think it is the Supreme Court, or the Congress? Perhaps all three in combination.

The answer is neither. The Supreme governing authority in this country is our Constitution. The Constitution is the authority of Romans 13.  That is the governing authority we as Christians in America are called to follow, not a man. We were built to rule our own little pieces of the world. We were made to individually come into fellowship with God, not through a surrogate like a Pope or a pastor or President. And I say this even while having all the love and respect for my Pastor, and the many Pastors I know personally. But I do not “follow” them. I follow Christ. But a man being appointed to a position does not cause God to anoint him with some form of infallibility. 

I heard a story recently from a friend who devoutly follows Christ with all his heart, so much so he will move his family to the ends of the earth in obedience to Him. His father just the other day admitted to the son that if things on earth got really bad, if the apocalypse came (for those who are waiting for it) that his son is in a much better place of faith to survive it than he. You see the Dad is following his career.  This story ties in these thought to the murmuration I just read from T Austin Sparks. See if you see the connection.

“Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land; and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations. (Haggai 2:6,7)

It seems a terrible thing, even to think, but as we have touched so very much of what is called 'Christianity' we are bound to believe that, because vast numbers who call themselves Christian are in an utterly false position, and the system itself has become so largely an earthly, traditional, formal, and unspiritual thing, this worldwide shaking is quite necessary and will be eventually justified. If we were writing a treatise, we could show that what is called 'Christianity' is really the greatest enemy of Christ.

It will be seen that it is not a matter of substituting another and better system for an old and poor or bad one. ( It is all wrong and broken) Some people seem to think that it is all, or largely, a matter of the order, technique, and form, and if we returned to the "New Testament" form or order of churches, all would be well. The fact is that, while certain things characterized the New Testament churches, the New Testament does not give us a complete pattern according to which churches are to be set up or formed! There is no blue-print for churches in the New Testament, and to try to form New Testament churches is only to create another system which may be as legal, sectarian and dead as others. Churches, like the Church, are organisms which spring out of Life, which Life itself springs out of the Cross of Christ wrought into the very being of believers. Unless believers are crucified people, there can be no true expression of the Church.”

Unless we follow Christ individually, church will never be the Church, and church will never be anything more than a contaminated expression of a man’s or group of men’s imperfect hearts. Not a bad thing necessarily, just not God’s perfect plan for fellowship individually with you and me. In the end, they all, we all, it all will fail so that Christ and the Father can show once again their perfection over and above it all.