How Do We Distinguish a Good Church from a Poor One?
Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, v23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
How may we know, as we look around in the world today, if a church is a good one? We see an over abundance of buildings that call themselves churches; are they all doing the will of God from the heart? Is it by the structure and elegance that presents itself upon the face of a multi-million dollar facility that makes the church a good one? What is it that separates the great from the dreadful? All too many people look for the wrong things in finding a place of worship. We may by God's word however distinguish the differences that are present in a God empowered church, and a lifeless, barren one.
There must be evidence of the fruit of the Spirit. These are the things produced by the presence of God when He moves in our midst. Love and joy shall be to the Christian who is surrounded by godly people. Even to the sinner and the backslider, upon repentance, the fruit of the Spirit shall rest upon his soul. They shall trade in the conviction pulling on their heart caused of sin, and supplant it with the gentleness and goodness of grace. In a God-empowered church there must be evidence of the true teachings of Christ. His Gospel and faith in Him alone must be the triumphant theme of the church! Let us make no mistake, God will not manifest Himself in pleasure if another Gospel, which there is none other, is preached. Travail shall be to them, not the sweet presence of God! "What if a church stir my emotions?" you may ask. It is well if they can, but does not even Hollywood do that at their will? It is rather the fruit of the Spirit we must have to be a God-driven church. We are by nature are an emotional people, but we are not by nature a spiritual one, unless the grace of God has found our soul.
The church ought to be about spiritual things; and if so, how shall we have a spiritual understanding if the Spirit of God is not in our midst? We must be a church where God's Spirit meets with us! It is God who enlightens our understanding of all things spiritual. It is in the church we meet together for corporate worship and the preaching of the Word of God to nourish our souls. In this time of meeting the same great evidence of a good church is found in the preaching. It is filled with the fruit of the Spirit. Do you feel now Christian, the love of God in the heart of the preacher? Is God using joy of the saints to show you a difference from the world? We may beg God that this is so, for where the Spirit is, His fruit will be also.
Christian, check now your own heart. Is it so hard that much temperance has been had towards you and you have not seen it? It may be a hard heart that causes us not to detect the workings of God. Grieving of the Spirit often causes blindness to what is so clear to others. If it be that you live in altogether sin then do not expect to receive the things of God with understanding. Conviction may be your lot, and what a good lot it is. God only seeks to edify His people for their own good! Be in great care now not to take your church's warnings as soured milk, for we must all except the Spirit's call or reject it. What we do with God's dealings in our hearts will ultimately make us what we are by our own choosing.
May the very presence of God meet with His people! A great crowd does not determine a good church, but rather a holy crowd. A Spirit-filled church must be one whose people seek the Lord. They come to their place of attendance with an attitude of "we must have God or else nothing will do." Let us be Spirit-filled; for church is to be about the things of God. Worldly things may be attended to within worldly affairs. May we let the church be the church, for what a great church it is, for ourselves, our spouses, our children, and all others, if it be a church that is evident of holding the fruit of the Spirit!
