Introduction. Every profitable business has found a mission, purpose or need it successfully fills. Man’s needs become the foundation of a business. The better these needs are met, the more successful the business becomes. Since satisfied customers keep buying products, in business “the customer is always right.”
When a successful business owner enters the church, that same attitude often comes with them. They see the church as they see their business and their minds begin considering what could be done to make the church more successful. Many today seek to market the gospel as they do their products.
When a successful business owner enters the church, that same attitude often comes with them. They see the church as they see their business and their minds begin considering what could be done to make the church more successful. Many today seek to market the gospel as they do their products.
Some add things to the gospel to make it more “useful.” Others remove things to make it “easier.” If the work God gave the church is not important to them, they change it.
This has led to significant changes in the church today. When a church builds a hospital, offers secular education or free daycare it draws people. If commands like baptism for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38) or singing without instrumental music (Eph 5:19) are removed, people are more inclined to accept it. If things God condemns like homosexuality (Rom 1:24-27; 1 Cor. 6:9) or being remarried for a cause other than adultery (Mt. 19:1-10) repels people, they won’t preach it.
If we consider it from our own perspective, there is little to argue against. It works, churches grow, and people become interested. Yet there is a significant problem. It doesn’t take into consideration what God has said or what God wants. Jesus told Peter that the church was His and He would build it (Mt 16:16-18). God revealed the church would fulfill His purposes planned from eternity and as angels beheld this church they would see His wisdom (Eph. 3:8-11). Can God be pleased and can the church still belong to Jesus if we change its work or modify commands to bring more people?
Even from man’s perspective the answer is obvious. Anyone hired to work at any business cannot simply change the product or mission without seeking permission from the owner. Whether it is a Pizza Hut and a desire to change the recipe or Microsoft and a desire to change the software, it can’t be done! Only by starting their own business can such changes be made. While working for someone else, they can’t just make changes without permission or they will be fired, sued or even jailed.
What about the church? How does God feel if anyone modifies His plans and commands for their own purposes? The answer will become obvious as we look at Scripture. First, God has forbidden it:
Second, Jesus never did this! He is God’s Son and wiser than any man who has ever lived. If anyone could have changed God’s plans or will, it would have been Jesus. Yet even under the most trying of circumstances Jesus never did. After feeding the 5,000, they sought to make Jesus a king. He was very his popular, and if He had only changed the gospel slightly, he could have been king. Yet Jesus refused to make them and everyone left Him.
Third, every time any of God’s servants changed God’s commands to better fit the desires of the people, God condemned it. Even the slightest variation never met with favor, but only condemnation.
During the days of Israel’s first king, God told Saul to go on a mission to punish the Amalekites for their sins. Saul did everything God commanded, but bowed to the will of the people in bringing back the best animals to sacrifice to God. These changes pleased the people and still ended with everything God wanted. The only change was the location where the animals would be killed, but God saw it as rebellion.
When churches operate secular schools, hospitals, daycare facilities, orphan homes, and retirement homes they appear wise and useful to men. When they build gymnasiums; offer sports activities; have banquets and parties; and offer trips to recreational facilities, camps, and retreats they appear valuable to men. Such churches are popular, but since none of these things are listed in the “good works God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them,” if we follow that path we will face the same condemnation as King Saul.
God chose some things in the gospel to test our faith and desire to be submissive to Him. If we remove them or add to them, we fail God’s test and prove ourselves unworthy.
Epilog. For further information on this subject, see the "Topic > C" menu item and scroll down to the topic of "Church Work".
This has led to significant changes in the church today. When a church builds a hospital, offers secular education or free daycare it draws people. If commands like baptism for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38) or singing without instrumental music (Eph 5:19) are removed, people are more inclined to accept it. If things God condemns like homosexuality (Rom 1:24-27; 1 Cor. 6:9) or being remarried for a cause other than adultery (Mt. 19:1-10) repels people, they won’t preach it.
If we consider it from our own perspective, there is little to argue against. It works, churches grow, and people become interested. Yet there is a significant problem. It doesn’t take into consideration what God has said or what God wants. Jesus told Peter that the church was His and He would build it (Mt 16:16-18). God revealed the church would fulfill His purposes planned from eternity and as angels beheld this church they would see His wisdom (Eph. 3:8-11). Can God be pleased and can the church still belong to Jesus if we change its work or modify commands to bring more people?
Even from man’s perspective the answer is obvious. Anyone hired to work at any business cannot simply change the product or mission without seeking permission from the owner. Whether it is a Pizza Hut and a desire to change the recipe or Microsoft and a desire to change the software, it can’t be done! Only by starting their own business can such changes be made. While working for someone else, they can’t just make changes without permission or they will be fired, sued or even jailed.
What about the church? How does God feel if anyone modifies His plans and commands for their own purposes? The answer will become obvious as we look at Scripture. First, God has forbidden it:
- Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son. 2 John 9
- Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Mt. 7:21-22
Second, Jesus never did this! He is God’s Son and wiser than any man who has ever lived. If anyone could have changed God’s plans or will, it would have been Jesus. Yet even under the most trying of circumstances Jesus never did. After feeding the 5,000, they sought to make Jesus a king. He was very his popular, and if He had only changed the gospel slightly, he could have been king. Yet Jesus refused to make them and everyone left Him.
- 15 Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone. . . . 60 Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?” . . . 66 From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. 67 Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?” John 6:15, 60, 66-67
Third, every time any of God’s servants changed God’s commands to better fit the desires of the people, God condemned it. Even the slightest variation never met with favor, but only condemnation.
During the days of Israel’s first king, God told Saul to go on a mission to punish the Amalekites for their sins. Saul did everything God commanded, but bowed to the will of the people in bringing back the best animals to sacrifice to God. These changes pleased the people and still ended with everything God wanted. The only change was the location where the animals would be killed, but God saw it as rebellion.
- Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel, saying, 11 I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not carried out My commands. And Samuel was distressed and cried out to the LORD all night. . . . 13 And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, Blessed are you of the LORD! I have carried out the command of the LORD.14 But Samuel said, What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear? 15 And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and oxen, to sacrifice to the LORD your God; but the rest we have utterly destroyed. 1 Sam. 15:10-15
- And Samuel said, Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has also rejected you from being king. 1 Sam. 15:22-23
- For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Eph 2:10
When churches operate secular schools, hospitals, daycare facilities, orphan homes, and retirement homes they appear wise and useful to men. When they build gymnasiums; offer sports activities; have banquets and parties; and offer trips to recreational facilities, camps, and retreats they appear valuable to men. Such churches are popular, but since none of these things are listed in the “good works God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them,” if we follow that path we will face the same condemnation as King Saul.
God chose some things in the gospel to test our faith and desire to be submissive to Him. If we remove them or add to them, we fail God’s test and prove ourselves unworthy.
- For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence. 1 Cor 1:26-30
Epilog. For further information on this subject, see the "Topic > C" menu item and scroll down to the topic of "Church Work".