Listening to Albert Mohler, Jr.’s daily podcast, “The Briefing 11-21-12”, the thought occurred to me that the role of the church is NOT to accommodate the culture on matters that God has clearly written in His Word regarding how things should be – especially within the church. At issue in his podcast – the ordination of women as bishops in the Anglican Church. Those in favor point to the ordination of women as leaders in other denominations, public sector positions, and in culture at large. Here is the problem, As I See It.
As a Bible-believer and disciple of Jesus Christ, I am faced with a supreme question: Is the Bible the final authority? My answer is an emphatic “YES!!!” So how does that work out in our lives and our churches in a post-Christian era of America?
Quite simply, it means that I am in the minority – so now I have to make choices that seem contrary to culture. I will experience increasing unpopularity. I am less a citizen of earth, America, or my community, and more a citizen of Heaven answering to a much higher authority – the Almighty God of Heaven, to whom all creation must answer, and all of mankind will one day bow the knee and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord! What God says goes. There is no room for debate. His wish is my command.
Therefore, in the church, culture has no authority. Culture is the enemy of Truth. It is the culture we are transforming in the hearts of individuals. We are trying to minister the Word of God to the people of culture in the aim that the Lord will change their hearts and minds through His marvelous power. Church leaders, according to the Bible, are to be men – period. Compromise is out of the question. Likewise, the other issues facing the church in America (homosexuality in the church, holiness in the church, etc.) face the clear distinctions and directives of God in His Holy Word. Megachurches these days might cease to be if the leaders insisted on operating under complete Biblical direction – it would be unpopular. There would be a mass-exodus. All that would remain would be small churches of the few who were willing to yield to the teachings of the Scriptures, accountable to God and to one another.
In our culture, women are rising to leadership. The government is trying to subvert and overthrow the church. The Christian must yield to all others, without opposing (even peacefully) any. Experience trumps the Bible. Feelings are more important than truth. These and other facts about our culture reveal that our job is indeed a God-sized task. Take comfort, brothers and sisters. We are just messengers of His truth. He is the transformer and winner of souls. Let us work as though it were up to us, pray as though it were up to God – and rest when it’s all over and He brings us into His glory!
As I See It, we win no matter what!
Holler for Jesus,
Greg Yount
First Baptist Church of Bakersfield: http://tinyurl.com/weR4him
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