Bi-Weekly Thoughts and Inspiration

 

ARE WE THE BIG "C" OR THE LITTLE "c" CHURCH OF GOD?

 

"For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God." (1 Cor. 15:9)

 

During my conversion process in 1970, great pride swelled within me as I found my new church actually spelled out in the Bible. We were listed! The news (to me) that we were not a denomination, but were the true Bible church, was deeply meaningful and impressive.

 

I loved the simplicity.
 

However, it wasn't long until I learned that such a name represented some in a movement that gradually became the very thing they had stood against; a denomination. Church of God became a brand name, while the church of God is the one that He is building even to this day.
 

The church owned by Jesus strives to live in tenderness willing to absorb God's unfolding truth. The Church of God (of this, of that, or

of the other...) denominations know all of the answers while remaining ignorant to their own denominational practices.

The church that Jesus builds remains flexible in the Holy Spirit in movement and heart.  The Church of God's, however, are riddled with the very traditions they have long mocked other groups for possessing.

God's church wants to advance in spiritual depth as well as meaning. The capital C church wants to preserve what "29 things" they have rightfully concluded.

It isn't that we Church of God's have no grip for Truth. It is that we have been corporately far too long heavy on Church and light on Christ. Furthermore, I never experienced any persecution from our brotherhood to the level I did when shifting that very emphasis.

The capital C church is enamoured with rules and forms. The small c church is refreshingly dependent upon God for instruction and guidance day by day. The former doesn't like the word new, while the latter is  new.

Finally, the capital C-ists believe that the true church has to have the name Church of God. A Biblical name like church of God is dismissed mainly because they are capital C-ists.

 

To believe one to be a member of the true church is a very right concept. To believe it has to have a capital C in order to be the only right one is subject to possible transference into the very denominational realm we bemoaned.

 

By:  Anonymous

(I say a hearty, AMEN!)  -Brother Art C.

 

1 comment:

 

RAC said...

               Amen,Amen,Amen. I too have experienced that persecution for my understanding and proclamation of the word.                                Unfortunately the legalists will never understand the difference between the letter and the spirit of the law.

               I haven't the strength to go on with this nonsense; I'm happy and proud that you do. Thank you so very much.