By Their Fruits You Shall Know Them
The title of this post comes directly from the Bible, the words of Jesus himself. I believe it's true. If you want to know about someone's character, look at that person's actions (fruit) not the person's words. The same is true of groups, including churches. So let's apply this logic to the COC. What are their fruits?
In my hometown, the COC had a reputation for being an angry, contentious group. The members would get upset and split the congregation, over and over, for the most trivial of reasons. The church also had a reputation for being judgmental, small-minded, and bigoted. Why was the church's image in the community so negative?
The primary reason for this was because the members of the church were arrogant and haughty, because they believed themselves to be the only true Christians and, thus, the only ones who will be saved on Judgment Day.
Another reason is that the church refused to offer charity to those in need beyond its own four walls (and even then they were stingy). Thus, the church gained a reputation for being ungenerous and harsh.
Finally, the church's insistence on aggressive proselytizing and trying to poach members from other churches meant that it was constantly in an antagonistic position toward everyone else in town. When people found out you were a member of the COC, they backed away slowly for fear that you'd start Bible-thumping in their faces.
The funny (and yet sad) thing is that this negative image of the COC isn't limited to my hometown. I've seen it everywhere I go, so it couldn't be limited to just that one dysfunctional congregation. By their fruits you shall know them, and the fruits of the COC--discord, anger, bitterness, miserliness, and meanness of the soul--are rotten.
In my hometown, the COC had a reputation for being an angry, contentious group. The members would get upset and split the congregation, over and over, for the most trivial of reasons. The church also had a reputation for being judgmental, small-minded, and bigoted. Why was the church's image in the community so negative?
The primary reason for this was because the members of the church were arrogant and haughty, because they believed themselves to be the only true Christians and, thus, the only ones who will be saved on Judgment Day.
Another reason is that the church refused to offer charity to those in need beyond its own four walls (and even then they were stingy). Thus, the church gained a reputation for being ungenerous and harsh.
Finally, the church's insistence on aggressive proselytizing and trying to poach members from other churches meant that it was constantly in an antagonistic position toward everyone else in town. When people found out you were a member of the COC, they backed away slowly for fear that you'd start Bible-thumping in their faces.
The funny (and yet sad) thing is that this negative image of the COC isn't limited to my hometown. I've seen it everywhere I go, so it couldn't be limited to just that one dysfunctional congregation. By their fruits you shall know them, and the fruits of the COC--discord, anger, bitterness, miserliness, and meanness of the soul--are rotten.
Comments
But what if you are not hated for being Christlike, but because you are not Christlike.
The Bible says that we are to do good to all men, especially those of the household of faith. Not just the household of faith.
How all churches would be different if they were truly Christlike. Why did they not study Dorcas- also called Tabitha.