1Co 3:13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
There are many things to which the name of the Lord
is being affixed which are being constructed, and which appear fine and
great and like “the Church,"...
But the twofold reality is neither
in the builders or the buildings...
They are destined to collapse when
God’s hurricane and fire test every man’s work.
Good works:
philanthropy, hospitality, reform, education, religion, relief, etc. may
be the products, or by-products, of what is called “Christian
civilization,”...
And things for which to be profoundly grateful...
But let
us not confuse these with “a new creation,” regeneration, a being “born
from above.”
The Church is nothing which man can build by any resource
in himself personally or collectively.
The Church is an organism, not an organization.
Behold, I show you a mystery, we are members of His flesh and of His
bones...
Build that, if you can! Launch that; organize that; “run” that!
It cannot be done.
It is the spontaneous outworking of spiritual forces
released, in the acceptance by faith of tremendous facts concerning
Christ...
Which facts are proclaimed out of experience in the power of the
Holy Ghost...
Not the theological Christ...
Not the doctrinal Christ...
Not
the Christ of the letter, much less the Jesus of history...
But the Christ
of eternity in all the meaning of His death, burial, resurrection, and
ascension into the Throne of God revealed in the heart by the Holy Spirit.
This
alone is authority to preach, to serve, to occupy position, to “build”
in relation to the house of God.
It is folly to spend time and strength
otherwise.
It is wisdom to labor on this foundation.
~T. Austin Sparks~
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