Disintegration Of The Church

In the Western world the churches have become powerless; they have been more and more sidelined. Moral decline and violence always go hand in hand. A sure indicator of moral decline is the increase in violence. In the news media we read of deadly shootings in schools, of violence in the streets and of mass uprisings in many places. Our world has become restless and a dangerous place.

The Word of God teaches us that the church is the “Body of Christ”, and Christ is the “Head” the church.

And he [Christ] is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. (Colossians 1:18).

But in most churches, Christ is no longer the Head. The churches are now incorporated, have become part of the State with the governor now being the head of the Church. This “head transplant” was deadly. The church exists no more, she has become part of Corporate America.

As part of their annual sex week, Harvard University offered a class on a special kind of perversion: On November 3, 2014 at 5:00 PM they presented “Anal Sex 101.” The purpose of this event was to explore the pleasures of this perverse practice. How is it possible that a university, that was founded to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ - its purpose was to call men to repentance, and to teach obedience to the Word of God - how can this university openly promote such a vulgar perversion? Why do the churches remain silent at the display of such gross sin?

Why don’t the churches have a positive influence any more on the institutions they founded? Why is the church not being heard by society and culture today?

As unlikely as it seems, this is the answer: the Church has widely disappeared from Western countries. There are church buildings everywhere and people meeting there every Sunday still. A careful examination will show, however, that the churches are gone.

But if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. (Matthew 5:13).

This is happening today! The churches are trodden under the feet of men.

There are three major reasons why the salt has lost its savor, why the churches are “thenceforth good for nothing” and “trodden under foot of men.”

• First, the evolutionary world view has made deep inroads in Christian Universities and churches. As a consequence the Bible is rejected as being the Word of God. Theologians, “Scolars” now decides what in the Bible is God’s word and which passages are nothing but myths that ancient writers have put together.

• Second, the churches have been changed at the organizational level.

• And third, the churches have been removed at the spiritual level.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Ephesians 6:12).

The evolutionary world view is based on materialism. In this view, the elements have formed everything in this universe that we inhabit. If taken to its final conclusion, then the elements created themselves out of nothing; the Big Bang requires the presence of some elements. How did these come into existence? The evolutionary world view is supposedly based on science. It denies that there is any spiritual being, be it God or Satan. How can the elements have created themselves out of nothing, and how can that be proved scientifically? The premises of this world view are unscientific and completely irrational.

The denial of the spiritual realm leaves us utterly unprepared to face the spiritual wickedness in our world.

“We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” The spiritual wickedness in high places cannot be defeated by using material things, like fighter jets, smart bombs, tanks and machine guns, tear gas and anti-riot gear.

The materialistic, evolutionary world view, which is now prevalent, being taught in almost all of the educational systems of the western world, has blinded us. We don’t any longer see that there are powerful, wicked spiritual forces at work. Ignoring and dismissing the true origin of lawlessness and violence is the cause for their continued spread. Denying the spiritual realm does not change anything, it still is there and powerfully influences this world. Denial only renders us more and more defenseless.

Fist and foremost we need to accept the fact that the violence and moral decline in this world can only be overcome on the spiritual level. No physical force, no gun-boat-diplomacy, nor the modern version of it, the fighter-jet-diplomacy, can change the heart of man. But the Spirit of God can touch the heart of man and change lives. Throughout history, there have been millions and millions of people whose hearts have been softened and changed through the Word of God and the work and power of the Holy Spirit, ever since Christ began to preach the Gospel of peace. We find the solution in a book, now mostly rejected. In it we read:

Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. (Zechariah 4:6).

Again we read:

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).

Only the Church, the Body of Christ on this earth, has the power to restrain evil by being “Salt and Light.” At this time in redemptive history, the Holy Spirit is present in individual believers and the Church. The Church as the Body of Christ is more than the sum of individual believers. The Holy Spirit can work powerfully through a faithful church and bring much light into this world.

In the recent past, church leaders in America have dissolved the local churches. The church buildings are still there, and individual Christians still meet there; but the local churches have disappeared. The churches became non-profit corporations. Calling a donkey a horse does not change the fact that the donkey is a donkey, and not a horse. Naming a non-profit corporation a church, does not change the fact that the non-profit corporation is a non-profit corporation, and not any more a church.

By far, the majority of the churches have voluntarily decided not to be any more a church, not to be any more the local representation of the Body of Christ. Why is this? Almost all churches in America have chosen to become non-profit corporations. The word “corporation” is derived from the Latin word “corpus” which means “body.” If a church decides to become a non-profit corporation it ceases to be a part of the Body of Christ; it now is part of another Body, the State. Changing from being a church to becoming a non-profit corporation has far-reaching legal and spiritual consequences; especially the spiritual consequences are severe. The most devastating consequence is that a non-profit corporation cannot be a church, and it cannot be any more the local representation of the Body of Christ. The individual Christian believers are still part of the Body of Christ. But the non-profit corporation is no longer a church, because Christ is no longer its Head. The ecclesiology that is being taught in the seminaries today, says much about the various attributes of the Church, but very little is said about the possibility that a local church can cease to be part of the Universal Church, the Universal Body of Christ.

The original Church was created on the day of Pentecost by Christ through the Holy Spirit, and every new local body of believers is still a creation of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus said: “I will build my church.” The Church was created in the interest of God to be salt and light on this earth, to call men to repentance and to offer God’s salvation freely to all people. The non-profit organization is created by the State in the public interest. What the “public interest” means is determined by the State.

The head of the Church is the Lord Jesus Christ. The Church must obey the commandments of Christ.

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. (Matthew 28:18-20).

The non-profit corporation was created by the State, is protected by the State and governed by the State. The head of the non-profit corporation is government of the State. Being created in the public interest, it is regulated by the laws and policies of the State, and is governed by the by-laws of the corporation, which are laws of man. The by-laws have to agree with the laws and policies of the State.

There is a hierarchy of laws and authorities. A city ordinance cannot violate the county regulations, the county regulations cannot violate state laws, and state laws cannot violate federal laws and the Constitution. Finally, the Federal Government may not violate God’s laws.

When the Supreme Court forbade the display of the Ten Commandments in public schools, it rejected God and usurped his authority. The Justices reasoned: “If the posted copies of the Ten Commandments are to have any effect at all, it will be to induce the schoolchildren to read, meditate upon, perhaps to venerate and obey, the Commandments." And they decided that this may not happen, because they consider this to be the establishment of a religion. If the children read “Thou shalt not kill!” the Justices feared that the schoolchildren could actually obey that commandment.

God will hold those Supreme Court Justices responsible for their part in all the school shootings. Psalm 2 says,

Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. (2:10-11).

In the hierarchy of laws, the law of God has the highest rank and cannot be overruled by any law of man.

Denying the existence and authority of the God who created the heavens and the earth will not release anyone from the responsibility to obey God’s Laws. I fully acknowledge that there is a separation between State and Church. God ordained human government and created the Church. Both are separate and have separate purposes. There is however no separation between human government and the God who instituted human government.

Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings. (Daniel 2:20-21).

Since God sets up human rulers, they are responsible to Him and are obligated to respect and follow His laws.

As long as the laws and policies of the State do not differ from the commandments of God, there seems to be no difference between a church and a non-profit corporation. Both the church and the non-profit corporation can teach all that Christ has commanded without being hindered by the State. But the church is unequally yoked, and that will become immediately apparent when the State enacts laws that go against the Word of God. One fact has been overlooked, perhaps forgotten or not taken seriously: When a group of believers applies to be incorporated into the State it agrees, by signature, not to violate the laws and the policies of the State.

Some time ago I read that a homosexual couple in Hawaii asked to use a church building for their wedding ceremony. The church denied that request. The couple sued the church and won. The church was ordered to allow that couple to conduct the wedding ceremony in their church building. The church had forgotten, ignored, not taken seriously, perhaps was not even aware of the fact, that it had signed not to violate the state laws of Hawaii. The State had legislated that same-sex marriages are legal in the State of Hawaii. The church, by incorporating in the State of Hawaii wrote a blank check, promising to follow and uphold the laws and policies of the State. This applies to all legislation: the laws forbidding prayer and Bible reading in public schools, the laws legalizing abortions and same-sex marriages, and whatever legislation might follow.

The First Amendment clearly places the church outside the jurisdiction of the civil government:

Congress shall make NO LAW respecting an establishment of religion, nor prohibiting the free exercise thereof.

How could the judge violate the freedom of religion guarantied by the Constitution? He did not violate the Constitution because a corporation is only a legal persona, and not a natural person, therefore not covered by the Constitution. The State created the corporation and has full authority over it. The fault is with the leaders of that group of Christians; they ether ignored or were unaware of their legal obligations as a non-profit corporation. Here it becomes clear that a non-profit corporation is no longer a church. The State, who created the corporation, treated the non-profit corporation not as a church, even though this organization still has in its official name “church” or “assembly.” The non-profit corporation is a non-profit corporation, not a church. The State does not consider it to be a church and does not treat it as a church.

At the organizational level, a group of Christians that decides to become a non-profit corporation ceases to be a church. Calling a donkey a horse does not change the fact that the donkey is a donkey, and not a horse. Naming a non-profit corporation “church” does not change the fact that the non-profit corporation is a non-profit corporation, and not a church. What once was a church is now part of Corporate America. The church has disappeared, is gone.

In the Acts of the Apostles we see the display of the mighty power of the Holy Spirit.

Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.

And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God (Acts 3:1-8).

Peter and John got in trouble for healing this man and saying that they received this power from Jesus Christ of Nazareth. The religious leaders of Israel had eliminated Jesus; and now these men were preaching about Jesus again? So they locked Peter and John up for the night, and on the next day they forbade the apostles to ever talk again to the people of Israel about Jesus.

And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. (Acts 4:18-19).

And here is what happened when John and Peter returned to their fellow believers:

And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.

And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness (Acts 4:23-31).

Later on Peter was imprisoned by Herod; that was done to please the Jewish leaders. The question whether this was right or wrong did not matter. But the church prayed for Peter and brought down God’s power from heaven.

Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.

When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him. And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews (Acts 12:5-11).

“But prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.” Most Churches today do not have regular prayer meetings any more. If there are still midweek prayer meetings, then they are attended only by a few church members. “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear.” So what has changed?

Jesus warned against the “leaven of Herod,” the corrupting influence of political leaders, who pose as friends of the God-fearing people, but deny the authority of Christ over his Church and that His commandments are above all man-made laws. In their hearts they do not seek to honor Christ and to obey His commandments; rather they seek to exercise power over the Church.

The non-profit corporation is bound by and has committed itself to honor the laws of the State. If the State has legalized abortions, then the non-profit corporation has to honor those laws allowing the killing of the unborn. The non-profit corporation was not created to serve God, but to serve the public interest of the State. If the pastor preaches against abortions he violates the obligation to honor the state laws. If the pastor and some of his members demonstrate against abortions they violate their promise to the State to honor and to uphold its laws and policies. The non-profit corporation, its officers and members cannot say one thing to the State and then preach something else from the pulpit. Jesus says,

But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil" (Matthew 5:37).

When Christians tell the State that they will honor its laws and policies and teach otherwise on Biblical grounds, they are saying, “Yes, no; No, yes” and this comes from the evil one. The spiritual power of that group of Christians is broken. They have sworn allegiance to the State and its laws and policies.

As pointed out earlier, the non-profit corporation is unequally yoked. The state created it in the public interest; but the members of the corporation, being Christians, want to serve God and teach what the Word of God says. As said before, the unequal yoke only becomes apparent when state laws and the Word of God do not agree. Besides the contradictions that the unequal yoke creates there is another severe consequence: the removal of the lamp stand.

In chapters two and three of the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, we read how Jesus evaluates the seven local churches. Here is what he says about the church in Ephesus:

Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. (Ephesians 2:1-7).

The church of Ephesus was not a “liberal” church. The church defended the faith against false teachers, it was doctrinally sound. Jesus says to the Ephesian Christians that they laboured, worked hard for His name’s sake, and they did not faint, they did not give up. But then he says: “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.”

When Christians organize as a non-profit corporation, the State becomes the highest authority of that group of believers. By swearing allegiance to the State, they have left their first love.

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other." The leadership of a non-profit corporation “church” are the board members. They make all the important and binding decisions in the “church.” The board members of a corporation are selected according to its by-laws. They are the representatives of the State within that group of Christians and their responsibility is to ensure that the corporation acts according to its by-laws and that no State law or State policy is violated. The first and foremost obligation of the board members of a non-profit corporation cannot be the obedience of Christ but the compliance with the laws of the State, because they are officers of the State.

A group of Christians, that has chosen to organize and to remain a non-profit corporation has left their first love of the Lord Jesus Christ. What once were churches, the local representations of the Body of Christ, are now part of Corporate America.

The lamp stands have disappeared, one by one. The lamp stands that were to shine in the darkness are gone. Now, at the beginning of the 21st Century, moral decay has set in. A University that was founded to teach the Word of God as revealed in the Bible, now teaches how to find pleasure in fornication. The lamp stands, the churches, have disappeared! Christians, being unequally yoked, have lost their first love. “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches!”

Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness" (Joel 2:12-13).

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted (Matthew 5:4).

What can we do to change the whole church scene? The destruction of the churches on the spiritual level is overwhelming! More than anything else, we need to adopt the right attitude, the “mind of Christ” (Philippians 2:5). We should not be angry. We should not be contentious. We must avoid a “holier than thou” attitude, which is nothing but ugly pride. When the people of Israel had turned away from God, he spoke to them through the prophet: “Turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments!”

Should we not mourn when a university that was founded to uphold the Word of God now teaches their students how to find pleasure in gross fornication? Anger and contention and a holier-than-thou attitude will accomplish nothing. We must understand the spiritual cause of this. The churches have gone by the wayside. The lamp stands have disappeared, the light is extinguished, it now is dark. The followers of Christ have left their first love. Rend your heart, weep and mourn!

Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent.

We need to pray in repentance and make Jesus the first love of our lives. God will hear the cry of our heart. “Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.”

Ever since I read the “Lessons From Louisville” the questions regarding the relationship between Church and State have not left my mind. Dr. Everett (Sileven) Ramsey recounts on his website the story how his church fought for the freedom to educate their children without the interference of the State of Nebraska. I give here two links; Dr. Ramsey’s website was not reachable for some time; but it is now working again: Lessons from Nebraska
Here is the link to web.archive.org: Lessons from Louisville

The focus of this article is on the spiritual side of the State and Church relationship. I am not a lawyer, I am not trained in the law. I am not giving any legal advice. My desire and intention is to bring to light the spiritual consequences when a group of Christians decides to become a non-profit corporation. Those who want to research the legal aspects of the Church and State relationship may follow the links given below:

The Biblical Law Center: The Biblical Law Center
Download: The 501c3 Church: The 501c3 Church
Jerald Finney’s Blog Pages: Jerald Finney

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