What do you see in the pictures below image 1 and image 2?
What is wrong with image 2?
You see a shallow cross with no root.
How is this relavant to the church topic?
To answer that, let us explain the Cross.
When Jesus was asked in Matthew 22:36
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
Jesus replied
Matthew 22:37-40
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments”.
Two things Jesus answered. Remember these were not even part of 10 commandments.
Jesus answered about loving God and loving your neighbour. Upon these all prophets and the law hang upon.
Now look at Cross. It has 2 lines.
The vertical line pointing to the love of God. And the horizontal line symbolizing love your neighbour.
Both are significant and important.
Now look at the image 2.
What is wrong?
The horizontal line has grown before the veritical line could take root and grow.
That is exactly what is wrong with church.
Church puts emphasis on love your neighbour and showing up rather than working on the relationship with God.
I come against a church like that, which puts a stumbling block to a Christian for him to be rooted in Christ. Abiding, being rooted in Christ is the foremost important.
Love is a fruit Galatians 5:22-23 and not the root.
Loving your neighbour is a fruit of having a relationship with Christ.
How is the relationship with Christ rooted?
Not in the church but in the Word knowing the Word.
Church is not a place to learn or hear the Word or grow, it is the place to practise what you have already learned from HolySpirit.
One Teacher alone. I am against a church that would take that place and become an idol. Owe to you.
Love God and loving your neighbour. Loving your neighbour would follow as you fall in love with Christ.
I am not denying the horizontal line. If I did I would demolish the Cross. God forbid, I don’t do it.
But I rather put the priorities straight.
Take it or leave it, it is upto you. But I will always point you the Word and the Word became flesh. I will only point you to Jesus.
Let Jesus teach you and every man be a liar including me, Romans 3:4.
I am nobody. But I will claim and point you to JESUS, who is all in all. Through HIM , by HIM and for HIM are all things, Romans 11:36.
I will glorify HIM. If church is taking HIS place, I am against it and I am not ashamed about.
Focus on HIM and HIM alone. Run to FATHER God. Not to ones who stand on poppet. They have their place I would say that.
Spend time with JESUS. Now be blessed. And put GOD first.