Church Identity and Perpetuity Part 7

 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 2Co 3:17

I want to cut the core now and ask the baseline question. What really makes a church a true church? Or more to the point, Who decides who’s in and who’s out? The answer is God decides and the presence of the Spirit of God is what makes the difference between the true church and a “knock-off” or “look alike”. At the end of the day all that really matters to me is that I am where the Lord is. It’s not the name on the front of the building, it’s not the folks we fellowship with, it’s not the creeds or confessions, it’s not the degree or intelligence of the pastor, it’s not the activities for the kids, It’s where God is revealing himself in the spirit.

The work of the Holy Spirit is vital to the church. John 14:25-26; 16:7,13. Jesus taught and established his church while he was present but didn’t leave us alone when he returned to the Father. He sent the Holy Ghost to teach us the meaning of his words and guide us into all truth. Eph 4:7-14, 1Co 12:4-11. The Holy Spirit brings gifts the church needs. The presence of the Holy Spirit is conditional and a dying church is simply one that isn’t enjoying the manifest presence of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. A church has either both spirit and truth or neither. Spirit without the truth is the wrong spirit, and doctrine without spirit is a dead formality and not truth at all. 

Truth is alive and has a taste that goes with it. Paul said God made manifest the savor of his knowledge by his preaching 2Co 2:14. Preaching (which isn’t just speaking but is a demonstration of the Spirit and of power 1Co 2:4) makes truth evident to those who are born of God because it is the savor of life. That happens when the weight of sin melts off and the smile of God lifts your heart above all your troubles. The letter killeth but the spirit giveth life 2Co 3:6. 

There are plenty of wrong spirits. When God removes his candlestick, the only spirit available to a group of people wanting to attract members is a manufactured spirit. We experience spirit-filled events all the time in the world. There is spirit at music concerts, there is spirit at exciting ball games, comedy clubs, political debates, and so many other forms of social gatherings. There may be a lot of spirit at a church meeting, but if it isn’t according to truth, it’s just importing our own spirit, and not worship which is in the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Our fellowship with this or that church is not what makes them a true church and removing our fellowship doesn’t remove the candlestick. There is no governing board that decided who’s in, God reserves that right to himself and thankfully he is long-suffering (Rev 2:5). Our responsibility is to keep fellowship with God and that means avoiding fellowship with darkness or confusion Eph 5:11, 1Jo 1:6. That’s not easy, but I think it’s that simple.