DESPISING THE CHURCH

1 Corinthians 11:22

This thought or question is taken from the chapter on Communion, where the brothers' bad behavior was a disgrace to the Church in Corinth. When we read this chapter, we realize that many brothers sometimes despise the Church without thinking, without considering the implications of their thoughtless actions.

In the Old Testament, God dealt with a nation. In the New Testament, He deals with a Church. After the Day of Pentecost, when the Spirit descended, all were baptized into the Body of Christ. The Church is more than an earthly organization. It is the body of Christ.

The Church is the invisible body of believers. The visible Church is an earthly organization that includes good and bad, the saved and the hypocrites. Jesus' present occupation is building up the Church. This is not a building of stones but a Living Body (1 Peter 2:4-5). Do you despise this Church? To despise means to treat with contempt, to abhor, to detest.

HOW THE CHURCH IS DESPISED:

The unbeliever or the atheist ridicules the Church as a despicable organization. The Christian, of course, would not despise the Church in this way. Unfortunately, he adopts more subtle means:

A. By ceasing to attend church (Heb. 10:25). When you do not attend church, it is a way of telling the community and your children that, “Church attendance is not important. It is good to go to church when you feel well, when the weather is good, when you have no other commitments and have time.”

     This is despising the Church because you are treating it lightly, recognizing other things as having more importance and prominence in your life. Of course, we recognize that those who are sick cannot come to church, but we are talking about those who are not sick and do not come to church.

B. We despise the Church when we accept its benefits without accepting its responsibilities:

1. We send our children to Sunday school, but we don't attend regularly.

2. We take our children there to be presented, but we never establish a family altar in our home.

3. We are members of the Church, but we don't live a faithful Christian life.

4. We attend services, but we never try to win the lost.

5. We enjoy the music and the blessings of the Spirit, but we never learn the other truths of God's Word.

6. We take our dead there to be buried, but we live our lives without preparing for our own death.

7. We despise the Church by reducing it to just a religious activity.

C. We despise the Church when we stop preparing for service. We expect the pastor to study, pray, and prepare. We, too, must prepare. It is good and appropriate to attend church dressed appropriately. Well-groomed and clean, but the most important preparation is to come spiritually prepared. Come in a spirit of expectation, hoping that God will feed your soul.

D. We despise the Church when we are inattentive or irreverent during the service. God detests irreverence. Remember that you are in God's house, not yours!

E. We despise the Church by having weak beliefs and convictions regarding doctrine. You learn how to sew, cook, do your work, and everything else you need for daily life, but can you explain the Deity of Jesus? If you cannot explain our doctrine using Scripture, this is a disgrace to God and His Church.

F. We despise the Church when we live bad, careless and inconsistent lives. As a member of the congregation, you bear a great responsibility before God and this community. To live badly after professing salvation is to despise the Church.

G. We despise the Church when we give unworthily to the Church. You don't think twice about spending $10 or $20 on yourself or your family, but when it comes to giving to the Church, you hesitate. Does this show respect or disrespect? If we recognize that giving to the Church is giving to God, then what you give reflects your love for Him.

H. We despise the Church by using our talents poorly or not at all. You sing for entertainment but refuse to sing in church to worship God. You have a splendid personality for your friends and business associates, but you never use that talent for the Lord to win the lost. Consciously or unconsciously, you are saying, “My talent is too good to be spent on the Church.” This is despicable in God's sight. Remember, the Church is the body of Christ, not merely an earthly organization.

I. We despise the Church when we isolate ourselves from it. This is extreme separation. The Church isn't holy enough for you! There are too many hypocrites in it! You would rather stay home listening to some preacher on TV, or visit any other church you like because, to you, they're all the same.

THE RESULTS OF DESPISED THE CHURCH:

A. You are sinning against God.

B. The earthly Church (the body of Christ) is weakened. The Church needs you, and you need the Church.

C. The sinner stumbles and turns away from the Savior. A strong and pure Church draws the sinner to Christ.

D. As a result, the Christians who attend become weak and overburdened.

E. Basically, the one who doesn't attend is the one who loses.

1. Spiritually, your spiritual life stagnates.

2. Financially, God gives to those who give to Him.

3. Morally, you need the moral teaching and strength of the Church.

4. Physically, God will heal your illnesses.

THE REMEDY FOR THOSE WHO DESPISE THE CHURCH

A. Acknowledge your sin. You have despised the Body of Christ.

B. Confess this sin to God, and He will cleanse and forgive you.

C. Promise God that you will never again be so careless in this important matter.

D. Pray and ask God to teach you how to honor and respect the Church.

E. Respect the man God has placed in His Church to lead it. Let your pastor know that he can count on you to be a much better member.

IT IS A DANGEROUS THING TO DESPISE THE CHURCH THAT JESUS ​​IS BUILDING!