In the last few years there has been a movement building around the concept that it is logically possible and reasonably sound to love God while at the same time hating the church. I’m not exactly sure where the thought originated but it has spread like wildfire. It offers a faith of convenience. Have all of the blessings associated with belief in God with none of the “pesky tasks” of Christianity.
There is a church in the area where I live that has put up billboards and bought radio spots to promote themselves as the place to go for all those who “love God but hate the church.” While I generally understand the idea they are trying to convey my immediate impression is two-fold: (1) it is arrogant, and (2) it is ignorant.
Now, before anyone burns me in effigy let me explain my reasoning:
- The church is not a product of men. If it were then its importance would be questionable. But the church is a product of God. He decided (in His infinite wisdom) that men were to experience the blessings of Christianity through the church (Ephesians 1:22-23). How can man expect to replace the plan of God and it be met with any intended success. Revelation 22:18-19 clearly states that any attempt to add to or take from His revealed will result in eternal consequences. It is arrogant to assume that we can exclude something that God included and still reap the intended blessings.
- The church was not set up as an afterthought of God. It is not a worthless entity that plays no worthwhile role in our lives. The church was eternally intended in the redemptive plan of God (Ephesians 3:10-11). The Old Testament promised it (Isaiah 2:2-3; Daniel 2:44; Joel 2:28-32). And moreover God thought enough of the church to send His only begotten Son to shed His blood in order to purchase it (Acts 20:28). To minimize the worth of the church is to minimize the value of Jesus’ sacrifice. It is blasphemous and utterly ignorant to assume that an individual could possibly love God while at the same time hate something that God loved enough to send His own Son to die for!
Not only should we not develop the sentiment of loving God while hating the church, we absolutely should not be doing anything that will encourage this attitude in the lives of others by catering to their simplistic view of what Christianity is supposed to be all about. Christianity is not supposed to be about comfort, ease, and selfish intent. It is about sacrifice and service. Love God but hate the church? Impossible!
-Andy Brewer
How can one love God,but, hate his bride, the very people he died for, the people who love him and carry out his works and service to all the world?
Jesus only has a relationship with His church (Ephesians 5:22-25) or, as you mentioned, purchased her with His blood. People make Jesus out to be a fornicator when they stay they have a relationship with Him but are not a member of the church. Jesus has one body that He has a relationship with and that’s the church (Colossians 1:18). My God is no fornicator!