Church - The Reality

The Reality

In his book, The Naked Church (available here), Wayne Jacobsen compares the institutional church to the emperor in Hans Christian Andersen’s The Emperor’s New Clothes. For those who aren’t familiar with the story, the emperor had an obsession with new clothes. “He did not trouble himself in the least about his soldiers; nor did he care to go either to the theatre or the chase, except for the opportunities then afforded him for displaying his new clothes.” Two strangers approached the emperor and promised to make some special clothes for him. As the story goes, these strangers pretended to weave the finest clothes for the emperor while they actually did nothing at all. The emperor sent two of his faithful men to check on the work. The faithful men (a minister and an officer both who were honest and capable) saw nothing being made, but were persuaded by these strangers that there was something beautiful in the weaver’s loom. The emperor then went himself to check on the clothes, and he too was persuaded by these strangers. A processional was then planned for the whole kingdom, who at this point were eager themselves, to see the emperor’s new clothes. Out he paraded and the whole kingdom followed suit to the emperor and his faithful men. “Oh! How beautiful are our Emperor’s new clothes!” they all exclaimed. All that is, except for a little child who said “But the Emperor has nothing at all on!” The father of the child tried to excuse his remark as mere innocence, but eventually all the people agreed with the child’s assessment. “The Emperor was vexed, for he knew that the people were right; but he thought the procession must go on now! And the lords of the bedchamber took greater pains than ever, to appear holding up a train, although, in reality, there was no train to hold.”

Jacobsen takes a slightly different approach to using this story to make a point. I like to see this simple story as a clear picture of the condition of the institutional church. Throughout this post, and others, I will refer to the institutional church by “church.” A distinction will be made by using “Church” with a capital “C” to discuss those who are born-again believers. The Emperor in this story can be likened unto the church. It has an obsession with external beauty. The minister and the officer can illustrate the leaders in the church who are confronted with the problems, but end up holding their peace lest they bring shame to themselves and the church. The people in the story are much like the congregation of a church who proclaim how great the church is, while it is clearly lacking. The little child can be likened unto the one who is willing to stand up and state the obvious. As Jacobsen says, he has no “personal stake in the deception. He was too young to understand the necessity of denying reality to save face.” He saw things as they really are and made a simple comment which changed the way the rest of the kingdom perceived their emperor.

I hope in the next few posts, my simple comments will encourage readers not toward bitterness, but toward a desire to change and see change within Christianity. It is much easier to sit back with everyone else and proclaim “How beautiful is the church!” but reality is contrary to this idea.

The reality is that the church is not doing what it was intended to do. Instead of preaching repentance and belief in Christ as the means for salvation, the church has persuaded men that as long as you pray the fire insurance prayer you will be saved from hell. Political speeches have replaced Bible study. Evidence of the lack of Bible study can be seen when some members of the church want to get together outside of the regular church services to study the Bible. This is often done under the guise of studying something to help a specific group (ladies, men, singles, youth, young married couples, etc.). This desire is not wrong in and of itself. It is however, evidence that something is lacking. If the church were gathering together to study God’s word properly, there would hardly be a need for these extra meetings. Instead of proving all things, the church blindly accepts the teachings and doctrines of their church and pastor. Instead of encouraging believers to follow their unique path in Christ, the church is guilt-tripped into following the direction of their church or pastor.

The reality is that sin is rampant in the world, but more importantly within the church. A wicked lifestyle is often excused as a state of backsliding. False assurances are given to those that, although wicked, are saved so as by fire. Sin is dismissed as being an outworking of a fallen, sinful nature. Meanwhile, faithful church attendees are given a false sense of security that as long as they are faithful on Sundays and Wednesdays and give their tithes and offerings, that they are on the right path. The Bible is now used as nothing more than a tool to support our own philosophical ideas rather than develop our ideas – a practice called proof-texting. Leaders are proclaimed as kings and approached as priests.

The reality is that MANY are being deceived by the devil’s ministers of righteousness. MANY will end up in hell one day and will say, “Lord, Lord, have not we prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works?” Despite the feelings of most church-goers, this verse has greater application to those within their circles than they can even imagine.

The reality is that instead of being the Church of Jesus Christ every day of the week, people are content to “go to church” once or twice a week.

Listen to the voice of my simple words found in the following posts. I have no personal agenda or interest to further my name and ruin anyone else’s. My desire is to promote the Lord Jesus Christ and Him alone! I understand the face of many will be against me as I try to root out, pull down, destroy, and throw down. Once this can be accomplished, then building and planting can commence. Like Jeremiah, we are to realize that the Lord is with us and will make us as an iron pillar!