In the times in which we live, deconstruction has driven many away from the church.
Deconstruction is not always a bad thing. If you are seeking to deconstruct plausible arguments (Col. 2:4), philosophy and empty deceit according to human tradition (Col. 2:8), asceticism and the worship of angels (Col. 2:18), or anything that has the appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body (Col. 2:23), then have at it.
But in order to do so properly, you must have an objective standard to deconstruct those systems by. You need the confession in your mouth that Jesus is Lord (Col. 1:15-17). You need His Word in hand (I Corinthians 4:1-7). You need to be united to His Church (Col. 1:18-23). You need to recognize the authority of Jesus Christ, who saves men from their sins and is Lord over all.
People are wandering to and fro. Sheep without a shepherd. Boats tossed about on the waves of false & errant doctrine and human philosophies and self-made religion. It is easy in such an ecclesiastical environment to turn to the state as a god, to turn science into a religion, to trust in the strength of man. A culture unmoored from the truth about God and man is fertile ground for cults, false religion and ultimate disaster.
In a time of deconstruction, we must turn to the Lord and His Word. There are many churches of many different denominations seeking to reform their churches according to His Word. This gives me a renewed hope for ecumenicity among Christian Churches that really believe this Word and subject their traditions to its authority. Wherever men are seeking after the Law and the testimony (Isaiah 8), there the Spirit of God is working to form a new Creation.
This means that Reformation, widespread Reformation is possible, wherever men are opening their Bibles and pointing to the glory & majesty of Jesus Christ.
Reformation is simply “the re-forming of the church according to the principles of Scripture.” This means that where idolatry has crept in, we must purge it. Where the justification of immorality has crept in, we must contest it, and win in the strength of the Spirit of Christ. Where the church has become silly & shallow, we must pursue maturity and discernment in Christ.
Where churches disagree, we can and must appeal to the Holy Scriptures. Where practices or forms or traditions differ, with no substantial disagreement on the principle of truth, we find unity in Christ and His Word.
One of the pivotal points of Scripture is how pastors & preachers handle the Word of truth (II Tim. 2:15). A pastor may say true things in a sermon, but does he open the text and go where the text leads him? Both in his exegesis and his application? If a lady pastor is opening the Bible in such a way, then why is she still pastoring?
Expository preaching in the power of the Holy Spirit, pointing to Christ, according to the rule of Scripture will indeed start to split open the idols in our hearts and in our churches. But it must first split open the idols in the pastor’s heart. Is the pastor willing to preach things that make you feel uncomfortable if that is where the Scriptures lead him? Is the pastor willing to preach things that make him feel uncomfortable if that is where the Scriptures lead him?
It was one of the theses of Berne that the church is born of the Word of God. This is true (I Peter 1:22-25).
If we would reform the modern day church then we must open and thunder from the Scriptures again, always pointing to Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world and opens up the way again into fellowship with the Triune God.
Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash
