Institutions throughout American history – including the institutional church – have followed the same cycle: birth, growth, decline, death, and rebirth. We are, right now, transitioning between the death and rebirth of the institutional church in America. The bad news is: The old forms of the institutional church have come to their end.
The good news: The new forms will be influenced by the old to become exceedingly abundantly more than we can ask or think, according to the power that works in those chosen by God to create and participate in them. The Lord intends to have a Bride – a perfectly beautiful and spotless Bride. This providential season offers incredible opportunity for a giant leap in that direction.
Our participation in God’s work is a choice that must be resolutely made; and soon. Time for repentance and revolution from the old forms is drawing short. To be Joshuas and Calebs, the leaders of the old forms will have to reject them (or at least see them for what they are), confess their sin in them, and risk the transformation required for their participation in the new.
As a Baby Boomer and oftentimes leader in the old forms, I have given much prayerful thought to the predicament of my generation. So, if you will allow some license in my application of the Biblical example, I believe we may draw some warning, direction, and encouragement from the nation of Israel.
You know the story.
In Chapters 13 and 14 of the Book of Numbers, we read about God’s command for Israel to enter the Promised Land, their irrational refusal to do so, and God’s just punishment for their rebellion. God cursed the responsible generations to wander in the Wilderness until they died there. Joshua, Caleb, and those currently under the age of twenty would then be reoffered the opportunity to enter in.
To apply this application to our current state, one must first recognize the Promised Land as the church Jesus Christ is building:
…till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. Ephesians 4:13-16
Secondly, we must acknowledge that the construction of this Body of Christ lies somewhere on the path to the Bride who has made herself ready for Her Groom. Regrettably, we seem to have lost the path, and now find ourselves wandering in a type of Wilderness; some would say for more than six or seven decades.
Thirdly, we can assume the nation of Israel did not want to wander in the Wilderness for forty more years; but decisions – even careless, irrational ones – have their consequences. I suspect, after the Israelites came to their senses and the mourning had stopped, those destined to die in the Wilderness determined to take two very important courses of action:
- To make sure their children did not repeat their mistake; and
- To do all they could to encourage God’s mercy, that they might become like Joshua and Caleb: qualified to enter into the Promise.
As the story goes, the rebellious generations accomplished course of action #1; their children entered in and inhabited the Promised Land. Sadly, course of action #2 did not come to pass; each and every one of the rebellious generations were laid low in the Wilderness.
Now, this is where I hope the story’s application breaks down for us. I hope that Joshua and Caleb symbolize a larger group – myself included – whose hearts are set on the Promise, that our mourning might be turned to rejoicing through repentance and transformation.
What do you think? Is there hope for the Boomers? What might we do to please God, recover His favor, rediscover the path, and participate in the Second Reformation?
Let’s Stop Loitering at the Gate
This notion of wandering around in the Wilderness brought to mind an article we wrote almost ten years ago. Here it is, in full, with some minor adjustments.
Imagine yourself standing on the top of a hill overlooking a beautiful pastoral scene. In the distance you hear the sounds of people – lots of people; and it sounds like they are all coming your way.
Where could all these people be coming from and where are they going? Drawing closer to the edge of the top of your hill, you see a broad road at its base; and you realize that this road curves around the hill, towards you, from somewhere out of sight. The people – many people – are coming down that road.
Moving to your right (to see where the road leads), you notice that it ends abruptly at a precipitous cliff; and a fall into destruction. Immediately your heart goes out to the folk on the road. Hurrying back around the edge of your hill, you see them; and you begin to yell a warning, “Don’t take that broad road! Find another way! It leads to your destruction!” With all your heart and strength you cry out to the people that are heading to their destruction.
Much to your relief, a few listen to your warnings and find another way. That way seems to lead away from the broad road and up the hill where you are standing. Your heart is comforted. At least some are now safe from the broad road’s destruction.
Your attention quickly shifts back to those heading down the broad road. What should you do? You can’t bear to see them destroyed. Some are your friends. There may even be family members making that awful mistake.
Your common sense tells you that the ones who have found the narrow way will be okay; for they have made the one decision you encouraged them to make. Though they have moved out of your line of sight, and you cannot see exactly how they will make their way up the hill, you feel confident that you have saved them from certain destruction. Praise the LORD!!
So you turn your attention back to the broad road. You continue to holler your warning, “Don’t take that broad road! Find another way! It leads to your destruction.” With all your heart and strength you continue to cry out to the people that are heading to their destruction. This effort becomes your life’s ambition and work.
I suspect everyone reading this short story recognizes it as a depiction of the following passage.
Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. Matthew 7:13-14
Having spent a considerable amount of time warning those on the broad road, you begin to wonder why more have not joined you. What’s holding them up? Where did they get off to?
You set off to investigate the situation. Circling back around to the place where you were able to see folks coming off the broad road, you try to find a better vantage point. The more you search, the more frustrated you become. Where have they gone? Why aren’t they up here with me?
And then you see it, a most confusing situation: Just off the broad road, at the fork where the few heard your cries of warning and diverted their direction in life, there is a most peculiar sight. Masses of people are milling around, some making small talk, others pitching tents. Many have brought in trailers and campers. The most fortunate (so it seems) have built houses and barns.
This doesn’t make any sense to you. Why aren’t these people progressing up the hill? Why would they settle for such a lowly place when it is so beautiful and exciting at the top? Some have joined you, but the vast majority of those that found the narrow way seem to be satisfied with their progress. After all, they are no longer on their way to destruction.
Eventually, you turn to the One you trust to explain such confusing things, and here’s what He says:
And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. Then one said to Him, “Lord, are there few who are saved?” And He said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.“ Luke 13:22-24
Then you see it – the narrow gate at the entrance to the difficult way. And you wonder, who is warning those who have come off the broad road that they have only begun the journey to everlasting life? Who is encouraging them to strive to enter?
And you wonder some more: Is it possible, in our efforts to warn people on the broad way, that we have failed to warn those loitering outside the narrow gate? Is their salvation hanging any less in the balance? Who are these people? Are any of them in your spheres of influence?
It seems to me there is some metaphorical connection between the narrow gate and the entrance into the Promised Land, and between loitering at the gate and wandering in the Wilderness. If this is the case, then there is still hope for us Boomers. God’s mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23). If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1John 1:9). And what do we have to lose anyway?
For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. Mark 8:35
Are you one of those wandering in the Wilderness? Do you need someone to help you find your way through the narrow gate? Please contact me if you would like to discuss this further (rob@inLightConsulting.com).
Humbly yours and forever His,
Rob
#iamjustthepen
P.S. Just to be clear, I firmly believe that salvation is by grace, through faith. Nevertheless, we must recognize that this saying of Jesus is a matter of salvation (“Lord, are there few who are saved?”). We are failing ourselves and those within our spheres of influence to dismiss this passage and its meaning. Check out 2Peter 1:1-11 for more clarity (notice the use of “all diligence” and “even more diligent”). Let me know what you think.