The
Withering Church:
In Christianity, as in Judaism,
the Menorah ought to be significant. It represents the seven Churches of Asia.
Within a few years the Church, regenerated at Jerusalem and named at Antioch
began to wither. Not only did they wither in different ways, they became the
typology for the future Church. Briefly,
let’s examine the withering Churches spoken of by John of Patmos: 508
1.
Of the Church at Ephesus:
a.
Laboring, hard-working, patience, and disgust
with evil.
b.
Exposing false prophets by testing with
scripture.
c.
Left their “first love” – Jesus.
d.
Have fallen; need repentance and return to their
“first work” – faith.
e.
Rightfully hate the deeds of the Nicolaitanes –
those who bring lasciviousness into the Church.
f.
Need to overcome their deficiencies.
2.
Of the Church at Smyrna:
a.
Works and persecution.
b.
Pretense of poverty – riches.
c.
Blasphemy – some claiming to be Jews (the
Church) but are not. They are of the synagogue of Satan.
d.
Will be tested by tribulation but remain
faithful.
e.
Will receive “the crown of life” – salvation.
f.
Reward for those who overcome – remain faithful.
3.
Of the Church at Pergamos:
a.
The city where “Satan dwellist”. Apparently, the
city a place of iniquity.
b.
The Church holds fast to his Name.
c.
Not denied his faith.
d.
Some there who hold the doctrine of Balaam –
partaking of things sacrificed to idols, and fornication (against God and
sexual sins).
e.
Some hold also the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes
– lasciviousness.
f.
Those who overcome will eat of the “hidden
manna” (Bread of Life – Jesus) and receive a new name.
4.
Of the Church at Thyatira:
a.
Works of charity, faith, faith, and patience.
b.
Tolerate a Jezebel: call herself a prophetess,
teaches to seduce and commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed to
idols.
c.
Offered “Jezebel” repentance and she did not.
d.
Will cast her and those deceived by her into
tribulation unless they repent.
e.
Kill her children with death. Give to everyone
according to their works.
f.
Those faithful will receive no burden.
g.
To those who hold fast until the end will be
given “power over the nations”.
h.
The faithful shall rule and be given “the
morning star” – Jesus.
5.
Of the Church at Sardis:
a.
They are known as an alive Church but are dead.
b.
Imperfect works. Need to strengthen what little
remains.
c.
Need to remember how they were and repent of how
they are. Will come on them as a thief if they do not change.
d.
A few of them are known as worthy, and will walk
with Jesus in white.
e.
Jesus will profess those few as his, and their
names will not be blotted out of the Book of Life.
6.
Of the Church at Philadelphia:
a.
Have a little strength, has kept the Word, and
have not denied Jesus.
b.
Knows that the Church has loved him.
c.
Require those who worship in the synagogue of
Satan to worship at their feet.
d.
Kept their patience. Deliver them from the hour
of temptation – the tribulation period.
e.
Hold fast to what they have and receive a crown.
f.
Make a pillar of the temple in New Jerusalem. To
be given a new name.
7.
Of the Church at Laodicea:
a.
Neither hot nor cold. Wish they were one or the
other. Because they are “lukewarm” he will spew them out of hos mouth. (Cast
out with Satan).
b.
Are a rich church but fail to realize that they
are really “wretched, and miserable, poor, blind, and naked.
c.
Need to change!
d.
Still loves them. He rebukes and chastens them.
Repent!
e.
Any who overcomes will sit with him on his
throne.
Jesus had “Church” with the churches.
In John’s vision, he saw the threshing floor. It was in Asia. The
“stars” of the churches were the guiding angels – the Holy Ghost’s helpers to
keep the churches of the Church. All seven of the churches of Asia were
imperfect. Perhaps they considered themselves good, and maybe even those in the
communities thought so. God looked on each of the churches and threshed to good
grain from the chaff. They all had some degree of chaff; some more than others.
These seven churches of Asia seem to represent also the withering Church. The characteristics of the universal Church over
time.
“Satan’s synagogue” is mentioned several times. Likewise, so are
Jezebel’s, Balaam’s, and Nicolas’s doctrines, as well as fornication – having
another god besides God. Physical fornication is satisfying oneself by having
another in submission. Hence, the sexual fornicator becomes his or her own
gods. Those who are of Satan’s synagogue do
what is right in their own eyes, just as in the patriarchal times. One can look at the withering Church if the
person is discerning. The Church, at all times imperfect, are on a continuum
from worst to best – Laodicea to Philadelphia and the others fall somewhere
within that continuum. The modern Church seems to be akin to the Church at
Philadelphia. The Church at apostolic Jerusalem – in concordance with God and
each other was more like the Church at Philadelphia which means “loving
brother” as the Church in its origination did! 509 From the same
source, Laodicea means “lukewarm in religion”; surely the condition in the
modern Church.
From Philadelphia to Laodicea, from then to now, is the withering Church.
Although it will never die, it will approach death. Jesus’s parable aptly
describes the “withering Christian” Since that person is a lively stone, it is
also a parable of the withering Church, remembering that Satan kills God one stone
at a time until His Temple is destroyed! 510
Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.
And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing
thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward
for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away. And when the disciples saw
it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!
God’s
time is not our time. The fig tree – the Church started withering soon as we
saw in Asia, and since Jesus said, “surely I come quickly”, 511 that
withering happened soon and is swiftly coming.
There were numerous evil and deranged emperors and generals. God used
them all to grow the Church. Much to Satan’s dismay, as he led his leaders to persecute
the Church grew! Finally, God grabbed one of those leaders – Constantine – and
Church growth exploded. Lively stones were laid right on top of pagan pavement.
With the establishment of the Church in Rome, it began to grow. With Church
growth Satan was able to camouflage himself so as not to be seen even by the
elect.
The early Church consisted of organized worship in Asia, Africa, and
Europe. Those were all bishoprics – led by one tested and senior member.
Bishops were required to be righteous, monogamous, discerning, sober,
well-behaved, charitable, and called to teach. 512 It is understood
that bishops were to be born-again, wise, and loving to have those traits.
Without it being enumerated, bishops were not to be self-esteemed but entirely
Christ-esteeming! Bishops would not seek power for themselves but for the Body
of Christ which is the Church. Bishops were the foundation stones on which the
lively stones were laid. The layer between them were the deacons who had
similar traits.
With that said, examine the early Church. It was made up of citizens of
the Kingdom of God. The King was the cornerstone; the prophets of old and the
apostles the foundation; the bishops the next layer, followed by the deacons,
and then the lively stones – Christians. This is the episcopal-type government
of the Church. However, each layer is of Royal Priests, 513 and are
to fulfill the Great Commission: 514
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
The apostles were called to
preach. However, they are all long since dead. Now Christians are the priests
and all Christians are called to preach. If one is not, then the efficacy of
the rebirth needs examination. Theologically speaking, preachers are not needed
as a layer in the Church. All Christians are called to be preachers. It would
seem that when just a few are “called to preach” as they say, then it relieves
others of that responsibility. The Word spoken by the layman is just as effective
as the Word spoken by the preacher. Of course, God ordained the chain of
authority to defend the faith.
The catholic church was the conglomeration
of all the churches in Asia, Africa, and Europe, and the word “catholic” means
nothing more than “universal”. The universal Church was indeed built on Peter
but Jesus was the Cornerstone – the Datum from which it was built. The world
tried to destroy the Datum but failed. Satan cringed! With failure, he decided
to attack the Walls itself. One such bombardment was that the catholic Church
was founded on Peter – “the stone” etymologically. From scripture, I have
purveyed, that the Church was founded early on by the patriarchs of old. Later,
the apostles were mortared in place. Then came the lively stones, and lastly
the bishops and deacons. God inserted them in somehow! Each of those layers are attacked by Satan.
God is not a respecter of
persons, 515 and rest assured, Satan is not! However, Satan uses
people just as God does. Peter and the apostles argued who would be greatest. 515
Entirely missing the point of servitude and meekness, all twelve wanted to be
the greatest; Peter among them. Satan later used that strife against the Church
as Peter would be considered greatest. Not that Peter did, but the Church made
him greatest. There is no efficacy in assigning Peter as the one on whom the
Church was built, and more than those who reconstruct the Church on John the
Baptist, John Calvin, Alexander Campbell, or Joseph Smith!
Making one person greater than
another is Satan’s method. He divides and conquers. Although Paul preached to
the Church at Rome, Peter was said to be the first bishop there. If that is
true or not, has not been proven. Over the years due to the power of Rome in
civil society, the Roman bishopric assumed the most authority. Over the years,
the Roman Church had authority over the others due to proximity to the seat of
civil government. With the conversion of
Emperor Constantine, Bishop Damasus became the first titular “Pope” from 366-84
A.D. 516 Thence,
the head of the Roman Catholic Church was Pope – or the Father of the Church. With popeism came respecter of persons.
The early Roman church was
important in the spread of Christianity, and like it or not, that organization
is the parent of most present-day institutions. That, though, is not to say that
the Roman Catholic Church as a denomination is the parent church but that the
early Roman Church did indeed lead the way and were protectors of the faith. On
the other hand, there are several non-catholic churches, the Coptic Christian,
who are considered “orthodox” – of right doctrine. The inference is that the
Roman Catholic faith is wrong doctrine.
Early on, that was not the case but evolved over time. It is part of the withering
Church. Catholics, do not be alarmed or offended; many protestant denominations
are as well, and many lead the pack of witherers!
508
Holy Bible; Revelation 1-3.
510
Holy Bible; Mat 21:18-20.
511
ibid; Rev 22:20.
512
ibid; 1 Tim 3:2.
513
ibid; 1 Pet 2:9.
514
ibid; Mat 28:19.
515
ibid; Acts 10:34.
515
ibid; Luke 22:24.
516 Wikipedia;
“History of the Papacy”.
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