Jesus warned us that there would be people in our churches with improper motives for being there. For example, I point you to the parable of the wheat and tares.

Since the Reformation, we make a distinction between the visible church and the true church. The visible church is all those who profess faith in Jesus Christ. The true church is those who have actually responded to Jesus by placing their faith in him.

We cannot see the heart of our fellow church members and it is not our job to determine who is a tare and who is wheat. The point of this distinction is to be aware that not everyone in the church is a true follower of Jesus.

I have been in churches where someone has great influence in the church but at the same time has less than pure motives for how they use that influence. This can be rather disconcerting to both leaders and members of the church.

There have been problems in the church from the beginning 2000 years ago. Many of the letters of Paul were prompted by the need to address disruptions in the church which were caused by those who are likely in the category of tares.

If you are seeing someone cause disruption in your church, I would like to share a few thoughts that might encourage you through the process.

We see the problems addressed in 1 Corinthians played out over and over again through church history. I believe it was Malcolm Muggeridge who said that new news is old news happening to new people.

Keep in mind that none of this takes God by surprise. I believe that God allows disrupters in our lives to show us our need for continued regeneration. In other words, the disrupters tend to bring out our worst which we can then bring to God for healing and change.

Along these lines, some verses in Ecclesiastes were in the scripture reading this morning at the church I attend. I found that they encouraged me and seem to speak to this issue:

“In such circumstances, I saw the wicked buried. They came and went from the holy place, and they were praised in the city where they did those things. This too is futile. Because the sentence against an evil act is not carried out quickly, the heart of people is filled with the desire to commit evil. Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and prolongs his life, I also know that it will go well with God-fearing people, for they are reverent before him. However, it will not go well with the wicked, and they will not lengthen their days like a shadow, for they are not reverent before God.”

(Ecclesiastes 8:10–13, CSB)

The writer of Ecclesiastes laments the fact that wicked people come and go from the holy place as if God somehow is OK with their wickedness. Along the same lines, I am often surprised by the boldness of those who promote error in the church.

But we also are reminded in this passage that the people that cause problems in the church will ultimately have to face their creator to give an answer for their behavior. Jesus told us that there are dire consequences for those who lead others astray. We can be confident that by leaving the disruptors in God’s hands, they will ultimately either be changed in their opinions and behavior or be condemned if they persist in their error.

But I also feel that I should issue a challenge to church leaders. I have witnessed the damage that occurs when the leadership of a church does not step in to place limits on the disruptors.

While it may seem gracious to allow those with unbiblical views to continue in their error, it is ultimately damaging to the people we are called to lead and protect. Those who promote error tend to prey on the weakest among us. For the sake of the weakest, the error must be addressed.

I feel the need to point out that the best way to prevent the spread of bad theology is to teach good theology.

The passage about the millstone also applies to leaders who do not protect those over which they have been given charge.

Even a casual student of church history, or history in general, will observe that every time the church has sought or obtained political power, it has gone badly for the church and the society around it.

I am not aware of a single incident where political power or political inclusion has gone well for the church.

This morning I read Psalm 118 which brought this thought to mind:

“It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humanity. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in nobles.”

Psalm 118:8–9, CSB

It is one thing for the church to proclaim what Scripture has to say on the issues we are facing. It is another thing entirely to appear to be supporting (or opposing) a candidate or party based on their conformity (or lack thereof) to what the church endorses.

The bottom line is that we are to be obedient to God’s will as revealed to us in Scripture.

We are to trust in God alone.We should follow the example of Jesus:

“Jesus, however, would not entrust himself to them, since he knew them all and because he did not need anyone to testify about man; for he himself knew what was in man.”

John 2:24–25, CSB

With regard to politics in the church, while we may agree on a particular goal, we may disagree on how to accomplish it. If the church is doing what it should, it is likely that there are people in attendance that do not share our political perspective and would do things differently if given the choice.

The beauty of the church is that God uses our different perspectives as part of the process to conform us into the image of Jesus.

Our disagreements and discussions operate like the chisel of a sculptor. They are used to remove the stuff that mars the image that the creator sees in us.

Question 26 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism asks, “How does Christ fill the office of a king?“

The answer given is, “Christ fills the office of a king in making us his willing subjects, in ruling and defending us, and in restraining and conquering all his and our enemies.”

The first thought inspired by this answer is that Christ takes the initiative to make believers his willing subjects. In the original form, the answer states that Christ functions as king by “subduing us to himself.”

We start life as, and sometimes continue to be, rebellious people unwilling to submit to Christ as king. But, through the power of the Holy Spirit, he subdues us and makes us into willing servants. He takes our hearts of stone and replaces them with living hearts that beat for him (Ezekiel 36:26).

Christ rules us through his word with the help of Church leaders. These leaders are given to us to better understand the Bible and how to apply it to the circumstances we face. Church leaders also defend us by preventing erroneous interpretation from leading us astray.

In one sense, the last part of this answer is easy to understand. Scripture tells us that Christ will return at some point to complete the work of restoration that he began while on earth. Paul tells us that when that restoration takes place, “. . . every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord . . . (Philippians 2:10–11).

Some may scoff at this since Christians have been saying this for nearly 2,000 years. Despite the promise of Jesus’ return, it has yet to happen. Also, the fact that bad things happen and evil rulers sometimes flourish can make this assertion hard to swallow. I understand the skepticism. The existence of evil and suffering presents difficult questions that are sometimes beyond our ability to answer.

For me, it boils down to whether or not I believe that Jesus is who he claimed to be. If the answer to that question is yes, then I need to believe the rest of what he said, including what he said about his return.

Each of has to choose to believe or disbelieve that Jesus is the rightful king. But, we should do so knowing that the stakes are high. Because if he is indeed the rightful king, then rebellion and disbelief will have devastating consequences.

I choose to believe.

What about you?

Isaiah’s cry, “I am a man of unclean lips and I live among a people of unclean lips” (Isaiah 6:5) resonates with me this morning. I have wounded others and have been wounded by others through both speech and action.

The question arises as to how to respond to the wounds. There are three possible responses to being hurt by someone.

1. Pretend that it didn’t hurt
2. Respond in anger
3. Forgive

There are variations within each of these responses. For example, we can try to ignore the behavior which is also a form of pretense. This response potentially destroys any relationship that was there.

Another variation of responding in anger is to gossip about the other person in an attempt to destroy their reputation. The internet is ablaze with this form of response.

The third option is the best of the three for two reasons.

Pragmatically, it is the only one that allows for restoration of the relationship.

Theologically, Jesus tells us that our forgiving others is an indication that we realize how much we have been forgiven.

I have found it helpful to look at the root meaning of the word translated “forgive” in the New Testament. At its root, the word means to let go, to send off. In other words, to forgive is to let go of the need to retaliate or seek restitution for the offense.

As Christians, we are not only letting go of the offense but we are leaving it in God’s hands. God is better able to bring the offender to repentance and will ultimately call them to account for their behavior.

Jesus tells us that peacemakers are blessed by God (Matt 5:9). To be good at making peace requires that we be good at forgiveness. To truly forgive an offense is the best (and perhaps only) way to lasting peace.

On the cross, Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). From this, we learn that those we forgive may not be wanting forgiveness or even understand that they need forgiveness. In other words, our forgiveness does not depend upon the offender’s response.

I realize that to forgive is a difficult and messy process. The deeper the hurt, the harder it is to come to the point of forgiving the perpetrator of that hurt.

But forgiveness should be our goal.