The Flaw in Our Fellowship

According to the Pew Research Center, a common reason people leave the church is because they have a problem with other members or a disagreement with the church’s leaders. Today’s text helps us to understand why many believers complain about the people in the church. In a word, the reason is sin. God’s ultimate plan for the church is that it will be holy and blameless (Eph. 1:4). But in order for this to be a reality, the church’s sins must be dealt with first.

The story of Adam’s disobedience is the key to understanding all the things we don’t like about the church, because it reminds us that the only kinds of people we will meet in the church this side of heaven are sinners. The story of Adam’s fall also helps us understand what makes the church so important. The church’s mission is to proclaim the good news that our sins can be forgiven through Jesus Christ. The church is the creation of Christ because it is made up of those who have been purchased by His blood (Rev. 5:9). Like those who have been bought out of slavery, we have been redeemed from the guilt of our sin by the payment of Christ’s death and the power of His resurrection.

Much of what we see in today’s passage, including guilt, excuses, and blame shifting, is found in a typical church. This shouldn’t surprise us. A church is just a collection of forgiven sinners who are in the process of being transformed by the grace of Christ. But the gospel of forgiveness is also a gospel of change. The same grace that took away the guilt of our sin also gives us power to overcome it.

Pray with Us

Join us in prayer for Moody’s Custodial Services with gratefulness for their dedicated service of keeping our Chicago campus clean and attractive. Today, please pray for Cathy Sywulka, Danielle Hooper, Danny Hutcherson, and David Boskovic.

BY Dr. John Koessler

John Koessler is Professor Emeritus of Applied Theology and Church Ministries at Moody Bible Institute. John authors the “Practical Theology” column for Today in the Word of which he is also a contributing writer and theological editor. An award-winning author, John’s newest title is When God is Silent: Let the Bible Teach You to Pray (Kirkdale). Prior to joining the Moody faculty, he served as a pastor of Valley Chapel in Green Valley, Illinois, for nine years. He and his wife, Jane, now enjoy living in a lakeside town in Michigan.