The current downgrade of the visible church of Christ on the world stage is heartrending to watch with the naked eye. Surely everyone, including unbelievers, can see its conspicuous tumble from the heights of religious and moral influence, especially in the West where our current truncated Christian “message” is nothing more than an annoying gnat that our willful society can easily swat away.
The mainstream culture, in fact, hardly seems to bat an eye these days when Christians are persecuted or killed, instead focusing their sympathies on the poor perpetrators who are so offended by Christianity that they had no choice but to commit violence against these “obnoxious Bible thumpers.”
But is Christianity really fading away into obscurity? The Bible certainly speaks of the disappearance of the true Church into a hidden, inconspicuous wilderness (Revelation 12:6). According to John Gill, a major reason for this kind of vanishing act is because professing Christians become “vain, proud, ambitious, and careless” from riches and honors; and thus they obtain “false doctrine and superstition” which “obscures the true Church, makes it invisible, hidden in the cleft of the rock, like a person in a wood or wilderness, not to be seen, desolate and uncomfortable.”
So what exactly are we seeing (or not seeing) with Christianity these days?
THE VIEW FROM THE CHEAP SEATS
It is not a pretty sight. Recently, the largest protestant group in Britain, the Church of England, became the latest institution to kowtow to the world with their decision to officially bless same-sex couples, but not officiate at same-sex weddings. This clumsy theological sleight-of-hand was no doubt performed to maintain some dubious appearance of Anglican virtue even though, as one wise critic observed, such a position still clearly rejects the “Biblical understanding of sex and marriage by departing from the apostolic faith we are called to uphold.”
Alas, this desperate attempt to “make nice” with the world by tossing aside the “mean ol’ Bible” has lately become the standard. Many of our most popular Christian leaders, while dressed in the fashion of “orthodox” sheep, seem more inclined to scratch the world’s itching ear with their wolfish claws. No wonder the world so easily shrugs off our message of salvation when some within our ranks have joined with unbelievers to downplay the sinfulness of sin. How does the Cross hold any significance for the sinner if their rebellion against God is considered but a trifle?
Sadly, it seems, the world may never again see the likes of a Peter, Paul or John, or any other great servant of God from the early Church who joyfully abandoned all prestige and creature comforts to proclaim the Gospel to the poor, the brokenhearted, and the captives of their day. These selfless disciples were without purse, scrip or shoes, and yet they lacked for nothing! (Luke 22:35).
Oh sure, many of today’s Christian pop stars would argue that they lack for nothing as well. With their mansions, private jets and social media influence, they can proudly say, “I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing,” yet they do not see that they are actually “wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked” (Revelation 3:17). Considering their spiritual blindness, we should not be surprised when these false professors are unable to guide the lost towards God or show them the Way to eternal life. Most assuredly, they are the blind leading the blind! (Matthew 15:14).
WIPING THE TEARS FROM OUR EYES TO SEE
So where, pray tell, can the world still clearly see the men and women of God who stand firm in His revealed truth for the sake of Christ and His righteousness? Where can they observe the staunch defenders of the faith and the fearless trumpeters of the Gospel in the public square? Perhaps, if we wipe the tears from our eyes, step back a bit and squint intently into the distance, we might make out the faint outline of a multitude of witnesses to which we can point.
Undoubtedly, throughout history, we’ve been blessed beyond measure to behold notable preachers, missionaries and theologians that have held to the Biblical standard of truth and driven the Gospel further into the world. And even now, if we have ears to hear, there are strong voices in this present spiritual wasteland that rightly handle the word of truth and implore sinners on behalf of Christ to be reconciled with God (2 Corinthians 5:20).
The Holy Spirit, too, is ever present and moving like the wind to wherever He wishes (John 3:8). Trusting this sovereign Power, the Christian doesn’t need to hear about a “revival” being reported on CNN to know the Spirit is still at work convicting sinners and drawing them to Christ. Such newsworthy events can certainly be a boon to our faith when they advance the Gospel and bring forth fruit (Galatians 5:22), but the Spirit’s involvement may be absent if the unbelieving world can celebrate some of these “feel good” church stories without conviction or offense (John 16:8; 1 Peter 2:8).
Above all, we should pray that Christ’s name be exalted in these various unhindered moments of Christian spectacle (Mark 9:39) and hope that the watching eyes of the world might witness a true Spirit-led wave of believers who will go forth from the meeting house to spread the Gospel, saying like Peter, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation… Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38-40).
SPIRITUALLY VIEWING THE THINGS NOT SEEN
When looking to appraise the wellness of the Church, our eyes of faith need not be dependent upon witnessing a modern-day revival making the news. The happy fact is, there are many inspired men and women of God already out there, if we would only put on our spiritual glasses to see them. Peering through the demoralizing darkness and past the false professors that add to the shadows, we can clearly spy out the millions of unnoticed, yet hardworking disciples of the Church who are helping to expand His spiritual Kingdom as humble slaves to Christ.
As Charles John Ellicott reminds us, “There will be many folds, in many nations, in many ages, in many climes. But for all Christians there will be one true Shepherd who layeth down His life for the sheep, and all these differing folds shall, through living unity with Him, make one vast flock.”
Perhaps, like Paul in his moment of ministerial doubt, we need to hear the comforting words of God telling us, “I have many people in this city” (Acts 18:10), which refers to both those who are in the faith and those who are soon to be led by the Spirit to Jesus Christ. Indeed, even if the world cannot see them, we can be assured that there are many dear brothers and sisters out there who are coming to faith, quietly sowing the seeds of the Gospel and showing forth the love of Jesus to those within the tiny parcel of the world allotted to them by our sovereign God.
Just think back to the record of the New Testament. The fresh, Spiritually-kinetic ministries of the twelve apostles and other prominent disciples have rightly been front and center, but what about the untold acts of active faith among the Christians behind the scenes, like Phoebe, Epanetus, Mary, Andronicus, Junias, and Ampliatus? What about Urbanus, Stachys, Apelles, Aristobulus, Herodion, Narcissus, Tryphaena, and Tryphosa? Or Persis, Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, Philologus, Julia, Nereus, Olympas, Lucius, Jason, Sosipater, Tertius, Gaius and Erastus?
These were the disciples specifically named and commended by Paul in his epistle to the Romans. He was proud to call them his “fellow workers” who “laboured much” in the Lord (Romans 16:6-12). Nevertheless, outside of the apostle’s “shout-out” in Scripture, we have no significant record of them in any ancient document or history book. Obviously Paul thought highly of their faith and service, but otherwise we have no idea about the life they led for the sake of their Lord and Savior that most likely resulted in personal hardship, persecution and perhaps even a martyr’s death.
And what about the little-known disciples of our day who toil in anonymity as they serve Christ in their little-regarded neck of the woods? What about the persecuted believers in hostile, far-flung lands? Are they out of sight, out of mind? Certainly not to the Lord! Even now, He is building His Church with a faithful throng of believers who work behind the world stage where an audience cannot see them, and yet they carry the same spiritual “DNA” as the disciples of old.
BEHOLD, A GREAT MULTITUDE WHICH NO ONE CAN NUMBER
Can you not see the “one vast flock”? These humble servants of God aren’t among the celebrity preachers, bestselling authors, or the popular gurus that the world props up. They toil in the darkness, bringing Christ’s light as they go, but never see the media spotlight. They put hand to plow in the rocky soil of barren fields, but their meager harvest gains no market share. They portray Christlikeness in nursing homes, prisons, and various outlets of grace-filled service to others, but they are never called to the stage to receive a golden statue for their outstanding performance.
This is not to suggest, of course, that men and women of God cannot find honorable prominence in the Church or even in the world, but such fame is not the true measure of their dedication and service to the Lord. Surely we are blessed by those strong Christian voices that have risen above the throng, but far more disciples go unnoticed as God leads them to toil in the outer, distant fields of service. Truly, these are the backbone of the body of Christ that often bare the brunt of “being hated by the world” (John 15:19). So many believers are now suffering for their faith in China, Africa and parts unknown around the world, and yet the world ignores their plight.
Closer to home, we all know a faithful and humble brother or sister with this level of devotion. These lowly, but passionate believers who gladly serve the Lord in inconspicuous places are all around us and yet we don’t always see their discipleship because of their anonymity. They have taken to heart Christ’s simple instruction, “Be careful not to perform your righteous acts before men to be seen by them.” (Matthew 6:1). They know their reward is in heaven, and not to be found in the corrupting applause of the world.
They feel no need to proudly proclaim themselves as Gnostic “sub-Creators” who use their “divine imaginations” to fashion a God of their own making or attempt to rewrite the Bible to fit their own personal narrative. They will never have a “book deal.” They have rejected the world’s tempting notion that self-esteem and self-fulfillment are the only true avenues for success.
These Christians who labor in relative obscurity aren’t driven to “write their own story.” They know that the Lord is the true Author of their newfound life (Hebrews 12:2). The Bible teaches them that they are the “workmanship” of God (Ephesians 2:10). They are His “husbandry” and His “building” (1 Corinthians 3:9).
It is God who “plants, grows, and uproots” them (Matthew 15:13), and the One who “directs their steps” (Proverbs 16:9). The true believer is no longer his “own man” of manifest destiny, but quite bluntly, he is a slave of Christ (Ephesians 6:6). And God, Himself, as Creator will write the story of their lives and perfectly direct their unique service to Him. This is all for His glory, and never for theirs.
WALKING BY FAITH, AND NOT BY SIGHT
How important it is for us all to remember not to despise “the day of small things” (Zech. 4:10). These faithful believers we know (and millions more we don’t know) have shown us the heart of a true servant who can be content with “a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty” for the sake of the Gospel (1 Timothy 2:2). Though the world may mock their lowly status, the Lord commends such humble service because “they have done what they could” (Mark 14:8).
As Matthew Henry so eloquently noted, “Though the instruments be weak and unlikely, yet God often chooses such, to bring about great things by them. Let not the dawning light be despised; it will shine more and more to the perfect day.”
Perfection may seem to be almost impossible to achieve in this world, but by the grace of God and with the help of the Spirit, the body of Christ will never die as long as there are two or three living witnesses still gathered in His Name and saved by His sacrifice. This fact, and the true statistics of His global flock of followers in the kingdom of God, is far too difficult for the devil to even fathom because it signals the inevitability of his demise (John 12:31; Romans 16:20; Colossians 1:13). The light of Christ is still dawning among the lost because of the humble servants of the faith who daily glorify Him with their service and devotion. And Satan can’t compete with that.
SEE WHAT LARGE LETTERS PAUL USES!
Remember when Paul was being stoned in Lystra? All looked bleak as the wicked world tried to once again suppress the truth and violently destroy the spreading faith of Christianity. Nevertheless, Paul carried on, “strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). Indeed, throughout his ministry, Paul wrote these words of encouragement to an obscure, seemingly-defeated Church that was adding to their numbers daily:
We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope. So rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, show courage, be strong; looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. And to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, He will give eternal life! (Romans 2:7; 5:3-4; 12:12; 1 Corinthians 16:13; Hebrews 12:2).
So take heart, Christian, and take some time to pray for the efforts of the unseen believers who faithfully serve the Lord in their selfless service to the spiritually-needy in the inconspicuous corners of the world. Their Spirit-led life is a light to a small local population still residing in the darkness, and yet it brings just as much glory to God as the famous disciple who has significant status in the purview of this dark world.
Indeed we praise God that His kingdom is shining more and more every day as a multitude of lowly Christ-bearers carry the torch of bright Truth into this dark world and light it up by their collective presence.
Perhaps Alexander Maclaren summed it up best:
“The prospect may seem very dark, the power of the enemy very great, our resources very inadequate; but let us look with Christ’s eye, and we shall know that everywhere we may hope to find a response to our message. Who they may be, we know not. How many they may be, we know not. How they may be guided by Him, they know not. But He knows all. We may know that they are there. And as we cannot tell who they are but only that they are, we are bound to cherish hopes for all the most degraded and outcast of our race. We have no right to give up any field or any man as hopeless. Christ’s sheep will be found coming out of the midst of wolves and goats. Darkness may cover the earth, and gross darkness the people; but if we look upon it as Christ did, and as He would have us to look, we shall see lights flickering here and there in the obscurity, which shall burst out into a blaze.”
For the glory of God, then, let us blaze out from our obscurity and once more bring the Light of Christ to the world so they, too, can see with the “spiritual glasses” of faith, “to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me” (Acts 26:18).
