The Church is meant to be a power of God on earth. From the Book of Acts, we read about the walk of the Church of Christ and her place in society. The assembly of born again believers were the Church. They were no longer the old creation in whom the sinful flesh reigned, but they had become the new creation, whose spirit rose from the dead and in whom the Word and the Holy Spirit reigned. The Christians walked after the Spirit according to the Word in the authority of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. They discerned the spirit realm and the spirits. Because not every spirit, they dealt with, belonged to God and confessed Jesus Christ; the Word as Lord. Many spirits, who came as angels of light belonged to the kingdom of darkness (a.o Timothy 4:1, 1 Yohana 4:1). The Church was a power of God and walked in His power on earth. But is the Church still a power of God or has the Church become a social institution?
The apostolic letters to the local churches
In the apostolic letters to the local churches, we not only read about the things that went well in the churches, but we also read about the corrections, Adhabu ya, wito wa toba, kuondolewa kwa dhambi, the call to awakening and righteousness, warnings for walimu wa uongo, mafundisho ya uwongo, misleading spirits, manabii wa uongo, Nakadhalika.
Over and over again, the apostles were confronted with false teachers, mafundisho ya uwongo, dhambi, and other things that entered the church and were revealed by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit revealed and warned them about the things that occurred in the churches and the apostles called them to repentance.
Jesus revealed the walk and state of the seven churches
Katika Kitabu cha Ufunuo, Jesus appeared to John on the isle of Patmos and revealed the walk and true state of the seven churches in Asia.
Jesus revealed the things that went well and the things which the church had to repent from and remove from her midst.
Hii inatuonyesha, that Jesus doesn’t accept all behavior of Christians, as is thought and preached in many churches.
Many churches deviated from the Word and the Holy Spirit
Katika nyakati zote, many things have entered the Church and caused many churches to deviate from the Bible (Neno la Mungu) na Roho Mtakatifu.
Many churches left the narrow way of God and entered the broad way of the world.
They compromised with the world, supposedly to win souls and to keep the souls in the church. Kwa sababu hiyo, the church lost her mighty position on earth.
The church is no longer a victorious church in society, who is seated in Jesus Christ and walks in His authority and operates from the Spirit in the power of the Holy Spirit and establishes the Kingdom of God on earth.
The church no longer fights against the devil and the rulers, wakuu, powers of the kingdom of darkness
But the church has become a social institution.
Has the church become a social institution?
The church has become a social institution, where people became the center and the flesh (roho na mwili) of Christians is burudani and fed.
The church no longer lives for Jesus Christ and doesn’t do what Jesus (neno) anasema. But the church lives for herself and twist the words of the Bible and do what pleases her.
Christians don’t give their lives to Jesus anymore. Christians live for themselves and use God to fulfill the lusts and desires of their flesh.
As long as Christians remain carnal and walk after the flesh instead of the Spirit, the church shall be seated in darkness. The church shall be a slave of the world; the kingdom of darkness and shall do what the world says and not be victorious on this earth.
How do people perceive the church?
The majority of people perceive the church as a social institution. They see the church as a place were Christians gather together once or twice a week and sing, listen to a sermon, omba, and fellowship after the church service and have a good time.
Why do people go to church?
Have you ever wondered why you go to church? Do you go to church out of tradition? Out of an obligation, because your family went to church and therefore you also go to church?
Do you go to church to ease your conscious, because you think that by going to church you are Iliyohifadhiwa?
Or do you go to church for the socializing aspects; social contacts, ushirika, and the social activities? And do you go to church for the experience; the atmosphere, good music, the motivational words of the preacher, au … (Mnajaza nafasi zilizoachwa wazi).
Fellowshipping is good for people
We live in a time where people are the center and socializing and fellowshipping have become an important part of life. If you don’t participate, the world says there’s something wrong and you will be labeled by wanasaikolojia. Because you should have a rich social life with many friends and acquaintances. This is not only a trend in the world but also in the church.
It doesn’t matter what kind of church or denomination you visit, fellowshipping plays an important role in the church. Maybe even the most important role in the church, besides the entertainment part.
People can deny this and say piously that God is the most important thing and that they go to church for Jesus. But when you look at the components of the church service, almost every element revolves around pleasing the flesh of the people.
This is mainly because the majority of churches want to attract and keep as many people as possible.
Labda unafikiri, “Vizuri, that’s a good thing! Because the more people are drawn to the church, the more souls are saved from death”.
But that is usually not the real reason why churches want to attract many people.
Are churches focused on saving souls?
Most churches are not focused on saving souls but on the number of members. Kwa sababu, the more members, the higher the income and the more publicity and fame.
Because if churches were really focused on saving souls, then they would confront the believers in the church with their sins, instead of allowing the people to persevere in sin and allow sin in the church. (Soma pia: Can you be complicit in the sin of fellow believer’s?).
The grace of God is not a permit for the flesh to keep sinning
Every born again believer, who is seated in Jesus Christ and walks after the Spirit, knows that sin causes separation between God and people, and that sin leads to death. This still applies, despite the modernization of the world and despite the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and His blood.
Jesus didn’t die so that people can persevere in sin.
Yesu akawa Mbadala for man, so that man could be redeemed from the sinful nature that abides and reigns in the flesh.
When you accept Jesus as your Saviour and make Him Lord over your lives, na kumfuata Yeye, it means that you have to lay down your flesh, ambamo asili ya dhambi inakaa.
Maadamu watu wanadumu katika dhambi, it means that the flesh is still alive.
The neema ya Mungu is the entrance. Hata hivyo, God’s grace doesn’t give permission to the flesh to keep sinning.
Using natural means and methods for the carnal man, who is sense ruled
The world knows the importance of people’s senses, since people are led by their senses. The mood of people is for a large part influenced and determined by the input of the senses.
The church adopted this worldly knowledge and uses natural means and methods to make the church service more attractive to the carnal man, who is led by their senses.
The church created the right atmosphere through a nice decor and pleasant music (Masikio) and festive neon lighting (eyes). Ndiyo, the normal lighting has been replaced by spectacular trendy neon lighting which are used in the music temples of satan (Vilabu). Because not only does music influence the mood of people but also the neon lighting.
It won’t be long before there will be fragrance machines in the church (nose). Because fragrance also affects the mood of people.
All these natural means stimulate the senses and create an experience that affect the feelings and emotions of people. The people feel good and experience pleasant feelings.
What does the church service look like?
The church services contain a lot of entertainment, like worship music, plays, performances, na kadhalika. Because the entertainment of the flesh has a positive effect on the feelings and emotions of people.
A (short) motivational sermon is preached that mainly focus on the ustawi and wealth of the natural man. The church sermon includes self-help methods to create a positive mindset and encourage people in their daily lives.
Because many Christians don’t see themselves as victors in Christ, but victims. They see themselves as defeated sheep, who are tired and constantly live in a valley.
In order to get them out of the valley, the church applies psychological methods and technics and provide self-help methods and technics, so that they are being equipped and motivated in their flesh.
To sustain this human philosophy, they use the spiritual words of God and take them out of context and apply them to the natural man.
Organizing events for the carnal man
The church allowed the spirit of the world to enter. Matokeo yake, many local churches have become world-like and focus on the entertainment of carnal people. They often spend more time organizing church services, shughuli, and events to please the carnal man, than spending time in Maombi na kufunga and focus on saving souls, utakaso, growing up to spiritual maturity, kufanya mapenzi ya Mungu, and establishing God’s Kingdom on earth.
They don’t spend a lot of time with God and don’t listen to what Jesus has to say to the believers of the church. Badala yake, they listen to what people want to hear and desire, and make use of natural means to please and strengthen the soul and body of the carnal man.
Many preachers don’t preach what God has to say, but they preach what the people want to hear. Mara nyingi, this is the same message that the world preaches.
Zaidi ya hayo, many churches offer all kinds of facilities to please and empower the flesh of the carnal people.
And so many churches are converted into music halls, sinema, migahawa, hobby clubs, gyms, fitness centers, yoga centers, dance centers, Sanaa ya kijeshi centers, meditation centers, Nakadhalika.
The soul and the body are the center in the church
The church is more focused on feeding and strengthening the natural man, instead of the spiritual man. Kwa sababu hiyo, the spiritual man is no longer fed, taught, and corrected (chastened) from the Word. Matokeo yake, the spiritual babies remain babies and don’t grow up into adult sons of God (hii inatumika kwa wanaume na wanawake).
They remain carnal and murmur, kulalamika, and cry as soon as something doesn’t go according to their will or if someone offends and hurts them.
They only want to drink milk, be cradled, pampered, receive pats on the head, and sleep.
The church considers this phenomena normal. The church leaders are not worried at all.
And so the spiritual man remains a baby. Christians stay inept and don’t speak, but sleep, kulia, seek attention, and want to be nurtured. They remain lost sheep, who are slaves of the powers of darkness.
Has Jesus died for this? Did Jesus give His life for this? Is this His will for His Church?
Yesu ndiye Kichwa cha Kanisa; Mwili wake
Na ameviweka vitu vyote chini ya miguu yake, akamweka awe kichwa juu ya vitu vyote kwa ajili ya kanisa, Ambayo ni mwili Wake, utimilifu wake anayekamilisha yote katika yote (Waefeso 1:22-23)
God made Jesus Head of a Body; Kanisa. The Church would walk in the authority of Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit according to the will of God, na kuhubiri na kuanzisha ufalme wake duniani.
Jesus commanded His Body; the Church to lay down her own life and kumfuata Yeye.
Kwa muda mrefu kama huna Ondoa mtu wa zamani wa mwili, you will not be able to follow Jesus (neno) and you shall not walk in His authority after the Spirit.
That’s because the sinful nature dwells in the flesh of the old man and contradicts the things of the Spirit and doesn’t yield to the Spirit.
Kila mmoja, who is born again should walk after the Word and the Spirit, Ongea kwa lugha mpya, preach the gospel to reconcile man back to God, remit and retain sin, Tupa pepo, heal the sick etc. (Mattew 28:18, Weka alama 16:15-18, Yn 20:22-23).
The church should not be a social institution, where Christians gather together to have a good time and to please and feed the flesh by using natural means and methods.
But the church supposed to be the most powerful institution on this earth, that walks after the Spirit in the authority of Jesus Christ and reigns in Him and establish His Kingdom.
The old man doesn’t die in Christ
Bila shaka, Kuna tofauti. There are churches, who are seated in Jesus Christ and walk after God’s will. Hata hivyo, the majority of churches are carnal and have become social institutions that are world-like and feed end empower the flesh of the people instead of the spirit of the people.
The natural man must die in order to become born again and that doesn’t always happen. The main reason for that is, that the majority of people can’t abandon the flesh and the things of the world. There are too many temptations in the world that hold on to people and restrain them from dying.
Milango ya kuzimu haitashinda kanisa langu
Na mimi nakwambia pia, Wewe ni Petro, na juu ya mwamba huu nitalijenga kanisa langu; Wala milango ya Jahannamu haitashinda.. Nitakupa funguo za Ufalme wa mbinguni: Na chochote utakachofunga duniani kitafungwa mbinguni.: Na chochote utakachofungua duniani kitafunguliwa mbinguni. (Mathayo 16:18-19)
Jesus said that the gates of hell shall not prevail against His Church and that He would give the Church the keys of the Kingdom of heaven.
Hata hivyo, many churches don’t acknowledge Jesus as the Head and don’t do what He says. They don’t walk in the authority of Jesus Christ and don’t reign over the kingdom of darkness, Ambapo kifo kinatawala. Badala yake, many churches rejected the Word and as a result they are overtaken by the gates of hell. (Soma pia: Yesu alimaanisha nini kwa kufunga na kufungua?)
Je, kanisa limekaa gizani?
Ninajua kazi zako, Kwamba una jina ambalo umeishi, na sanaa imekufa. Kuwa macho, na kuimarisha vitu ambavyo vinabaki, Hiyo iko tayari kufa: kwa maana sijapata kazi zako kamili mbele za Mungu. Kumbuka kwa hivyo jinsi ulivyopokea na kusikia, na ushikilie haraka, Na utubu. Ikiwa kwa hivyo hautatazama, Nitakuja juu yako kama mwizi, Na haujui ni saa ngapi nitakukuta (Ufunuo 3:1-4).
This church did many works. Hata hivyo, Jesus didn’t find their works perfect before God. Although the church did many works and they had a name, the church was spiritually dead.
The people assumed that the church was alive, but the truth was that the church was asleep and dead.
Jesus commanded the church to wake up and be watchful and to strengthen the things which remain, waliokuwa tayari kufa.
Jesus called them to repentance. Because if they would not watch, Jesus would come as a thief and they would not know what hour Jesus would come upon the church. (Soma pia: Kanisa limekaa gizani)
Let the church become a power of God again
The words of Jesus still apply today. A revival must come among Christians. This revival results in a spiritual awakening, a resurrection from the dead, toba, and the removal of sin in the church. Kwahivyo, the church becomes a power of God again, instead of staying a social institution.
Yesu, neno, must become the Head again of His Church and the Holy Spirit must return and be active in the lives of Christians. So that Christians get to know God’s will and grow up into the image of Jesus Christ and walk as adult sons of God after the Spirit in the authority of Jesus Christ according to the Word and will of God and preach and establish God’s Kingdom on earth.
The church is not meant to be a social institution, where the flesh of carnal Christians are pleased and strengthened. The old carnal man wants to be entertained in the flesh, but the new spiritual man doesn’t.
The new spiritual man is seated in Christ and focused on the things of the Kingdom of God and shall not establish his/her own kingdom on earth, but establish the Kingdom of God on earth.
‘Kuweni chumvi ya dunia’
