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 “Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is a lunatic, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.” (1)

The setting describes a situation that would wrench even the hardest of hearts. It clearly reveals the pitiful condition of a helpless, hopeless boy. The other references to this incident from Mark and Luke described his state even more graphically. They depicted him with uncontrollable fits and convulsions into which the demon threw him.

As Dr. G. Campbell Morgan points out, that although he lived in a cultured society, he found no solution to his problem from it. (2) The bystanders, refined, learned, and religious leaders, could not produce a cure. In desperation, the father took him to Jesus’ disciples.

Indeed, the world today mimics this suffering boy. It, too, suffers at the vile hand of satan and his evil demons. The world reels under his evil influence. It, too, finds no answers from the cultured society at hand. Its refined, learned, and religious leaders watch humanity, sick with sin, stagger under the dominion of the evil one. The enemy now works in the world and renders it helplessly and hopelessly in bondage to him. The world suffers under his rule.

The disciples’ failure

As the father responded to Jesus, he described the failure of the disciples. He had brought his son to them. They tried to cast out the demon that controlled the boy. But, they could not effect a cure. The child continued to suffer.

Their failure came after a very successful ministry campaign. Jesus had sent them on a mission and had given them power to heal the sick and cast out demons. During their mission, they cast out demons and healed the sick (Mark 6.7-13). Yet, on this occasion, they had no power or ability to help the boy.

After Jesus had healed the man’s son, they met privately with Christ to discuss the miracle and their failure. They knew that they lacked something. Not only had they failed to help the boy, but they experienced an inner failure, as well.

Perhaps, you, like most Christians today, know what these disciples felt. God’s people often endure failure instead of victory. Despair takes the place of hope. Spiritual hunger supersedes inner satisfaction. Disquiet and discontent control where peace should rule.

Yes, the disciples display a clear picture of the Church of Jesus Christ today. In like manner, as they failed, the Church has failed, too. It does not affect the world. Worse yet, the present day records the continual decline of what little influence it had from the past. In addition, many believers today live with an inner failure that eats away at their spiritual vigor.

Like the disciples, the Church has made its attempts to change the world and the inner dissatisfaction of believers, but without success. The conditions remain not only unchanged, but worse. The Church of Jesus Christ has become unimportant in people’s lives.

The Church’s condition

Sadly, the Church of Jesus Christ has become ineffective in the world today. The world no longer dreads the Church as it has in times past. With regularity, it derides Christ and the Body of Christ. It disrespects the presence and power of the Church and disregards the Church’s positions on matters of life. The world distrusts the Church and discloses a disinterest in its message.

Outside the Church, this lack of interest reveals the Church’s unimportance and ineffectiveness. Inside the Church, the inner discontent within believers causes spiritual misgivings. Extensive evidence within the Church confirms these conclusions.

One evidence comes from the defection from the Church. This defection expresses itself in at least three ways. First, in spite of the increase in mega-churches, actual, total attendance in professing Christian churches has declined over recent years. Along with this numerical decline, conversions have also waned. Years pass in many churches without new converts. Third, a decrease in ministerial candidates renders many churches without pastoral leadership.

In regards to these serious signs, the noted Christian scholar Dr. J. Gresham Machen stated,

“…these things are simply surface indications of a decline in the power of Christianity. Christianity is exerting a far less powerful direct influence in the civilized world today…” (3)

Second, signs of the Church’s failure appear in the Church’s denial of cardinal Biblical doctrines. Indeed, the Church loudly proclaims that it stands on the authority of the Bible in all matters of life and godliness. Yet at the same time, it rejects its authority in practice in many critical areas.

The following list discloses 13 key areas. At this time, space does not permit a detailed examination of these failures. Here is the list with a few comments.

* God: The Church today often questions, for example, the sovereignty of God and His sovereign intervention in the lives of mankind.

* The wrath of God: By droves, pastors avoid the judgment of God against sin, either in the lives of unbelievers or believers. It now seems that Christians and non-Christians can sin with license.

* Jesus Christ: While the world questions the deity of Christ, the Church questions the substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ. He only made the forgiveness of sins possible, they say.

* The Holy Spirit: At last count, I have noted 27 verbs that describe the action of the Holy Spirit in believers’ lives. How many do you know? How many of them are active in your life?

* Regeneration: most believers do not even know the term or what it means. Yet it describes the initial work of the Holy Spirit in the life of an unbeliever.

* Justification by faith alone in Christ alone: This term has fallen by the wayside and has become clouded with works.

* The doctrines of salvation: Sadly, few believers can name them. They include but are not limited to such crucial truths as unconditional election, the total depravity of humanity, and mankind’s inherent helplessness to change his condition before God.

* The authority of the Scriptures: As stated earlier, many churches loudly proclaim this doctrine but silently disregard it in practice. The Church today habitually ignores faith in its doctrines and obedience to its commands. They are not only inspired. They are inerrant.

* Sanctification: Sadly, few believers understand it, and fewer still pursue it.

* Repentance: It seems that this truth no longer has a place in Church doctrine or practice. Preachers present salvation and spiritual growth without any mention of it, as if it does not matter. It does.

* Faith: Too often, the Church does not encourage the practice and growth of faith beyond salvation. It is no wonder, then, that Jesus asked if He would find faith when He returned (Luke 18.8).

Obedience: Somehow, this factor of Christianity has become an option. It seems that we can “ask Jesus into our hearts…” and then ignore Him the rest of our lives.

* The doctrine of the Church: The new doctrine of the Church ignores the Biblical mandates and operation of the Church. Like the world, the Church has become entirely pragmatic. If it works, it must be right. The ends justify the means. These myths have captured the imagination of leaders and laity alike and have led the Church into its present slothful condition.

 With these few thoughts in mind, is it any wonder that many describe the Church as a mile wide and an inch deep? With great sorrow, I conclude that it is neither a mile wide nor an inch deep.

Third, the difference between the historical Church and the Church of today reveals another evidence of the Church’s decline. The experience of the modern Church vastly varies from Biblical times. A serious examination of the book of Acts exposes numerous contrasts between the New Testament Church and the modern Church.

Further, this historical disparity continues to show itself in the modern Church’s deviation from the post-Biblical Church, especially during revival times. A brief excerpt from Jonathan Edwards’ account of revival during 1735 in his Church reveals the stark difference.

 “This work soon made a glorious alteration in the town. So that in the spring and summer following it seemed, that is to say the town, seemed to be full of the presence of God. It never was so full of love nor so full of joy and yet so full of distress as it was then. There were remarkable tokens of God's presence in almost every house. It was a time of joy in families on account of salvation being brought to them. Parents rejoicing over their children as newborn, husbands over their wives and wives over their husbands. The doings of God were then seen in His sanctuary. God's day was a delight and His tabernacles were amiable. Our public assemblies were then beautiful. The congregations were alive in God's service. Everyone earnestly intent on the public worship. Every hearer eager to drink in the words of the minister as they came from his mouth. The assembly in general was from time to time in tears while the Word was preached. Some weeping with sorrow and distress, others with joy and love, others with pity and concern for the souls of their neighbors.” (4)

Of course, this brief excerpt does not completely describe the conditions of the Church in revival. However, it does describe what has occurred in every recorded revival in Biblical or post-Biblical history. It is a repeat of Pentecost and the book of Acts.

To my great sorrow, I know of no Church that fits this description. Surely, a few exceptions exist here and there, particularly in South America and perhaps China. Even if these exceptions prove true, which I pray they do, it still speaks volumes about the desperate need for spiritual revival in the Church of Jesus Christ today.

Fourth, the modern Church shows disobedience from the Scriptural commands of Christ. In that notable message of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus called the Church to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Matthew 5.13-14). Sorrowfully, I believe that the modern-day Church fulfills neither command. Further, professing believers display a disinterest in personal holiness. Love for God has grown cold, replaced by a love for this world.

Yes, sadly, the Church of Jesus Christ has become an ineffective influence, a failure, in the world today. It desperately needs spiritual revival. We need to repent of our sin and cry out to God for mercy. We need to pray earnestly the prayer of Habakkuk 3:2:

“O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.”

References

1.      Matthew 17.15

2.      G. Campbell Morgan, D. D.. The Gospel According To Matthew. Revell, Westwood, NJ; 1929; p. 224.

3.      J. Gresham Machen, D. D.. “Christianity And Culture.” Mars Hill Monographs. Mars Hill, Charlottesville, VA; p. 8.

4.      Jonathan Edwards. The Works Of Jonathan Edwards. London, 1840; Vol. 1, p. 348.