The church on notice - Williams versus Nemer

The premier of S.A., the legal profession, the media and the public at large have weighed heavily into this debate and its apparent injustices on what would appear to be an unprecedented level. But is there any message in this for the church as the custodians of God’s Word, God’s ways and God’s righteousness in the land? The church has become too political, legalistic and with various levels of injustice and immorality in its ranks.

The scriptures talk about understanding the signs of the times:
1 Chronicles 12:32
“From the tribe of Issachar, there were 200 leaders of the tribe with their relatives. All these men understood the temper of the times and knew the best course for Israel to take.” Also Paul says first the natural then the spiritual.

The church in our nation has entered into the times of God’s dealings with her so as to purify His Temple, and to bring it into citywide unity. God demands and is determined to make it a true house of prayer where He is glorified and honoured in holiness. The prophets of old still speak prophetically to the Church of today.

Habakkuk 1:4
“The law has become paralyzed and useless, and there is no justice given in the courts. The wicked far outnumber the righteous, and justice is perverted with bribes and trickery.”

Habakkuk 2:9-14
“How terrible it will be for you who get rich by unjust means! You believe your wealth will buy security, putting your families beyond the reach of danger. But by the murders you committed, you have shamed your name and forfeited your lives. The very stones in the walls of your houses cry out against you, and the beams in the ceilings echo the complaint. How terribly it will be for you who build cities with money gained by murder and corruption! Has not the Lord Almighty promised the wealth of nations will turn to ashes? They work so hard, but all in vain! For the time has come when all the earth will be filled, as the waters fill the sea, with an awareness of the glory of the Lord.”

I draw your attention to Matthew 5:27-30 “You have heard that the law of Moses says, ‘Do not commit adultery’. But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust in his eye has already committed adultery with her in his heart. So if your eye – even if it is your good eye – causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your hand – even if it is your stronger hand - causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.”

Jesus the great Apostle is laying down foundations for the church. He is greatly concerned about the condition of the “eye” of the church. There is an eye that is lustful, immoral, evil, unjust and is contaminating and destroying the health and well being of the whole body – the Body of Christ.

The eye is in the head and is the source of revelation, inspiration and light for the whole body. The fivefold ministry or ascension gifts of Ephesians 4 are the eyes of the Head, Jesus Christ.

Jesus, the supreme Apostle and High Priest has given His ministries the highest office of authority and position in headship on His behalf over His Body the Church to be light to the earth.

Matthew 6:22-23 says:
“Your eye is a lamp for your body. A pure eye lets sunshine into your soul. But an evil eye shuts out the light and plunges you into darkness. If the light you think you have is really darkness, how deep that darkness will be!”

God is saying to the church today, and giving us opportunity, that where there is evidence and awareness of an “evil eye” in the church to deal with it before He does. He says gouge out your right eye and throw it away before the whole body is destroyed by the evil it lets in. Cut off your strongest hand if it is sinning and is damaging the body's wholeness and well being in Christ.

You could relate the eye to the apostles and prophets as the more revelatory gifts to the Body and the hand to the evangelist, teachers, pastors, as those more involved in the day to day hands on work amongst the Body. We may see the eye as the ascension gifts and the hand as the lower levels of leadership and authority in the Church. Whatever way we look at it, is not as important as the leadership of the Church dealing with the immorality of various kinds among its ministers and leaders before God brings His own kind of judgment down. The Pentecostal, Charismatic, Evangelical branches of the Church must be willing to pursue, find out and deal with all adultery, fornication, homosexuality, pornography, occult or witchcraft and any form of illicit, perverse or immoral activity among its leaders and people. Remove the leadership that is destroying the Body and enter into deep repentance before God brings it to an end His way.

Where this exists – there is demonic deception and the infiltration of satanic darkness passing as angels of light. What is being taught from scripture falls powerless to the ground, unable to change people or communities or to reflect the true glory of God. People are being led into ever deepening darkness, despair, and disillusionment by the deceit that characterizes such leaders lives. The axe is about to be laid to the root.