Biblical Christianity in Crisis 1

Biblical Christianity in Crisis 1

Jerm 12:10-11

‘Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness. They have made it desolate, and being desolate it mourneth unto me; the whole land is made desolate, because no man layeth it to heart.’

The days of Jeremiah the prophet were characterised by backsliding among God’s redeemed people, and by a wilful disregard of God’s Word in the land. People in Judah at that time had grown wayward regarding the things of God; there was restlessness in the land, while some were questioning the authority of God’s Word, others had already rejected it and had turned aside to idolatry.

Spiritual corruption was rife and the Word of God was being disregarded and systematically removed from society. (Jer2:8) ‘The priests said not, Where is the LORD? And they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.’ These terrible circumstances in Jeremiah’s day were a prelude to exile in Babylon; they are also a fitting parallel to the Crisis in Biblical Christianity today.

‘Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard,’ Those that have the responsibility of feeding the flock and tending the vines have turned their attention to Dismantling the wall of Separation. Many church pastors and ministers are actively engaged in Dismantling the walls of doctrine and church discipline in order to make way for error in the church; the way is opened up for:- marriage of the unequal yoke, ecumenism, worldly entertainment, civil partnerships, homosexuality, ordination of women, removal of ladies head covering, secular editions of the Scriptures, political correctness, equality legislation, the social gospel, charismania, evolution, equal opportunities, politics, secular humanism, hypocrisy, cheating; not to mention a plethora of subtle doctrinal errors. Pastors and ministers are to be ‘watchmen’ ‘standing in the gap and making up the hedge’ around the work of God; they are not to be leading a demolition squad against the walls of separation which protect the Lord’s vineyard.

‘they have trodden my portion under foot’ Within the walls of the fellowship of believers are the tender vines; these must be protected from the winds of secularism and wickedness. This is the responsibility of the church oversight; they are to care for and support these tender vines. Today many pastors and ministers are Disregarding the vines of God’s people; rather than supporting them with the powerful Word of God, they are treading upon them by Superimposing the rules and values of men. Many of God’s people today are finding themselves under the boot of church discipline which is being interpreted by human values and prejudices. Ministers and elders are supposed to support and help God’s people, this is their high calling; it is morally wrong for them to walk over believers just to prove a point or to gain the upper hand. ‘they have trodden my portion under foot’ what an indictment this is against those that are found in church office and are guilty of superimposing the rules and values of men above the Word of God.

Rev Mervyn Cotton (Heb13:6)