SIGNS OF A SICK CHURCH (1)

0. Introduction

a) Can the church you attend or the religion you adhere to be SICK? How can you tell if they are self-defeating and what can you do about it? There are three primary characteristics of a sick (self-defeating) group. This brief article will discuss each one of these.

1. Separation

a) The first characteristic of a sick fellowship, church or even religion is that it tries to separate people from one another or even tries to separate themselves from the world. One way a separation of people takes place is when a church dis-fellowships a member or members (throws them out and tells them never to return). Those remaining in the group are then strictly warned to STAY AWAY from the dis-fellowshiped or else THEY TOO will be thrown out! We personally know of cases where a couple is thrown out of a group and their adult children (who also attend) are warned not to see them!

b) A classic example of this kind of "sick" practice is how the Pharisees acted during the days of Jesus. The very name of this group of religious leaders means "to separate or disperse." They were well-known for despising and rejecting others who they deemed sinners.

c) Jesus directly targeted the sick behavior of the self-righteous Pharisees when he gave his parable of the sinful tax collector and the Pharisee. Both men went to the temple to pray. The Pharisee thanked God that he was NOT like others such as "extortioners, unrighteous, adulterers - or even as this tax collector." (Luke 18:11). The tax collector, who knew he was a sinner, stood afar off with his head bowed and cried "God, be merciful to me a sinner!" Jesus said the collector went home justified but not the Pharisee!

d) In his mind the Pharisee was just too good to be with the likes of sinners. Yet Jesus was known for his relationships with sinners of all sorts - tax collectors (Luke 15:1), prostitutes (Luke 7:39), and even the person who would betray him - Judas.

e) Another well-known example of how religious folk, especially leaders, encourage separation from others is in Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37). A man is robbed of all that he carried, including his clothes, then is severely beaten and left for dead on the side of the road. A priest who serves in the Temple sees the beaten man but walks right by him. Then, a person from the tribe of Levi who also serves in the Temple sees the half-dead, bleeding man and also walks right by him. No doubt they felt their 'righteousness' could not be stained by the messiness of helping out a human in desperate need. Yet it was a hated Samaritan who had mercy on the dying man and was not fearful of helping someone who was a stranger (Luke 10:30-33).

f) Some Christians are encouraged by their ministers and leadership to not only stay away from former members but also from other religious groups. There have been believers who have been discouraged from going to 'worldly' colleges so that they do not become tainted by an unconverted society. Other are told that they should not read religious publications from ANYONE except those published by their church. How sick! 

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