Paul Hoffmaster

What has happened to the Body of Christ? The Church was once the most respected organization in our Country. Its people were from every walk of life: from the factory worker to the politician, from the unemployed to the employed, from the poor to the rich, from sport personalities to leaders in the entertainment industry, from the uneducated to the highly educated; they were all a part of the Body of Christ. There was no embarrassment to being an active member of the Church. No one was ashamed to share their inner joy with a “whosoever.” The Gospel was shared from schools to places of employment, from playgrounds to political edifices. The message from the Christian is a new and living way to experience life. Christians share their faith with a gentleness and excitement that would not offend their hearers. They are living example of what an abundant life is all about. The Bible is the life manual that contains the answers to the challenges that life might throw their way.

Today, so many Believers have become militant and offensive. Instead of presenting love to the spiritually challenged and ignorant, there is a resolve to attack “the enemies” misguided ways. Instead of reaching out with an olive branch from Gethsemane, we have displayed a two-edged tongue that gives two different messages. Instead of sharing the Truth with Grace, we judge others with the Law and intolerance. One of the reasons I am not a fan of the social media is because many Christians are using that as a tool of division. As the media has become the avenue of promoting the ISIS news, the Lord’s army is using the social media to promote what Satan’s army is doing! When the Christians revert to counterattacks, we have lost our true perspective.

The question the Church needs to ask itself is what is our objective in countering the challenges against the Body of Christ? Is it to lead people to the answer, or is it to destroy the enemy? Is it to challenge their negative statements and actions, or is it to neutralize their attacks with positive examples of the loved of God? Is it to defend the Faith, or expand the Faith? So many Christians gather incorrect facts from the internet and pass it on as truth. If they have read it or heard it from the print or airwaves, it must be right! To me, the greatest damage to the Kingdom of God has been from within the Church. When Christians stop judging and condemning and start loving and commending, we will once again become the people God has called us to be!

The Church is not called to punish the non-believers, but tostop judging . Much of what we see happening in America is a result of factual ignorance. Satan has blinded the eyes of so many to the Truth that all they see are things through their senses. Instead of picketing for the Kingdom of God, let us display the Kingdom that is within us. Instead of promoting Kingdom of God, let us share what is right with America! Instead of berating those who oppose our beliefs, let us demonstrate to them what a true Believer is like! The more we exhibit a Christ like behavior, the greater the opportunity to reach those of the world.

The Bible tells us that we are to be an example to the world by “…word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” (I Timothy 4:12) We are called to show others our lives with “meekness of wisdom.” (James 3:13) The Bible says as we show our good works, the world will see and will be drawn to God. (I Peter 2:12) Are we building the Kingdom of God or fueling the fire of adversity? Are we a part of the answer or are we magnifying the problem?