The church that isn’t built by the Lord
“Since they show no regard for the works of the LORD and what his hands have done, he will tear them down and never build them up again.” (Psalms 28:5)
One day I had a conversation with my church visitation pastor on our way to lunch. I heard through my church visitation pastor that the Korean restaurant we were going to was sued by another restaurant with a similar name. When I that from him, I unconsciously said, That restaurant is no different from a church.' After speaking, I thought and found something wrong. It was awkward to say unconsciously that the restaurant is suing another restaurant like the church instead of the church is suing another church in a court like the restaurant. Perhaps I said so because before I went to eat I saw on a Christian website bulletin board that one of the large immigrant churches under the title ‘… It's not division’ and what people wrote about it.
Too often we see problems in the church going to the world court. Precious offerings from the church believers are widely used to fight in the courts of the world. It is an unfortunate reality that the church offerings by the saints are being abused by the church in attorney's fees and newspaper advertisements, and so on. Think about how our Lord would see these great problems in the church whom He died on the cross and shed His precious blood. I fear whether the Lord will build these churches.
When we look at Psalms 28:5b, the Bible says that there are churches that God “will tear them down and never build them up again.” I would like to receive two lessons, centered on Psalm 28:3 and 5, which church is such church that the Lord doesn’t build?
First, the church that isn’t built by the Lord is a church that does not really love its neighbors.
Look at Psalms 28: 3 – “Do not drag me away with the wicked, with those who do evil, who speak cordially with their neighbors but harbor malice in their hearts.” The church that the Lord doesn’t build is a church whose lips resemble the Lord but whose heart is filled with hatred, envy, and jealousy. On our lips, we say “peace,” but if there is evil in our hearts, that church won’t be built by the Lord. Rather, the Bible says that the Lord will “tear them down” such church (v. 5). The wise man says in Proverbs 10:18: “He who conceals his hatred has lying lips …. ”
We should listen to this word with fear. If we don't love our neighbors in truth and in action but only with our lips, our church will not be built by the Lord. Narrowly speaking, if we, the Korean Ministry members, speak only peace with our lips and don’t live the life of the peacemaker, but live the life of peace breakers, then the Lord will not build our church. More broadly, if we, the Korean Ministry members, say that Hispanic Ministry members are one family of the Lord with our lips, but have preconceived notions and discriminate against them like the people in the world, then the Lord will not build our church. If our lips are sweet but our hearts is bitter, then it is false love. It is not true love. False love cannot build the other person. It will rather destroy him/her. The wise man says in Proverbs 26:23, “Like a coating of glaze over earthenware are fervent lips with an evil heart.” We must listen to 1 John 3:18 and obey: “Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” We, the Korean Ministry, should be the mother ministry. That means we should take on the role of a mother in our church. Therefore, we must love our church members with love and deeds, especially both English Ministry and Hispanic Ministry members. Just like a mother who loves and cherishes her children no matter what, we the Korean Ministry members should embrace and love English and Hispanic ministries members. In addition, we must not just say “peace” in words but actually become peacemakers, demonstrating to the world that we are breaking down all the walls between us with the gospel of Christ and are truly one body of Christ.
Second and last, the church that isn’t built by the Lord is a church that shows no regard for the works of the Lord.
Look at Psalms 28:5 – “Since they show no regard for the works of the LORD and what his hands have done, he will tear them down and never build them up again.” If we apply this word to our church, the Lord will not build our church if we don’t believe the Lord’s promise that ‘I will build My church’ (Mt. 16:18) unless we acknowledge that He is building His church. Rather, He will ‘tear down’ the church. Therefore, we must ask our Lord to open our spiritual eyes to the Lord to see the Lord’s work of building up His church. Then we will be able to confess with our hearts that “this work had been done with the help of our God” (Neh. 6:16).
Without the Lord's help, no church can be built. In our strength, the church can never be built. Only when the faithful Lord fulfills His word of promise of Matthew 16:18 that the church of His body can be built. The amazing fact is that this work is still being done by our Lord. First of all, I am experiencing the building work of the Lord, who shows the “gap” (Neh. 6:1) in me that I am lacking and He breaks down what is to be broken down and is rebuilding me. Furthermore, I am seeing the work of the Lord in building in the lives of each of the pastors and the English ministry leaders.
Our church is the Lord’s church and the Lord is building His church (Mt. 16:18). In order to be the church that is being built by the Lord, we must all love our neighbors and think about the things that He is doing. But if we don’t do the ministry of making peace but love our neighbors only with our lips, then the Lord will not build our church. And if we don’t acknowledge that the Lord is building the church even though we see it, then the Lord will not build our church. I hope and pray that we can participate in the Lord’s work of building His church as we humbly receive these lessons. Victory!