5 COMMON PROBLEMS IN THE CHURCH
How often have you heard the statement there’s no perfect church? Too many times! I think all of us know that every church has an area that they need to improve upon, just like us. Today, we will use scripture to find 5 common problems in the church.
Revelation chapters 2-3 outlines 5 common problems in the church that still exist today!
- Lost their first love
- False doctrine
- False teaching
- Dying church
- No passion for God
5 Common Problems In The Church
LOST FIRST LOVE
Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent
Revelation 2:4-5
This church stands firm on the name of Christ Jesus. The are commended for this, but they have forgotten how to live for their first love, they are lacking the love that they first had. They are doing good things, good works, they’re patient, and they hate evil. At first glance this looks like a great church. But they are a loveless church.
God doesn’t want loveless actions, He wants HIS LOVE to shine through the church!
Verses on love: Luke 10:27, I Corinthians 13:1-3
FALSE DOCTRINE
But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate
Revelation 2:14-15
You will not see this church denying God, this is a must have behavior for every church! But, this church allows sin to run rapid. They have church members that openly sin against the gospel. This church does not teach false doctrine from the pulpit, but they do not stop the church from living it out.
God wants His church to follow Him, inside and outside the church body!
Verse on avoiding false doctrine: Romans 16:17-16
FALSE TEACHING
Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.
Revelation 2:20
This churches works are better than they use to be, so they appear to be growing in faith, but they are not. In fact, they are doing the opposite because they are allowing false doctrine to be taught to the church! People are not just sinning, they are teaching others in the church to sin!
God wants His church to follow Him and be a good witness!
Verses warning about false teachers: 2 Timothy 4:3-4, Galatians 1:6-10, 2 Peter 2:1-3
DYING CHURCH
“I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God.
Revelation 3:1-2
When you look at this church from the outside it looks like it’s on fire. It looks alive and living for God, looks can be deceiving. In fact, they are dying and they need to strengthen the faith they have left.
God wants His church to do good works, but for the right reasons, and with the right purpose!
Verses for a dying church: Hebrews 12:12-13
NO PASSION FOR GOD
I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.
Revelation 3:14-15
This church appears to have everything it needs from God to survive. But when it comes down to it, they are not depending on God for anything because they have lost there passion for God. This church believes they can survive on their own resources, they think they are rich but in fact they are poor.
God wants His church to fully depend on Him for everything, having faith that God is everything!
verse for the unpassionate church: II Corinthians 13:5
CONCLUSION TO COMMON PROBLEMS IN THE CHURCH
It’s true that there is no perfect church. But remember this, God isn’t looking for perfection, He’s looking for a church that will admit their imperfections!
The church needs to be faithful to God and His will, have patience and persevere through all that will happen, the good and bad. (Revelation 2:8-11, 3:7-13) God has many warnings and encouragements to the churches in Revelation. We need to apply this scripture to our churches so they can thrive as a place to worship God, to minister and encourage each other, to grow spiritually, and to help and witness to those outside the church. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Revelations 2:7, 11,17, 29 3:6,13, 22
We hope you search our Free Bible Studies from Christian Fellowshipping for more encouraging ways to fellowship with God and other believes.
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.