The Business of the Church by C. M. S.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 17, 1910

The Business of the Church

By C. M. S.

THE church is a part of God’s plan. It has a purpose in the earth, a well-defined one, and God is the author of that purpose. But that purpose has been and is to-day sadly misunderstood.

Writers and speakers on the “social problem” are demanding of the church that she take a position in the social world, and direct her energies in the line of bettering social conditions, forgetting or overlooking the fact that to the true Christian the social problem presents no insurmountable difficulties.

The true Christian sees, as the social philosopher sees, that the condition of this world is deplorable; but God in his wisdom has given to the Christian—to the church as a company of Christians—the true and the only solution of the problem. That solution is the salvation of souls through the atonement of Christ. If the world were not lost in sin, there would be no social problem; but it is, and to be seeking for any solution of that problem which does not recognize the true cause of the condition and the only remedy provided—to be seeking a solution which leaves salvation out of the question—is to turn completely away from the plan and purpose of God. It is like bringing to the man, sinking in the quicksands, a basket of delicacies, while forgetting that his greatest need is a rope and strong arms to pull him out of the clutch of the grave. To make men happy and contented with their lot while still unsaved and in constant danger of their soul’s eternal loss, is not the business of the church nor of any in the church. Their work is to make men dissatisfied with sin; to bring to them God’s message for their time; to rescue perishing souls. This done, the “social problem” dissolves like burned limestone at the touch of water, and thus dissolved, enters at once into the building of God.

The members of Christ’s body on earth will go about doing good as he set them the example to do, uniting his teachings with works of charity and mercy; but as he refused to be turned from his work by sophistry, flattery, or misapplied scripture, so will they. Christ came into the world to save it and its inhabitants; but there was only one way to accomplish it. Satan offered the world to Christ for a simple act of worship. Satan would have been well pleased had he been permitted to map out a plan of his own for Christ to use in inaugurating his work in the earth; and he is well pleased when he can induce Christians to accept other plans of work than those which Christ established. Christ spurned the suggestion, and they who are his will do likewise. Had Christ attempted to do his work along Satan’s lines of suggestion, he would have been lost with the

angels that are doomed. Neither can his church carry on its work on plans contrary to his instruction.

One prominent educator declares: “If we feel a need which a church supplies, we use the church to supply that want, just as we would use a museum, or a bank, or a hotel. We need worship. Since men were born, we have never succeeded in getting along without it.” Therefore the business of the church is presumed to be to satisfy a desire which men feel for something to worship. Men are to join the church to satisfy that craving. Thus the church becomes simply a means of gratification to its members, instead of a strong, positive force in the earth, carrying forward God’s message of salvation, and preparing the bride of Christ for her heavenly Spouse. Christians will worship God—they can not do otherwise and be Christians; but if Satan can induce the church to believe that its chief or only mission in the earth is to satisfy men’s craving for something to worship, he has succeeded in turning her from the work that was given her to do.

The tendency of much of the teaching of the present time is in the way of influencing men to look to the church itself for that which can come to men only by personal, living connection with God. It belittles the work of the gospel, and tends toward shallowness in Christian experience. It makes of the church a means of gratification to its members, instead of an aggressive instrument in the work of saving souls. The reality of God and his work is lost sight of in the haze of generalities accompanying such teachings.

The “social problem” will not be solved by the church setting itself at work to solve that problem and forgetting her mission in the earth. It will not be solved by her taking up any line of work which God has not commissioned her to do. But for every individual won to Christ, that much of the “social problem” is already solved in his conversion.

In this time when God is closing up his work of soul saving, it is the plan of the adversary of souls to blind the eyes of men so that they can not see what is coming upon the earth, or what God demands of men right now. If he can blind the church to her mission in the world, or throw her forces off on a tangent away from the true path of her duty, he is doubly successful. Such teachings as those above referred to are his instruments in accomplishing that work. There was never a greater need for a living, working church; there was never a time of greater danger from the soothing teachings of the world. A church that has lost its message, that is turning from the salvation of souls to the solving of social and “civic” problems, and is appealing to the state for the power to enforce her wishes upon the people, is not causing the kingdom of darkness any concern, or advancing the cause of the Master. That which will count in this last conflict with sin is a church which counts dearer than life the purpose of her Master, and higher than any earthly assignment the commission which he gave to his followers.

C. M. S.