DANGEROUS NATIONS FACING THE CHURCH

INTRODUCTION

A. For those who love to worry, current events continue to
give them much opportunity.

1. When the atomic age began, many built fallout shelters in
their back yards, convinced that a nuclear attack was
eminent.

2. We “fought” the “cold war” for decades.

3. We continually develop newer and much more powerful
weapons

4. Some were certain in the past that we would surely fall to
communism at any moment

5. As a result of all of this many learned to fear the Russians
and the Red Chinese

6. Currently we worry about terrorism and the nations behind
this fear factor

B. In this lesson I want to ask you what nations are the
most dangerous to the church today?

1. Some might be surprised that Muslim Nations are not the
ones that we should fear most

2. What are the nations that we should fear most?

a. Which ones are the most dangerous?

b. Let us proceed and see!

DISCUSSION

A. THE CHURCH IS IN DANGER OF DOMINATION

1. The government of the church is spelled out in detail
in the Scriptures

a. Christ is the head of the church – Ephesians 5:22-24

1) Christ is the head of the church

2) Therefore, the church is subject to Christ

b. Elders are the appointed authority of the local
congregation

1) Paul talking to the Ephesian elders – Acts 20:28

2) Therefore the local congregation – Hebrews 13:17

2. © Too often, though, a man or a woman, is allowed to
become “dictator” in the church.

a. There was such a one written about in  –  3 John 9-10

b. The Lord is to be the only dictator in the church

B. THE CHURCH IS IN DANGER OF ABOMINATION

1. In many ways a Christian or a congregation can become
something that will make God sick  – Revelation
3:14-16

2. We need to remember that all the ways of the wicked are
an abomination unto the Lord

a. Proverbs 8:7 – sin is an abomination

b. Proverbs 11:1 – dishonesty is an abomination

c. Proverbs 15:9 – evil actions are an abomination

d. Proverbs 15:26 – evil thoughts are an abomination

e. Proverbs 16:5 – pride/arrogance is an abomination

f. Proverbs 21:27 – the worship of the wicked is an
abomination

g. Proverbs 28:9 – some prayers are an abomination

3. We must keep ourselves and the church pure that we
not become an abomination unto the Lord

C. THE CHURCH IS IN DANGER OF CONDEMNATION

1. It is important to remember that it doesn’t matter what the
world is saying about the church, it doesn’t matter what one
congregation says about another congregation, as long the
local congregation is doing the will of God

2. All too often we are more concerned about the
condemnation of men than we are the condemnation of
God!

3. 1 Corinthians 11:34

a. Many were in danger of coming into condemnation
because they had corrupted to worship of God

b. They had turned the worship of God into a common
meal

4. John 3:19

a. When the church begins to love darkness more than the
light we will be condemned

b. When the church begins to care more for their own
wants than God’s we will be condemned

5. Romans 8:1

a. We must be in Christ to avoid condemnation

b. We must walk after the Spirit to avoid condemnation

6. Remember condemnation begins in the house of God –
1 Peter 417

D. THE CHURCH IS IN DANGER OF PROCRASTINATION

1. Getting people to put things off is one of the devil’s
greatest weapons

a. As one procrastinates in doing a certain thing, over time
that thing needing to be done will be forgotten

b. We need to understand that procrastination will end in
destruction   –   2 Chronicles 29:11

2. Many are procrastinating when it comes to becoming a
Christian

a. 2 Corinthians 6:2

b. Acts 24:25

3. Romans 13:11 – each day we are one day closer to the
judgment, and one day we will have no more chances

4. Therefore  – Ephesians 5:14

E. THE CHURCH IS IN DANGER OF DISCRIMINATION

1. The danger lies not so much in the church being
discriminated by those without, but by practicing such
within the church ourselves.

2. The church of our Lord is not to discriminate because
of:

a. Race

b. Social status

c. Wealth

d. Heritage

3. James 2:1-10

a. They were guilty of showing respect of persons

b. This is sin … We must fulfill the royal law

4. Galatians 3:26-28

F. THE CHURCH IS IN DANGER OF CONTAMINATION

1. We need to remember that the church is only as pure
as those who make it up!

2. Pollution is not just a problem in our environment, it is
also a problem in the church

3. James 1:27

4. Many in the first century were not doing this:

a. 1 Corinthians 5:1-6

b. 1 Corinthians 11:20-21 – they had polluted the Lord’s
Supper into a common meal

5. Many today are polluting the Lord’s church

a. Trying to be like the world

b. Trying to bring in the philosophies of men

G. THE CHURCH IS IN DANGER DENOMINATION

1. For those who still try to hold to the “Old Paths,”
the move toward Denominationalism seems not to be
possible

a. But I assure you is happening in many places

b. For years, the denominations have tried to make us one
of them

c. Today, they are succeeding at an alarming rate.

2. Liberals among the Lord’s church cherish the thought
of being unified with the denominational world

3. Change agents are trying to turn the church into a
denomination through such things as:

a. Unity in Diversity

b. Promise Keepers

c. Having traditional and contemporary worship services

d. Changing God’s plan of salvation, etc.

4. But the Bible says:

a. 1 Corinthians 1:10

b. John 17:20-22

CONCLUSION