The Local Church

    Being on earth, and subject to sinful nature, local churches often suffer trouble, division, separation, persecution and yes, even disease and death.  Even churches that the apostles helped found, were not exempt from heresy and apostasy-  Galatians 1:6.  In many cases in the history of the Church, any particular local church has not subsisted longer than a couple of genereations.  God raised up a preacher who faithfully proclaimed the truth of God in the Gospel, but at his death, another came in and took the assembly another direction.  The building is there, the organization, but not the truth.
     It is possible that even some who are not members of the universal, spiritual body of Christ, join as members of local assemblies.  This is one of the greatest evils of sprinkling babies.  Not only is it not biblical, but it makes unconverted people members of the congregation.  When these grow up, they are already part of the church structure, but do not have any saving faith.  It is the responsibility of elders and leaders to watch over the assembly, for whose souls they will give an account- Acts 20:28.
    It is possible that the preachers themselves be reprobate.  How do they get in?  They enter in among the people, become one of them, and when the time seems appropriate, they manifest themselves, Acts 20:29,30. These are false teachers, comparable to wolves, for their craft and cunning, and for their greed and covetousness. They set up themselves as preachers, without being called or sent; or the people themselves invite them and require them because of having itching ears- II Timothy 4:3,4. The end result is always the same-  Not sparing the flock, fleecing it instead of feeding it, making merchandise of it, and like the Pharisees, under religious pretences, devour widows' houses, and drain the purses of men; and having as little compassion upon their souls, poisoning them with their errors and heresies, subverting their faith, and bringing them into swift ruin and destruction.
    It is often through heresies, divisions and troubles that the true children of God are put in evidence.  See I Corinthians 11:19- "for heresies must come."  Schisms and factions are an opportunity for God’s true children to stand and speak for the truth. These, the apostle says, "must be" for four reasons.

 1).  Because God has decreed they shall.  His counsel is immutable, and his purpose unalterable.
 2). Because there is nothing new under the sun.  If there were false prophets under the former dispensation, it must be expected that false teachers will arise in the churches now, bringing in damnable heresies.
 3). Because Satan is always busy to sow the tares of false doctrine.
 4). Because human nature, being both weak and wicked, is so susceptible to it. and so easily imposed upon and deceived, it cannot be thought that it should be otherwise.  Even some of God’s true people may be affected and drawn away for awhile, in like  may slip in and draw away some after them, deceiving even the elect of God for awhile, until the Lord is pleased to turn such again to the truth- James 5:19,20.

     It is in such situations that God in His goodness and wisdom rules and overrules to a very good purpose.  I Corinthians 11:19, " that they which are approved",  (who sincerely believe in Christ, are sound in the faith, and have a well grounded experience of it; and have been tried by others, and found to be sincere, upright, and faithful, and are approved of God and good men)  "may be made manifest among you" by their steadfastness in the faith, their zealous attachment to it, earnest contention for it.  It is by this means it is known who are the sincere followers of the Lamb, in doctrine, discipline, and conversation.

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