— Critical issues concerning the Church —

Fellow Soldier,

implicit in the popular rational, “the end justifies the means”, is the acknowledgement that a given “means” might not be to our liking; perhaps being unsavory, unhealthy ... or worse.  An example is governmentally sanctioned gambling.  The Feds argue that it brings in tax dollars to benefit all, and states tout it as a means to better fund the schools.  Similarly, schools argue that selling toxic pop and trash food is a “means” to expand the curriculum.  Benefits aside, these are morally deficient means to worthy ends.

The church also employs dubious means in a futile attempt to achieve spiritual ends: 40-day programs, market surveys, needs pandering, entertainment, etc.  All poor substitutes for biblical means and which all too often, yoke believers with God’s enemy.

Ahabian Alliances

God’s people dare not yoke with the sons of Ahab!

"Jehoshaphat king of Judah made an alliance with Ahaziah king of Israel, who was guilty of wickedness. He agreed with him to construct a fleet of trading ships." — 2Chron 20:35,36a

While shaking hands with a pastor, I asked him why his church was offering the Purpose Driven program.  “Oh, just another tool”, he responded.  Had time allowed, I would have pursued with: “Tool for what?”  Further, were I to ask another pastor why he invited the PUBLIC into the “sanctuary’s” gathering of saints (for a 7/4th program) he likely would have responded similarly; “a tool”.  A tool for WHAT?! Moreover, what does July fourth have to do with the church?

These questions point up serious concerns regarding the biblical legitimacy of certain means, leadership’s discernment and one’s commitment to scripture.  We also question the downside of these various “tools”.  Even more fundamentally ... why tools at all?

Unholy alliances

The Bible credits Southern Kingdom’s Jehoshaphat and his father, Asa, as having been “righteous” Kings.  However, it also notes that, to benefit his people, Jehosaphat made an alliance with the Northern Kingdom’s wicked Ahab (1KI 22:44) — also, later with his equally evil son, King Ahaziah.  Predictably, both of these taboos proved disastrous.  The first one nearly cost Jehosaphat his life; the second, (ship building venture of our text) cost Judah precious resources and prompted a second reprimand from God (2Chron 20:37).  These unholy ties tarnished what otherwise was a pleasing-to-God, righteous reign.  Please note: these two kings which scripture labels “wicked” and “evil” were ALSO members of greater Israel ... God’s elect.  They were not pagans.

It seems that Jehosaphat wanted to reclaim the wealth and glory days of King Solomon, so following his example, decided to build a fleet of cargo ships to trade with Tarshish — renown for gold, silver, ivory, gorillas and peacocks (likely in India; see 1Ki 10:22).  For unstated reasons, Jehosaphat partnered with Israel’s King Ahaziah (Jezebel’s son) to construct them at Edom’s Red Sea port of Ezion Geber, now Elat, at the southern tip of Israel’s Negev desert.  Although bound for the riches of Tarshish (Ophri) these ships did not arrive.  In fact, they never left the harbor.  God sovereignly destroyed them in port because of the unholy alliance under which they were built (1Ki 22:48; Ps 48:7).  Having not sailed, they never imported the raw materials and treasures to again transform the Southern Kingdom into that once rich and glorious nation-state.  Instead, this well-intentioned enterprise proved to be an offense, triggering the wrath of God.  A seemingly worthy end, but by unacceptable “means”.

Jehosaphat’s joint venture with evil members of Israel exemplifies what’s rife in churchdom today: Ahabian alliances.  Although both God and wisdom exhorts His people to not repeat that error — we have, BIG time!  The church is employing “means” that yoke it with numerous sons of Ahab in an effort to make it bigger, more culturally relevant, seeker-friendly, etc.  The means used are typically man-made, market-driven methods, originating from ungodly sources that impinge on the Spirit’s turf.  They defile the holy things of God and flood corporate gatherings with the unregenerate.  Wouldn’t you just think, that after countless scriptural examples of the folly and tragedy of such, we would once and for all, simply obey God, trusting Him and His ways?  Woe, woe, woe!  The painful price WILL come due.

These unholy alliances have birthed a fleet of Tarshitic activity promising to spiritually enrich the church: Hyper-faith, Word-confession, Charismania, Toronto Blessing, Pensacola Outpouring, Purpose-Driven, Promise Keepers, New Age yukka, old age Yoga, Hindu laughter, a host of phony Bibles, the Emergent church and oxymoronic, “Christian psychology”.  Also, dueling in tongues, falling-out on cue, braying instead of praying, breathing, blowing & other carnal attempts to manipulate the Spirit — plus, end-time ecumenism and the embrace of metaphysics.  These are cross-less, Christ-less ships of Tarshish conceived out of Scriptural wedlock and destined for destruction by a mercifully patient God.  Woe to their designers!  Woe to their builders and captains!  Pity and pray for their pap-fed and hapless passengers.

Where is their touted spiritual splendor and delicious fruit promised to the church?  The riches of this tsunami of scams have never materialized.  In their wake is a scummy flotsam and a cadre of fleece-clad, Ahabian wolves.  Oh, there have been gold transfers ... out of kingdom coffers!  If any of these illegitimately-conceived, Tarshish-bound ships have gotten out of port, God will surely destroy them enroute: "You destroyed them like ships of Tarshish shattered by an east wind" — Ps 48:7.  Tragically, their wreckage, measured in the coin of a disgraced church and many distracted, depreciated and destroyed lives, make the angels of heaven weep — not to mention the One Who paid for all these souls by His own blood ... Christ Himself.

Wake up church!  Can’t you discern the odious difference between sheep and wolves?  Can you not see that untold numbers of well-intentioned but deviously-led saints are gradually being par-boiled in heresy soup?  Like proverbial frogs in a gradually warmed kettle, many are destined to be cooked before their entertainment-lulled and dulled spiritual thermostats alert them to the fire.  “Come out!” screams scripture.  “Come back to the cross!” echoes the Apostles and biblically wise who have gone before.  It is CHRISTt Who is building His Church by the working of the Holy Spirit in hearts and lives of the truly regenerate, committed and obedient.  It is not by man’s methods, skill or power, and surely, NOT by Ahabian-conceived programs or morally deficient means.  Woe, woe, woe!  The painful price will come due.

Corporate gatherings

Why do God’s people congregate?  Because we are called by, and drawn to Love Himself.  We desire to come away from the profane to commune with our holy God and Father and blood-bought,  regenerate and legitimate members of the Church.  As family, we are one in spirit and bonded by a supernatural love.  We speak to each other in "psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in (our hearts) to the Lord" — Eph 5:19. Perhaps the most concise list of reasons we Christians congregate (and the agenda) is recorded in Acts 2:42: "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer."  Christians gather as a family.  We’re God’s people — called out of the world’s system, regenerated, implanted with His Holy Spirit, sanctified by the blood of Christ, washed by the Word — then ushered into the unseen, universal Church of Jesus Christ.  When we gather locally, it’s to be a Holy Spirit-orchestrated communion with our Lord, Jesus Christ and our family.  Contrary to political correctness and squishy ecumenism, God’s people must commune in exclusivity. The divine pivot around which our corporate fellowship revolves is Jesus — the resurrected and living Christ, and the glue that binds this family is God’s unfathomable love.  The Church assembly is reserved for His own.

How can this corporate highlight of a believer’s worship week take place if the “sanctuary” is polluted by a cargo of unredeemed — imported by today’s “ships of Tarshish”?  How can one have confidence in church-growth-motivated leaders who run roughshod over biblical order and well-being of the flock by blatantly inviting pagans into our midst?  This violates the sanctity of our gatherings, practically prohibiting communion.  The Bible is clear: "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?" — 2Co 6:14.  Scripture also reminds: embedded in the midst of those Israelites delivered out of Egypt, were the uncovenanted “rabble”.  Later on, they were instrumental in tempting God’s people to sin, incurring judgement on the nation (Nu 11:4; Ps 78:18; 1Cor 10:5-11).

God does not tolerate “strange fire” to aid and abet what only the Holy Spirit is ordained to do (Lev 10:1; Nu 3:4; 26:61).  Who, other than God’s enemy, would deceive us into believing we can successfully make alliances with false teachers, false prophets and heretics?  We dare not partner with or employ means of the wicked, no matter how noble-sounding the ends ... even if, like Ahab and Ahaziah, their sponsors are supposedly God’s people.  God’s “ships” are holy and man’s anathema.  Woe, woe, woe!

To the deafening and dulling discord of Christian Rock, boat-loads of blinded, psychologized and pulpit-misled believers are being tranquilized and transported to the glitzy resorts of apostasy by today’s shameless ships of Tarshish.  Some in 40 days!  With absolute certainty, the painful price WILL be exacted (Ps 94).  I weep.

Helpful Resources

Rabble and The Redeemed; CODfish Denomination?; CODfish Wilderness; Codfish Update; Why the Church?; Purpose Driven? — all by Roadrunner Publications.  Seeking the Face of God by David Wilkerson — World Challenge Pulpit Series 11/7/05.  Man, The Dwelling Place of God by A.W. Tozer ISBN: 0-87509-415-5

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