Turning the Tables

Matthew 21:12-13 (NKJV)

12 Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 13 And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’”

When Jesus entered the temple, which was His Father’s house, He was righteously indignant about what He saw happening there. They had opened up a house of prayer to make it a commercial venture. In many ways, in these days of compromise, we too often look for a seat at tables we should be overturning. Here are three of those tables.

The Table of Commercial Christianity

2 Peter 2:3 (KJV)

3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

There are entire industries built on marketing to the Christian market. Everything from home decorations to the latest spiritual fad is available amongst a host of books. These books are plentifully interspersed with both good and heretical content. The music section alone represents a CCM industry that is rife with the unregenerate who are exposed for scandals on a weekly basis. This is music designed to suspend rational thought and enter into a spiritual experience that primes their minds for heresy and worship that is based on how if makes one feel rather than what it contains.

The Table of Worldly Approval

John 17:14-17 (KJV)

14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Jesus never promised us popularity. In fact, He promised us the opposite. He said the world would hate us! So, while we shouldn’t set out to offend people, we should not be adjusting our message so that if doesn’t offend sinners! Jesus said they hate the light because their deeds are evil (John 3:19-20). If we seek friendship with the world, we become enemies of God (James 4:4). Our commission is to preach the pure, unadulterated Gospel and let the Word of God do what it was designed to do. It will not return void! 

The Table of Denominational Doctrine

2 John 1:9-11 (NKJV)

9 Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; 11 for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.

All too often, we (including me) fall into the desire to be like those around us. This was one motivation for the Israelites wanting a king to rule over them, just like the nations around them (1 Samuel 8:20). We all know good and sincere people who are attempting to follow Christ, but have differences in doctrine which are major. I’m not talking about how many cups to use for communion. I’m talking about belief in salvation before baptism or being baptized for reasons other than salvation being valid. In our desire to have these fine people as friends, are we leading them to hell by not giving them the truth about such things as baptism and miraculous gifts of the Spirit for today? We even adapt their music to acapella in an attempt to be more contemporary, not realizing that many of these songs sound odd because they were designed for instrumental accompaniment. Brothers and sisters, there are certain things we cannot bend on and certain lines beyond which we cannot go. If we become just like everyone else and meld into the denominational milieu, we will continue to witness souls wander into error since “all churches are basically the same”. In fact, we should be evangelizing them.

Conclusion

It is not my intent to be divisive, but rather to stand for the truths which we need to hold dear. Not because that’s what churches of Christ have always taught, but because that is what the Bible continues to teach! We need to serve in the Lord’s house and sit at His table, while invited everyone in the highways and byways to feast upon the Word of God and be biblically saved. We dare not strive to please anyone but our Savior!