Will the Lord Find Faith on the Earth?

Wendell Winkler

 

Will Durant told Bernard Baruch the following story. A man who had been sentenced to die had his execution stayed upon assuring the king he could teach the king’s horse how to fly within one year. When the prisoner was assured of the impossibility of his task, he replied, “Who knows . . . within a year the king may die, the horse may die, or I may even die. Besides, maybe the horse will learn to fly!” Upon concluding the story, Mr. Baruch then said, “I’m like the man; I take the long-range view.” Our present study, if the Lord tarries, has to do with the long-range view. Jesus asked in Luke 18:8, “Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?”

God is concerned about the future; and so must we be. He warns in the decalogue that he visits “the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me” (Exod. 20:5; 34:7). In contradistinction we read, “But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children” (Psa. 103:17; 128:6). Also, we read, “When thou shalt begat children, and children’s children” (Deut. 4:25).

The church will always exist in the future, but to what extent? Both testaments emphasize the indestructible nature of the church (Dan. 2:44; 7:14; Matt. 16:18-19; Heb. 12:28-29). How reassuring! But to what depth? Will the church be strong, vibrant, thriving, and growing when Christ comes; or will there be just a remnant remaining? Yea, “Will the Lord find faith on the earth?” The answer: it all depends! But depends on what? Let us see.

1. It Depends on Our Loyalty and Attitude toward the Scriptures

 

What is to be our attitude toward the Scriptures? The Scriptures must be viewed as verbally inspired (1 Cor. 2:9-13), all sufficient (2 Tim. 3:16-17), complete and final (Jude 1:3), and authoritative (2 Cor. 5:10; Rom. 10:17). After all, the Scriptures constitute the source of our faith (Rom. 10:17; John 17:20-21; 20:30-31; Luke 8:12; Acts 17:11-12). Thus, if we abandoned the Scriptures, saving faith is impossible.

A case study. The Disciples of Christ denomination forsook the Bible, giving no credence to biblical authority for faith and practice; accordingly, they have virtually merged themselves out of existence as an independent body.

 

2. It Depends on the Type and Quality of Preaching the Future Church Receives

 

Maxims. “As goes the pulpit, so goes the church. We are no stronger than our diet.” Hence, if the present and future church is fed a pabulum diet fifty Sundays of the year of conversational-secular-narrative preaching wherein a personal trait of character is discussed, the future is bleak. The same can be affirmed of constant negative preaching on nothing but issues to the neglect of the lofty themes of the Bible that build faith (God, promises, prayer, trust, providence, heaven, etc.).

 

The type and quality of preaching needed. Surely God knew the type and quality of preaching needed to establish and maintain his church. The Holy Spirit supervised such preaching on Pentecost (Acts 2; cf. John 14:26; 16:13). So, what kind of preaching was done on that day?

 

• It had a constant appeal to the scriptures,
• it set the record straight,
• it was Christ-centered,
• it reached a conclusion and definitive deduction,
• it convicted of sin,
• it gave the plan of salvation,
• it called for a change in conduct and
• it resulted in membership in the Lord’s church.

 

Yes, this is the kind of preaching the present and future church must have.

 

3. It Depends on How Well the Future Church Is Indoctrinated

 

Doctrine is very important. Christianity begins with doctrine (Rom. 6:16-18) and continues on doctrine (Acts 2:42). Doctrine is the key word of three epistles (1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus). And said “doctrine” must be put “in” the hearts and minds of all church members (1 John 3:9; Psa. 119:11).

The fundamentals must be repetitiously taught. Each new year, NFL teams go back over blocking and tackling. Otherwise, games would be lost. The fundamentals have to do with how one enters the church, how one worships therein, how one lives therein; yea, with all those matters that make the Lord’s church unique. We will lose the battle unless these are emphasized again and again.

A word of caution and encouragement. In our congregational Bible classes, we must cease teaching only stories. When the story of Noah and the ark is taught, children need to know there was only one ark, it had to be built according to the pattern, a person had to get into it to be saved, etc. Then, in the antetype, children learn of the one church, that its worship, organization, and mission must be according to the pattern, and that salvation is therein and therein alone (see 1 Pet. 3:18-21).

 

4. It Depends on Whether We Correct the Knowledge Deficit Among Us

 

A Christian ignorant of his Bible is the plaything of every wind of doctrine that blows! Jesus said, “Ye do err, not knowing” (Matt. 22:29). Contextually, the secret faults from which David desired to be cleansed were sins he unwittingly committed (Psa. 19:12-13).

A case study. Because “there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord,” Israel forsook God, degenerated into idolatry, and ended up in the hands of their spoilers (Judges 2:10-15). A corollary is found in Hosea 4:6.

The present status. If you doubt that there is a knowledge deficit among us, ask the adult Sunday morning Bible classes the following questions; get ready for a shock:

 

• Do you believe there is a God? If so, prove it.
• Prove that believing and being baptized is tantamount to the new birth,
• How can we show indisputably that the church was established on the day of Pentecost?
• Is the use of mechanical instrumental music sinful, or is it on the same level as songbooks?

 

5. It Depends on Our Dedication to Maintaining the Uniqueness of the Lord’s Church

 

The Lord’s church is unique. It is unique in its existence (it is singular, Eph. 1:22-23; 4:4), in its designations; in its worship; in its mission; in its organization; in its terms of membership; and in its destiny.

This uniqueness can be challenged and destroyed. When these entities just mentioned are disparagingly reflected on, when they are not adhered to, when they are not jealously guarded, then apostasy is imminent and amalgamation with the sects is inevitable. That such entities are no longer considered paramount is evidenced by participation by some in inter-denominational meetings, promise keepers rallies, ministerial alliances, and such like. These as-of-late practices portend an alarming future unless they be forestalled.

 

6. It Depends on the Kind of Leadership We Provide, Develop and Sustain

 

Every institution is but the reflection of its leadership. No stream can rise above its source. How important leadership really is!

 

The kind of leaders we must have. We must have leaders who

 

• qualify (1 Tim. 3:1-12; Titus 1:5-9);
• know the Bible;
• are uncompromising in their convictions;
• are visionary; who have hearts of love and compassion;
• recognize error and have zero tolerance for it;
• are balanced; who have leadership skills;
• are as bold as lions but as meek as lambs;
• who know Jesus;
• know the difference between the cultural and the eternal;
• know the difference between faith and opinion;
• have respect for Bible authority and how to establish such.

 

Suggestions. Every congregation should have ongoing classes for the present leaders, as well as classes to develop future leaders. Classes are needed on

 

• developing leadership skills,
• meeting the divine qualifications,
• how to meet religious error,
• departures from the faith and how to recognize and present such,
• how to establish biblical authority,
• classes on developing a basic and overall knowledge of the Bible!

 

7. It Depends on Our Commitment to World Evangelism

 

Evangelism is a do or die matter. It is reach out or fade out. It is go-to-the-mission-field or become a missing church. Evangelize or fossilize. A family who refuses to bear children will soon cease to be. Evangelism is not optional. The Lord intended for evangelism to last unto the end of the world (Matt. 28:18-20). In Second Timothy 2:2, the gospel passes through four hands, and, by implication, on and on and on.

 

8. It Depends on How Good a Job We Parents Do in Teaching and Training Our Children

 

A sobering thought. Apostasy is always only one generation away, and a generation is only eighteen to twenty years in length. Thus, the urgency of the matters we are discussing!

 

What saith the Lord in Proverbs 22:6? “Train [this involves instruction, example, and discipline] up [you cannot do this and let him down] a child [this is the most pliable and opportune time in his life] in the way he should go [in the way of faith, conviction, knowledge, and purity]: and when he is old [God is genuinely concerned about the future], he will not depart from it [what comforting assurance].”

 

A study in history. The future of the nation of Israel was dependent upon the parents properly instructing their children. They were to teach their children the law, teach them diligently, teach them throughout the day; yea, they were to teach their children and grandchildren (Deut. 6:6-9; 4:9). Study carefully Psalm 78.

 

• It Depends on How United We Remain

 

Jesus so taught. He said, “And if a kingdom [house] be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand” (Mark 3:24-25).

What will destroy the unity of the church? If we bind where God has loosed or loose where God has bound, division is inevitable. Binding and loosing were the exclusive prerogative of the inspired apostles (Matt. 16:18-19). Radicalism, where everybody and everything is suspect, and liberalism, where anything and everything goes, are two of the greatest enemies of the present and future church.

 

9. It Depends on Whether We Remain the Salt of the Earth

 

We are to be the salt of the earth (Matt. 5:13). Salt has a preserving quality. When not enough salt was found in Sodom and Gomorrah, God destroyed them (Gen. 19). Indeed, our future is tied to our being salt. Think about this observation: salt permeates the substance to be salted while at the same time retaining its distinct nature. We are in the world to influence it for good; however, we must not become of the world (1 John 2:15-17; Rom. 12:2; John 18:36; Jas. 4:4). Israel’s demise can be traced to their desire to be like the nations around them (1 Sam. 8:5). Can a difference be seen between us and the world in the apparel we wear, the recreation we choose, the speech that comes from our lips, in our set of priorities, and in the habits we form and exhibit?

 

10. It Depends on How Loyally Our Christian Schools and Universities Adhere to Their Mission and Purpose Statements

 

The church is not dependent upon the schools and universities for its existence. Such human institutions are adjuncts to the home. However, in the nature of the case, the future of the church will be influenced by the schools, since so many of our young people will be enrolled therein. Will the influence be positive or negative? The answer lies on the shoulders of the boards, presidents, deans, department chairs, and faculty members. May those in leadership be true to the trust placed in them, have the courage of their long-held convictions, and guide our institutions of learning in the old paths. May they have a deep appreciation, and give evidence thereof, for the founding fathers and the countless thousands of supporters, parents and grandparents who have invested much of their life’s savings in innocent trust and confidence that our school would forever remain distinctly true to the teaching of the Bible.

 

Conclusion

 

A repeat question. When the Lord comes will the church be strong, vibrant, thriving, and growing; or will there be just a remnant? The answer: it all depends! It depends to a measurable extent upon the matters we have just discussed. What will we each, personally, contribute? What part will we individually play? Will we be passionate or passive, indifferent or involved, livid or lethargic, active or apathetic, a voice or a victim?

 

A resolution. Let the present generation, and each succeeding one, resolve to leave the church for the next generation in a far better condition than was the case when they received it. Such will assure faith on the earth when the Lord comes.