The American Church Experience
by Christopher Hendrix
The Sunday sun rose as people poured into the parking lot. They exited their cars and entered the church building, ready for another message to get pumped up. Only, on this Sunday, their liberal charlatan pastor gave up his pulpit to let the Vice-President of the United States speak (we won’t call it preaching). With no regard to 1 Timothy 2:12 or even the character and murderous belief of the speaker, he allowed her to begin a 17-minute mutilation of the Good Samaritan passage. The Word suffered twisting and manipulation as the words rolled off her tongue. Her main point culminated in loving your neighbor, as she then began to hate Donald Trump. She became the hero of her story as she painted herself as the good Samaritan and the savior rescuing America from the clutches of the evil Donald. Did anyone in the congregation stand up and interrupt this blasphemous act? No. Did anyone shout out the truth of the passage? No. Did anyone rebuke her misuse of Scripture? No. Why? Because the congregation receives this kind of preaching week in and week out from a sexually immoral pastor.
Listen to Pastor Chris' sermon on 2 Corinthians 4:1-6
Sadly, many churches replicate this story every Sunday across America. They may not have the public attention of a political figure leading the heretical worship experience, but the same song plays a different tune. Many people in the seats tolerate and advocate for this kind of mishandling of the Scriptures. Most don’t recognize the twisting of the Word, and others don’t care. How? 2 Corinthians 4:1–6 explains clearly that Satan has blinded their minds. A veil lies over the gospel because of the hardness of their hearts and the blindness of their minds. They do not see the light and pay no attention to the Lordship of Christ, missing from their Sunday talks. They are like bats in the daylight, blind and fluttering wildly, looking for something to bring them peace.
Paul gives the counter-example of a truth-filled person in this passage. Unlike Kamala Harris, Paul preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He did not tamper with God’s Word or use it for his benefit. He did not preach himself, but the Lordship of Jesus Christ. He endured abuses, persecutions, hatred, beatings, and attempts on his life, which make Trump’s assassination attempt look like child’s play (try being stoned to an unconscious state!). Though he could have claimed the victim card like many today, he forewent focusing on himself and preached Jesus Christ instead. Why did he preach Christ instead of himself? Because of the light that shone in his heart.
God removed his blindness (quite literally) and brought him into the truth. His heart believed, and his eyes saw the glory of Christ in the nature and work of Christ. He knew as he studied the Scriptures, he saw Christ in them. He basked in the glory of Christ as he read the entire Old Testament. He rejoiced in the glory of Christ as he wrote most of the New Testament. The reason Paul preached Christ stemmed from Christ. The Spirit of God removed the veil, and he looked upon the gospel.
The Judge of all the Earth will bring the judgment to bear for their handling of His Word. Their blasphemy will not go unpunished. However, here and now, we ought to call them to repent in the hope that they truly humble themselves. From the Veep to the person on the street, from the televangelist robbing people to the lobbyist who misuses the Scriptures, and from mere acquaintances to those closest to us, we ought to proclaim repentance and belief in Christ Jesus. We proclaim, pray, and seek the Spirit to remove the veil. The way to save the American church experience starts and ends with the Word of God being rightly handled while the Spirit of God applies the truths to human souls. Let us hold on to the hope for repentance, for it is the key to restoring the integrity of our church teachings.