The Reason for God#5 The Church is Responsible for So Much Injustice

“Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction.”

Blaise Pascal1623-1662

The Church is Responsible for so Much Injustice

I. Church _________ ≠ Disciple of Christ.Member

Visible Churches

“I believe that I am acting in accordance with the will of the Almighty Creator: by defending

myself against the Jew, I am fighting for the work of the Lord.” Adolph Hitler

1889 - 1945

“Thus there results the subjection of a number of people under the will, often of only a few persons, a

subjection based simply upon the right of the stronger, a right which, as we see in Nature, can be regarded as

the sole conceivable right, because it is founded on reason.”

The Church is Responsible for so Much Injustice

I. Church _________ ≠ Disciple of Christ.

A. ___________ are Not True Representatives of Jesus Christ.

Member

Hypocrites

“But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to

trap me?” (Matthew 22:18 NIV) “Woe to you, teachers of the law and

Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.” (Matthew

23:13 NIV)

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and

when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.”

(Matthew 23:15 NIV)“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a

tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more

important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have

practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.” (Matthew 23:23 NIV)

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the

outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.”

(Matthew 23:25 NIV)“Woe to you, teachers of the law and

Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of

dead men’s bones and everything unclean.” (Matthew 23:27 NIV)

The Church is Responsible for so Much Injustice

I. Church _________ ≠ Disciple of Christ.

A. ___________ are Not True Representatives of Jesus Christ.

B. The Christian Church has not always followed the _________ of Christ.

Member

Hypocrites

27 “But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,

28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” (Luke 6:27–28

NIV)

Teachings

27 “But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,

28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” (Luke 6:27–28

NIV)

27 “But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,

28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” (Luke 6:27–28

NIV)

II. Disciple of Christ _______ Person.Perfect

“18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the

desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For what I do is not the

good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I

who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.” (Romans 7:18-20 NIV)

II. Disciple of Christ _______ Person.Perfect

“21 So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22

For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in the

members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a

prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24 What a wretched man I am!

Who will rescue me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:21-24 NIV)

II. Disciple of Christ _______ Person.Perfect

25 “Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:18–25 NIV)

“1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the

law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:1–2 NIV)

II. Disciple of Christ _______ Person.

A. We are at the same time _______ and ______.

B. We understand and learn God’s Word ___________.

Perfect

Sinner Saint

Imperfectly

“The seismic shock of out-and out atheism sent tidal waves across Europe and beyond, accounting directly for the annihilation and butchering of more than one

hundred million people this past century alone. Humanity has paid a steep, gruesome price for the

awful experiments in deliberate antitheism carried out by Lenin, Hitler, Stalin, Mao Tse-tung and others –

each of whom was profoundly influenced by the writings of the apostles of atheism…After watching

atheism proliferate…it’s clearer than ever that…without God, we’re lost.” – Luis Palau

III. True Disciples of Christ + the Holy Spirit = ______ on earth, goodwill to men. Peace

“3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all

kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating

one another.” (Titus 3:3 NIV)

III. True Disciples of Christ + the Holy Spirit = ______ on earth, goodwill to men. Peace

4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not

because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us

through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:3–7 NIV)

III. True Disciples of Christ + the Holy Spirit = ______ on earth, goodwill to men.

A. Christ gives _______ to all people.

Peace

Dignity

“26 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27 for all of you who were

baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither

Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

(Galatians 3:26–28 NIV)

III. True Disciples of Christ + the Holy Spirit = ______ on earth, goodwill to men.

A. Christ gives _______ to all people.

B. The love of Christ motivates His disciples to _______.

C. The love of Christ motivates His disciples to _____ and _______ God and others.

Peace

Dignity

Repent

Love Serve