I didn’t quite know, like a lot of my posts; where this should go. So I put it here. I suppose if needed the moderators can move it.
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I in my years have seen things get bad enough that it sickens me. But that's nothing. It hasn't really started yet. I have heard it will get so bad the church itself will become corrupt. I have also heard the opposite. That before things get quite that bad the church will be *taken*. Whatever that means. Can someone shed some light on this for me?
It depends on what you are talking about, whether it is corruption of people in the Church or some belief you may have that the Church itself as a religion and her teachings will become corrupt or exactly what it is you mean.
That God’s religion had its share of those within it that have been corrupt, the entire Bible bears witness. In the days of Moses, just after the exodus from Egypt and at the very foot of Mt. Sinai where they were witnessing the Great Theophany of God, the children of Israel acted corrupt.–Exodus 32.
In the days of Elijah, the prophet had seen such corruption in the worship and nation of the Israel that he felt he was the only faithful servant of God left.–1 Kings 19:10.
The prophet Jeremiah, though faithful to Lord, was greatly mistreated by his own people, the Jews. His own brothers attacked him, he was beaten and placed into stocks by a priest and a false prophet, thrown in jail by the king, threatened with death, even left for dead in a muddy cistern by Judah’s high officials–Jeremiah 12:6; 20:1-4; 37:18; 38:4-28.
But in all these instances it was not the religion of the Jews that was corrupt. It was the individuals who proved false to its teachings. Did Moses or Elijah or Jeremiah give up or decide to stop worshipping as Jews because of the corruption of others, even the majority, and this mistreatment they repeatedly received from the unfaithful others? No. The worship of God is one thing. The corruption of members is another.
There is also the problem we might have when we see things change in the Church. We sometimes think that God is limited to what we understand as religious truth, that God would never and can never cross lines defined by doctrine or do something new and unheard of.
But when God did do things like this, some people protested. When Jesus spoke freely with a woman–a Samaritan woman, at that–the apostles didn’t say anything but clearly felt Jesus was overstepping boundaries. (John 4:27) At another time Jesus’ apostles felt it improper for a Gentile woman to be asking for help from the Messiah. (Matthew 15:26) And when God told Peter to slaughter and eat animals that we not kosher, Peter protested and called such things “unclean.” (Acts 10:16) In each of these cases the apostles felt there were religious boundaries that could not be crossed lest they become corrupt by doing so.
“I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now,” Jesus told his apostles shortly before his Passion. (John 16:12) Worship of God was not to remain static as it had under the Mosaic Law. Things were always going to change, and the Holy Spirit was going to lead Christ’s followers into the changes if they were willing.–John 16:13; compare with John 6:60-67.
We cannot say what God intends to do in the future and how this will demand that we change our views. God may even do things that we think are corrupt and save those we now believe are undeserving. (Read Matthew 20:1-16) If we refuse to change with our merciful God, we will find ourselves outside the Heavenly Wedding feast like the stubborn older brother in the parable of the Prodigal Son. He believed his father was acting wrongly in welcoming his lost brother.–Luke 15:27-32.
God will never act corrupt. And while some people who claim to follow God may act unfaithful, this does not mean God’s Church is. We must have the faith of Moses, Elijah, and Jeremiah to stay faithful even when all around us seems to fail. And we must be ready to follow the lead of our Lord as he extends mercy to those we might even feel can’t possibly be recipients of it.
This will take courage and faithfulness and trust in the way God is leading you. Now is the time to be ready to “deny yourself” and follow Christ no matter where he goes. (Luke 9:23) God is not looking for people who complain because others around us are being corrupt or because we don’t approve of what God is doing. Make up your mind now, and realize there is no room for those not willing to be brave, for it is written:
“You need endurance to do the will of God and receive what he has promised…We are not among those who draw back and perish, but among those who have faith and will possess life.”–Hebrews 10:35-39.
But it would help if your clarified what exactly you mean and give an example.
