Lovers Versus Prostitutes
A thought-provoking short passage about the relationship between The Church and her Bridegroom. Incidentally, reading it also caused me to ponder a little on our relationship with people around us to a certain extent.
Are our relationship with people (we think) we love based on material benefits we can get out of it, or just because we simply enjoy their company. Or do we not mind something less?
Anyway, here's the 'short passage'...
By David Ryser:
“A number of years ago, I had the privilege of teaching at a School of Ministry. My students were hungry for God, and I was constantly searching for ways to challenge them to fall more in love with Jesus and to become voices for revival in the Church. I came across a quote attributed most often to Rev. Sam Pascoe. It’s a short version of the history of Christianity, and it goes like this:
“Christianity started in Palestine as a fellowship; it moved to Greece and became a philosophy; it moved to Italy and became an institution; it moved to Europe and became a culture; it came to America and became an enterprise. Some of the students were only 18 or 19 years old and I wanted them to understand and appreciate the import of the last line, so I clarified it by adding: An enterprise. That’s a business. After a few moments, Martha, the youngest student in the class, raised her hand. I could not imagine what her question might be. I thought the little explanation was self-explanatory. Martha asked a simple question, ‘A business? But isn’t the church supposed to be a Body?’ I could not envision where this line of questioning was going, and the only response I could think of was, ‘Yes.’ She continued, ‘But when a body becomes a business, isn’t that a prostitute?’ The room went dead silent. For several seconds no one moved or spoke. We were stunned, afraid to make a sound because the presence of God had flooded into the room, and we knew we were on holy ground. All I could think in those sacred moments was, ‘Wow, I wish I’d thought of that.’ I didn’t dare express that thought aloud. God had taken over the class. Martha’s question changed my life.
“For six months, I thought about her question at least once every day. ‘When a body becomes a business, isn’t that a prostitute?" There’s only one answer to her question. The answer is ‘Yes.’ The Church, tragically, is full of people who do not love God. How can we love Him when we don’t even know Him? And I mean really know Him. The root of this condition originates in how most of us came to God. Most of us came to Him because of what we were told He would do for us. We were promised that He would bless us in life and take us to heaven after death. We married Him for His money, and we don’t care if He lives or dies as long as we can get His stuff. We have made the Kingdom of God into a business, merchandising His anointing. This should not be. We’re commanded to love God, and are called to be the Bride of Christ – that’s pretty intimate stuff. We’re supposed to be His lovers. How can we love someone we don’t even know? And even if we do know someone, is that a guarantee that we truly love them? Are we lovers or prostitutes? Think about this will you?”
Are our relationship with people (we think) we love based on material benefits we can get out of it, or just because we simply enjoy their company. Or do we not mind something less?
Anyway, here's the 'short passage'...
By David Ryser:
“A number of years ago, I had the privilege of teaching at a School of Ministry. My students were hungry for God, and I was constantly searching for ways to challenge them to fall more in love with Jesus and to become voices for revival in the Church. I came across a quote attributed most often to Rev. Sam Pascoe. It’s a short version of the history of Christianity, and it goes like this:
“Christianity started in Palestine as a fellowship; it moved to Greece and became a philosophy; it moved to Italy and became an institution; it moved to Europe and became a culture; it came to America and became an enterprise. Some of the students were only 18 or 19 years old and I wanted them to understand and appreciate the import of the last line, so I clarified it by adding: An enterprise. That’s a business. After a few moments, Martha, the youngest student in the class, raised her hand. I could not imagine what her question might be. I thought the little explanation was self-explanatory. Martha asked a simple question, ‘A business? But isn’t the church supposed to be a Body?’ I could not envision where this line of questioning was going, and the only response I could think of was, ‘Yes.’ She continued, ‘But when a body becomes a business, isn’t that a prostitute?’ The room went dead silent. For several seconds no one moved or spoke. We were stunned, afraid to make a sound because the presence of God had flooded into the room, and we knew we were on holy ground. All I could think in those sacred moments was, ‘Wow, I wish I’d thought of that.’ I didn’t dare express that thought aloud. God had taken over the class. Martha’s question changed my life.
“For six months, I thought about her question at least once every day. ‘When a body becomes a business, isn’t that a prostitute?" There’s only one answer to her question. The answer is ‘Yes.’ The Church, tragically, is full of people who do not love God. How can we love Him when we don’t even know Him? And I mean really know Him. The root of this condition originates in how most of us came to God. Most of us came to Him because of what we were told He would do for us. We were promised that He would bless us in life and take us to heaven after death. We married Him for His money, and we don’t care if He lives or dies as long as we can get His stuff. We have made the Kingdom of God into a business, merchandising His anointing. This should not be. We’re commanded to love God, and are called to be the Bride of Christ – that’s pretty intimate stuff. We’re supposed to be His lovers. How can we love someone we don’t even know? And even if we do know someone, is that a guarantee that we truly love them? Are we lovers or prostitutes? Think about this will you?”
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