State of the Church: The Celtic Revival (6)
The Lord shall come to judgement with the elders of his people and his princes. You have eaten up My vineyard and your house contains the spoil of the poor. Why do you crush My people and grind the faces of the poor?, says the Lord of hosts.
– Gildas, The Ruin of Britain
“Thus says the Lord GOD to the shepherds: ‘Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks? You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fatlings, but you do not feed the flock.’”
– Ezekiel 34. 2, 3
“For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.”
– Acts 20.29, 3
False shepherds
The pastors in Britain in the early 6th century were a self-serving lot. They enjoined their wine. They put their hopes in the lies of worldly living rather than the truth of God’s Word. Gildas wrote of them that “the shepherds have been foolish and not sought the Lord. Therefore they have had no understanding, and their flock has been scattered.”
None of this seemed to trouble the pastors in Britain. They hardly noticed the decline in their churches, both in love for God and for their neighbors. They, together with the “Christian” rulers of Britain were responsible for the increase in ungodliness throughout the nation and the lukewarm attitude of the people in general toward the things of the Lord.
The shepherds of God’s flock were taking advantage of the people to ensure they could enjoy as many secular diversions as possible. They were, as Paul warned, wolves, rising from within the flock of the Lord and wreaking havoc and ruin everywhere.
Self-indulgent pastors and false shepherds: No wonder Britain was in a state of ruin.
The Church in society
Jesus spoke of His Church as the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Matt. 5.16-16). He was building His churches everywhere to be a sign that the Kingdom had come on earth as it is in heave and as an outpost from which that Kingdom advanced in the world. And the evidence of the sign and the aim of all Kingdom advance is “righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
In the Church today, we may not be where they were in Gildas’ day, but a similar trajectory is in view.
Unless the hearts of shepherds and sheep are wholly devoted to seeking the Lord, we’re just a generation or so away from ruin. This is a time for repentance, for charting new courses in our walk with the Lord, and for recovering Christ’s vision for us and our churches.
Each of needs to make sure we are living up to the Lord’s expectations and not our own, or even those of our neighbor. Jesus has called each of us to a unique field of ministry in which we are to bear witness to Him, make disciples, and join with other church members in building our church. We cannot leave this work to the shepherds of our churches only.
Od ruins can be lovely. Until we remember that they weren’t built to be ruins, but to be signs and outposts of the Kingdom of God. Our churches may already be in a state of ruin which can see quite yet. We need to examine ourselves—as congregations and individuals—to make sure we are fulfilling what the Lord has called us to do, and not just what is convenient or comfortable to us.
Thank and praise the Lord daily for your church. As long as we have churches, hope remains alive for revival, renewal, and awakening. But that must begin with each of us.
For Reflection
1. What might be some signs that a church was heading toward ruin?
2. What might be some signs that a believer was heading toward ruin?
Psalm 74.1-4
(Rockingham Old: O Lord Most High, With All My Heart)
O LORD, why have You cast us off? Why does Your anger ever burn?
Remember now Your Church, O LORD, and to us let Your grace return.
Turn now Your steps to this sad ruin; our foes have damaged all within.
They roar throughout Your meeting place and raise the banner of their sin.
T. M. Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment to give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
Other columns of interest: This week: In our ReVision series on “The Church” we consider the vision of Church presented in Scripture. Our Read Moore podcast begins working through our book, The Kingdom Turn. The focus of our Scriptorium daily study is on “Matthew: The Coming of the Kingdom.” Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.
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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
