If you repair the holes in the hull, you won't need to bail the hold to stay afloat.
And this is what I have been crying aloud for half a century. Not only has the American Church failed to repair its doctrinal and ministry damages, but it has also been allowing loose cannons (unsaved people and carnal believers) to cause even more damage. Each person determines his own relationship with God and the family of God. This is why there is resistance and rebellion in the local church. People do not want to submit to legitimate authority.
God is the Ultimate Authority; He is our Commander; He is our King of kings and Lord of lords; He is our Sovereign Ruler. God has given mankind free will. We choose to either submit to God's rule or rebel against His rule. Rebelling against God's rule will be punished by God. Rebelling against God's rule is sin, and the wages of rebellion is death (eternal separation from God).
God has many different roles and titles. God is King, Lawmaker, Judge, Lord, Shepherd, King of kings, Lord of lords, Savior. But as the Ultimate Authority, He has appointed human leaders to lead according to His will.
God has set up a system of rules and relationships.
God created the family, with the husband and father in authority over the family.
God extended the family to tribes and a nation (Israel).
God appointed leaders over tribes and nations as His representatives.
God's appointed leader of the nation of Israel was a Shepherd/King.
The shepherd cares for, protects, leads, and feeds his sheep.
God wanted to be King of Israel, but He allowed them to appoint a human king. This was a mistake on Israel's part.
God wanted a Shepherd/King relationship with Israel, and God extended that model to human leadership.
In the New Testament, the kingdom of God is not a national entity, but a spiritual family, which the Bible calls "The Church."
The Church is universal, with only one Lord, but the Church also has a local presence, and God appoints qualified men to be servant-leaders in those local churches.
It is the responsibility of the Officer In Charge (Pastor) to keep the local church ship-shape and to launch an offensive against the enemy. Very few have cried aloud, very, very few have launched an offensive against the wiles of the wicked one.
Personal holiness of heart and life is neglected and rejected by a vast number of "pastors" in America, and social holiness, which is corporate Christian action in society (not to be confused with humanistic "social justice"), is left undone, allowing darkness to invade every area of life, beginning with very young children.
We should not only speak out against the powers of darkness, but we should also mount a concerted offensive against the gates of hell, and a vigorous rescue effort to set the prisoners of sin free.
We don't reach our destination by letting the ill winds and contrary tides direct our course. We must take steps to become what God wants us to become, and our churches must come under God's authority and submit to Spirit-led leadership in order to fulfill God's call to reconcile the lost to Jesus.
Programs, ministries, projects, and goals are valid, provided they are according to God's will, and empowered by God's Spirit and carried out by believers who are sanctified and fit for the Master's use.
It is commendable for a Christian to want to grow in grace and progress in sanctification, but desire and growth do not replace faith and following. God wants us to be filled with His Spirit NOW; God wants us to be pure NOW; God wants us to be obedient and productive NOW.
In the same way that a sinner (an unsaved person) becomes a believer (justified, a child of God) in the moment they trust God for salvation, so too a believer becomes a Spirit-filled, heart-purified, entirely sanctified Christian at the moment the believer trusts God to purify their heart.
Some folks have intentions to become a Christian, but without faith, surrender, repentance, and following Jesus, then all that the person has is GOOD INTENTIONS, and someone has said, "The road to hell is paved with good intentions."
Some folks get a good start by turning from sin and turning to Jesus, but they must move on to the Spirit's fullness.
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