Your Opinion Matters (But Not Really)

I get survey requests all the time. Companies that I patron (and some I don’t) want to know how I feel about their brand, and so I am asked (sometimes with incentives and contests, most times without) to participate in a survey to tell them what I think. Everyone says “Your Opinion Matters!” before asking me to spend my time talking about a store, brand or product. Sometimes I participate, and sometimes I don’t. I was thinking about this same concept this morning, but not in terms of branding or product, but rather the consumerism that is rampant in the Church.

Many people Church shop, Churches (though it is not a Biblical concept) vote in or vote out a preacher based on what they like, and what they don’t like, doing the same with Elders and Deacons. We don’t test Biblical qualifications because we’re either ignorant of the Word, or we’re looking to be comfortable in a church setting rather than seeking instruction from the Source: the 66 books of the Bible that all point to Christ and why He lived, died, and was raised from the Dead. We have grown so comfortable in our freedoms that we have turned the Church in to a place to be entertained or affirmed.

Friends, the Church is not about us. It never has been. Christ is the Head; we are the Body. He determines our path and our steps. We exist for His pleasure, purpose and positions. Our opinions don’t matter, our obedience is Paramount. So, my challenge today is this: examine the Scriptures. Test yourself. Test your words and actions. Test your beliefs and traditions. If Scripture is against any of them, what needs to change? Let’s get back to the Bible, and remove the “product” description from the Church.

2 Timothy 3:10-17

You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

1 Peter 2

So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture:

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,

a cornerstone chosen and precious,

and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,

“The stone that the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone,” 

And

“A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.”

They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.