Good Morning 08-27

"Don't you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humilate those who hav nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? Certainly not."
- 1 Corinthians 11:22

Of all the excuses that one hears from people who do not belong to church, this one, is mentined as often as any other. I remember grandfather saying that he heard this one also: "I won't join the church because there are so many hyporites in it." We must admit that there are come hypocrites in the church. But they are in the minority. Are the critics actually looking for a perfect institution this side of eternity? The perfect Church is in heaven and not upon this earth. "The Church is not a great exhibition hall for the display of perfect Christians, but an educational institution for the development of believers; it is a school for the training of the imperfect Christian toward that perfection which is to be found at last above."

Christian friends, we know that conterfeit Christians are in our churches. So we need to be alert to problems they can cause, like false teaching and spreading strife. But we also need to be careful about making false judgments about others. According to Jesus, many of "the tares" won't be revealed until the final judgment in Matthew. 13:36-43.

      One day before God's judgment bar
      All sham and pretense will take flight;
      We'll all be known for who we are
      There'll be no hiding from His sight.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY - People will not be judged by the way we see them, but by the way God sees them.