[Faith-talk] Lukewarm Believers: The Prodigal Church In a Prodigal World by Leonard Ravenhill

[Paul Smith]

(Leonard Ravenhill (1907-1994) was an evangelist and author who 
challenged the modern church to compare itself with the early Christian 
church as chronicled in the Book of Acts.  The following is from his 
book "Why Revival Tarries, copyright 1959 and published by Bethany 
House Publishers).

To take an overall view of the church today leaves one wondering how 
much longer a holy God can refrain from implementing His threat to spew 
this Laodicean thing out of His mouth.  For if there is one thing 
preachers are agreed upon, it is that this is the Laodicean age in the church.

Yet while over our heads hangs the Damoclean sword of rejection, we 
believers are lean, lazy, luxury-loving, loveless and lacking.  Though 
our merciful God will pardon our sins, purge our iniquity and pity our 
ignorance, our lukewarm hearts are an abomination in His sight.  We 
must be cold or hot, flaming or freezing, burning out or cast out.  
Lack of heat and lack of love God hates.

Christ is now "wounded in the house of His friends." The Holy Book of 
teh Living God suffers more from its exponents today than from its opponents!

The church alone can "limit the Holy One of Israel," and today she has 
consummate skill in doing it.  If there are degrees in death, then the 
deadest I know of is to preach about the Holy Ghost without the 
anointing of the Holy Ghost.

I do not marvel so much at the patience of the Lord with the 
stonyhearted sinners of the day.  After all, would we not be patient 
with a man both blind and deaf? And such are the sinners.  But I do 
marvel at the Lord's patience with the sleepy, sluggish, selfish 
church! A prodigal church in a prodigal world is God's real problem.

Oh, we bankrupt, blind, boasting believers! We are naked and don't know 
it.  We are rich (never had we more equipment,) but we are poor (never 
had we less enduement)! We have need of nothing (And yet we lack almost 
everything the Apostolic Church had).  Can He stand "in the midst" 
while we sport unashamedly in our spiritual nakedness?

Brethren, in the light of the "Bema seat," we had better live six 
months with a volcanic heart, denouncing sin in places high and low and 
turning the nation from the power of Satan unto God (as John the 
Baptist did) rather than die loaded with ecclesiastical honors and 
theological degrees and being the laughing stock of hell and of 
spiritual nonentities.

Preachers make pulpits famous; prophets make prisons famous.  May the 
Lord send us prophets!

Oh, in comparison with the New Testament church we are so 
sub-apostolic, so substandard! Sound doctrine has put most believers 
sound asleep, for the letter is not enough.  It must be kindled! It is 
the letter plus the Spirit that "Giveth life." A sound sermon in 
flawless English and flawless interpretation can be as tasteless as a 
mouthful of sand.  A blazing bush drew Moses; a blazing church will 
attract the world, so that from its midst they will hear the voice of 
the living God.

Wow, but with what pathos Brother Ravenhill wrote the above words! I 
wouldn't be surprised to learn that in parts of this book could be 
found his impression of I Peter 4:17:  "For the time has come for 
judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, 
what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?" (NKJV).

And there you have it for today.  Until tomorrow when, Lord willing 
another timely article will be shared with you, may the God of Abraham, 
Isaac and Jacob just keep us safe, individually and collectively, in 
these last days in which we live.  Your Christian friend and brother, Paul