Over the years, I have heard people say that the biggest threat to the church these days is a specific preacher, a government policy, the culture around us, watered-down Christian teaching, and a thousand other things. While some of those are legitimate concerns, I do not think any of them are the biggest threat. Here is my nomination for that title.
“For this very reason [because God has given us the gift of salvation], make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:5-8).
To be clear: We are not saved because we are good, smart, or right. We are saved by God’s grace alone. Ephesians 2:8-9 says that we have nothing to boast about except God’s mercy. However, that does not mean that there is nothing for us to do.
In the passage quoted above, we are to “make every effort” to add certain things to our faith. When that happens, and those qualities increase, they will “keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ”. That, I think, is the biggest threat to the church!
The biggest threat is not from the outside, but the inside. The biggest threat is that those who have been given the best gift do nothing with it. They neglect it. They become spectators in their faith rather than participants. The church becomes ineffective, not because others are holding us back or restricting us, but because we have put ourselves in a position where we are unproductive.
“Make every effort” does not mean “earn your salvation”. Rather, it means, “Live a life worthy of the calling you have received” (Ephesians 4:1).
Focus on what really matters. Put some effort into your faith. Allow the Spirit to mature you.
If we do not take that seriously, the biggest threat to the church is us.
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