makes heaven our home. So what is our message now? What is the gift we give
back to the Lord?
(BMH)
will our church survive?
Our Church won’t, but the Lord’s will. What I mean is: “Unless the Lord
builds the house, they labor in vain that build it.” The degree of success our
organization achieves depends upon the degree to which it adheres to the
teachings of the Writings and thus serves the Lord’s purpose in revealing them,
which is to form a New Church.
One measure of “success” is growth in numbers, which is something
we naturally desire and should indeed strive for. But the spiritual health and
growth of the Church, which is not so easily measured, is the essential thing.
These two kinds of success are distinct, but in the long run they go
together. Dedication to spiritual use tends to attract the people and money
needed to carry it out – as the history of the Academy and General Church
well demonstrate.
Gaining worldly success would be futile if the Church loses its soul in the
process. (cf. Matthew 16:26) The Church’s soul is the Lord, who has come again
in the Heavenly Doctrine as “the Spirit of truth.” (cf. John 16:13)
But how can we know whether we are being led by the Lord and His Word
or by worldly ambition and the conceit of self-intelligence? We cannot, with
any certainty. A thousand people may do the same thing, but no two from
exactly the same motive. Only the Lord really knows what is in anyone’s heart;
and the communal heart (as we might call it) of our Church organization is
even more complex and unfathomable. Besides, our wisdom is so limited that
even the best of intentions are no guarantee that the actions they inspire will
be the best.
Still, it is good to reflect upon what it is we are trying to achieve, and why,
and whether it is in accord with the Lord’s Word (bearing in mind, of course,
that our understanding of it is not perfect).
“You will know them by their fruits,” the Lord said. (Matthew 7:16) This is
the best measure of the wisdom of any plan – the results. But even it is unlikely
to make it possible to say “case closed,” because results are usually mixed.
“Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you
the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32)
(WEO)
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