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I was looking for the perfect church, so I decided to call the Apostle Paul in my imagination and ask a few questions.
There's no one better than him to help Me find a perfect church, after all, he is the founder of several churches and knows them very well.
Me - Hello! Is this, Paul, the apostle?
Paul - Yes, it's him!
Me - May the peace of Christ be with you!
Paul - Amen, bro
Me - Sorry for the inconvenience, Apostle, but I need your help. It's just that I've been so disappointed in the church I'm in, that now I am looking for the perfect church. I was thinking about the church in Corinth. Is this the perfect church?
Paul - Look, the Church in Corinth has little groups (1 Cor. 1:12,13), envy, strife (1 Cor. 3:3) and issues that end up in the court of common justice (1 Cor. 6:1-2, 4-5), and there are even some people there who commit sexual immorality there (1 Cor. 5:1).
Me - How about the Church in Ephesus?
Paul - It's a Church based on the Word of God indeed (Acts 20:27), but lately there is a lot of unloving people attending services there (Rev. 2:4).
Me - I will probably go to the church in Thessalonians then.
Paul - There are some people who don't like to work there (2 Thess. 3:11).
Me - Wow, it's hard, huh, apostle?! What if I go to the church of the Philippians?
Paul- It is a good church, but there are two sisters there called Euodia and Syntyche who have a disagreement and are not talking to each other (Phil. 4:2).
Me - So I think I'll move to the church in Colossians.
Paul - Well, there are some heretics who are causing confusion there. There is also a group there that is worshiping angels (Col. 2:18).
Me- What! What if I go to the church of the Galatians?
Paul- Well, there are some believers biting and devouring each other over there (Gal. 5:15).
Me - I didn't know it was so hard to find the perfect church.
Paul - I was even talking to Apostle John and asked how the church in Thyatira was doing, he told me that the members are allowing a woman who calls herself a prophetess to teach about prostitution and idolatry in the church (Rev. 2:20).
He told me that in Laodicea, the church members are far from perfect, for they are proud, materialistic and lukewarm (Rev. 3:14-18). In Pergamum, there are some who follow the doctrines of the Nicolaitans and Balaam (Rev. 2:14-15).
Me - You know, Apostle Paul, I've thought of going to the headquarters in Jerusalem, but I heard that there is a lot of prejudice going on there (Gal. 2:11-13), as well as murmurers (Acts 6:1) and some who lie to the apostles (Acts 5:1-11). And now, where do I go, apostle?
Paul - You need to understand that there is no perfect church as it is made up of human beings.
Don't stop going to church just because people are imperfect (Heb. 10:24,25). Rather help your brethren by counseling and exhorting them in brotherly love (Heb. 3:12,13).
Make yourself available to God (2 Cor. 8:5).
When you go to church, don't worry whether or not the message will please you, but do so to offer your life as A PLEASING SACRIFICE TO THE LORD! (Rom. 12:1)
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