Church - The (potentially) Most Dangerous Place On Earth

“Now, son of man, I am making you a watchman for the people of Israel. Therefore, listen to what I say and warn them for me. If I announce that some wicked people are sure to die and you fail to tell them to change their ways, then they will die in their sins, and I will hold you responsible for their deaths. But if you warn them to repent and they don’t repent, they will die in their sins, but you will have saved yourself. [Ezekiel 33.7-9]

I am just wondering if in fact there is New Testament application of the principle found in the scripture above.

What if modern church leaders are indeed our current "watchmen?"

What if modern church leaders fail to convey the message of repentance? That makes church potentially the most eternally dangerous place on earth.

Jesus preached two things: Repentance and the Kingdom. Why these two? Because the Kingdom is the most important thing that exists and repentance is the only way to enter it. To learn all about the Kingdom without repentance is to look into the Kingdom through an impermeable glass - it may be seen clearly - possibly even understood - but it will have no effect (temporary or eternal) without repentance.

To be sure, there is a great and vast religion that peers through that impermeable glass! There is much ado about the Kingdom and all the benefits it provides. However, without repentance, religion remains just that - religion - and fails its adherents eternally from entering into the actual Kingdom relationship of salvation.

The key element that determines whether we are looking at the Kingdom through an impermeable glass or not is the presence or absence of the message (and practice) or repentance. If, in our assembly of believers (church), we are not seeing and hearing the message of repentance, we are, in fact, in the most eternally dangerous place on earth! I will go out on a limb here also to say that genuine Kingdom miracles will be absent as well.

If I fail to convey the message of repentance, I am misleading those who hear me. All else I have to say is merely a distraction if I fail first to explain the absolute foundational necessity of repentance. Jesus preached it and so I am no less responsible to preach it (if I am to do the works He did...).

Father, help me to use my words and influence to accurately promote Your Kingdom THROUGH repentance.