There are only two ways to live: with God or without God. Our adversary the devil desires to snatch us away from the Savior (Luke 22:31), and has many devices with which to distract us. Paul tells Elymas that he is a child of the devil for opposing the Scriptures (Acts 13: 6-12). The subtle nature of Satan (II Cor. 11;3) can cause us to be our own lethal spiritual enemy (II. Tim. 2: 25,26). Eternal issues are at stake when we rob God of his authority and question his Holy Scriptures.

Christians should understand that there is a high price to be paid because of the pathetic nature of sin. It seems that Satan has gained such a hold on God's people that it is difficult to find genuine repentance in the hearts of Christians anymore. Consider how Satan uses the influence of society to create skepticism and disbelief within the church. We find shallow lives, indifference, lethargy, compromise, a emphasis on the worldly, the pursuit of wealth, spiritual ignorance, iniquity, foolish endeavors, and arguments concerning who really wields the power in the church that Christ established.

Instead of trusting Jesus Chirst with their souls, Christians place their hopes, or wages in a bag full of holes (Haggi 1:6).

Solomon made it very clear in Ecclesiastes 2:1-11, that only vanity and vexation await the pursuer of secular glory. Are we guilty of stealing from the very One who gives us life and breath? "There is no peace saith my God, to the wicked" (Isa.57:21). Seeking first God's kingdom does not appear at the present to be the church's strong point. Who among us can look at the modern church and not be reminded of Malachi's warnings of robbing God.

There are those in the Lord's church that question the authority of the eldership. This is not just a local problem but one that seems to be rather universal in the church of Chirst. But we maintain that those who question the authority of the eldership in essence are questioning the authority of God and that in and of itself is sinful.

There is an article titled Pastor, Power, Preachers by Carl B. Garner of Dripping Springs, Church of Christ in Dripping Springs, Tx. Read it here

In his article we find the following statement:

"Power is, of course, wielded in more than one way....It is not always the most obvious person who holds the real power in a particular sphere of society. In the body of Christ there have been preachers who seemed to think that the power resides in them. If their following is strong enough, that local congregation literally is ruled by him...Who holds the power? Doesn't this whole scenario rest on an ungodly attitude in some who are entrusted with the "feeding" [not "fleecing"] of the flock? This whole idea of power indicates a great deal of misunderstanding. The real issue should be privilege, the fulfillment of responsibility, not power. Leaders who see their place as one of power are desperately in need of instruction. "

The little book of Malachi is only four chapters but well worth the time it takes to study it. It concerns many of the attitudes we find in the church today. Religious indifference and skepticism are as prevalent today as they were four hundred years before Chirst. We must remember that 1st Peter 2:9 tells us that believers are God's treasured possessions and the book of Malachi
tells us that God will remember those who remain faithful and avoid the power struggles we find
in the church today.

Article by Dr. Moss Dickerson