What Happens When a Church Member Falls?

Acts 5

    Everything was going well for the church at Jerusalem. The gospel was being preached in the power of the Holy Spirit. The saints of God were united in heart, committed to Christ, committed to the gospel and committed to one another. God was doing great things among his people. The little band of believers had grown from 120 to well over 8,000 in number. The church of God, which had been a joke in the minds of men, was gaining respect and influence. But there were some traitors within, hypocrites, who were of the seed of the serpent. Two of them committed a terrible act of hypocrisy by which their evil hearts were exposed, and judgement began at the house of God. Ananias and Sapphira were both killed by the hand of God for lying to the Holy Spirit. The news of what happened that day in the house of God spread like wildfire through the streets of Jerusalem. One of the despised band, along with his wife, had proved himself to be a hypocrite! You can imagine the talk, the sniggers, the gossip, the finger-pointing.

    Church members, professed followers of Christ, do often fall, just like this wicked pair. Some who, by their actions, appear to be pillars in the church do forsake Christ and his gospel. Pastors, elders and deacons, evangelists and missionaries, respected men and women in the church fall into sin, forsake Christ, forsake the gospel, forsake the worship of God and prove to be hypocrites by wilfully abandoning all that they know to be right and true. From time to time many who profess to be our Lord's disciples go back and walk no more with him (John 6:66). Every time we see that happen, we ask ourselves and one another, 'What is happening? Why have they left us? What effect will this have on the cause of Christ? How is this going to affect the church of God?'

    What happens when a church member falls? Our natural tendency is to be full of doubt and fear. We fear what might happen to the church of God. We fear that the gospel might somehow lose its power and influence because some religious hypocrite has shown himself for what he really is. But our fears are without foundation. The honour of God, the purpose of God and the church of God are safe and secure! Even when reprobate men and women fall from our ranks, our God is graciously accomplishing his purpose in his wise and adorable providence, performing what is best for his church and making himself a great and glorious name (Rom. 8:28; Ps. 76:10; Isa. 63:10-14).

    Here are five comforting answers given in the Word of God to the question under consideration in this chapter: 'What happens when a church member falls?'

    1. God is separating the precious from the vile

    From the very beginning local churches have been a mixed multitude of real believers and mere professors. In every field where our Lord sows his wheat Satan plants his tares. Goats, and even some wolves, have always been found among the Lord's sheep. In every band of true, sincere believers some hypocrites will be found. The names of Judas, Demas, Alexander, Simon Magus, Hymenaeus, Philetus, Diotrephes, Ananias and Sapphira stand upon the pages of Holy Scripture to warn us of the presence of false professors among the people of God. But God separates the tares from the wheat, the goats from the sheep and the hypocrite from the true believer (Matt. 13:30,41-43; 1John 2:19-20).

    This separation is the work of God. He plainly commands us to let the tares grow with the wheat, lest we uproot the wheat while trying to get rid of the tares. God knows how to weed his garden. He uses many things to do it. Earthly trials, the preaching of the Word, the temptations of Satan, acts of judgement, even the apostasy of reprobate men, are instruments in God's hands by which he separates the precious from the vile (1 Cor. 11:19).

    2. God reminds us by the fall of others that salvation is by his grace alone (1 Cor. 4:7)

    Were it not for the grace of God none would persevere in faith (John 6:66-68). Let us never be proud, boastful, or presumptuous. Our only hope before God is the righteousness and blood of Christ our substitute. Were it not for the fact that Christ holds our hearts we would soon cease to hold him (1 Cor. 10:11-13). Yet we rejoice in the comforting assurance that his grace is sufficient, even for us (2 Cor. 12:9). 'Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world' (1John 4:4). Without Christ I am nothing and I can do nothing. But in Christ, by the grace of God, I can go on believing. I can persevere even to my final day in faith. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me! His grace is sufficient! He can and will preserve his own. In spite of the weakness, infirmity and sinfulness of their flesh, 'They shall never perish' (John 10:28).

    3. Whenever one is taken in the snare of the devil God graciously draws his saints closer to Christ and confirms them in the faith of the gospel (Heb. 6:1-12; 10:38-39)

    The sight of 'mighty men around us falling' reminds us of our own weakness. And every reminder of our weakness in the flesh and of the danger of Satan's devices drives believing hearts to Christ for refuge (Prov. 18:10). Often we see our companions fall. Our only comfort, security and rest are in the immutability of God's grace (Mal. 3:6; Lam. 3:24-26; 2 Tim. 2:15-19).

    4. Though many do forsake Christ, God sovereignly accomplishes his purpose of grace (5:14)

    No real harm has been done. Christ has not lost one of his ransomed ones. The Good Shepherd has not lost one of his sheep. The Son of God has not been defeated by the powers of darkness. Ananias and Sapphira fell and God's judgement fell on them, but their apostasy and God's retribution only caused the people of God to be more fully united to one another. Like a loving family, huddled together in their house for fear of danger, the saints of God were 'all with one accord in Solomon's porch', and the Word of God flourished (Acts 5:12-16).

    5. Though many who profess faith in Christ do fall along the way and depart from him, yet our God still preserves his church and maintains his cause in this world (Matt. 16:18; Acts 5:38-39)

    God's covenant cannot be nullified. His purpose cannot be thwarted. His power cannot be defeated. The church of God is safe. The honour of God is secure. Our God will yet be universally honoured in all the fulness of his triune glory and saving grace (Rev. 5:9-14). All is well, for the ark of God is safe! Though many do fall, all who truly trust Christ on this earth are as safe and secure as the saints of God in heaven (1 John 2:1-2; Rom. 8:29-39).

    When any turn from Zion's way,

    (Alas, what numbers do!)

    Methinks I hear the Saviour say, '

    Wilt thou forsake me too?'

    Ah, Lord, with such a heart as mine,

    Unless thou hold me fast,

    I feel I must, I shall decline,

    And prove like them at last.

    Yet thou alone hast power, I know,

    To save a wretch like me:

    To whom or whither should I go,

    If I should turn from thee?

    What anguish has this question stirred,

    If I will also go;

    Yet, Lord, relying on thy word,

    I answer humbly, 'No.'