The Condition of God's True Church Today

Here are a few Bible passages that describe God's True Church in the Last Days:

Isaiah 3:13-4:6

These verses describe the church during the period of the investigative judgment, when the Lord "standeth to judge the people" (3:13). Read verses 16-24.

"The prophecy of Isaiah 3 was presented before me, as applying to the last days, and the reproofs are given to the daughters of Zion, who have thought only of appearance and display. Read verse 25, ‘Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war.' I was shown that this scripture will be strictly fulfilled." 1T 270.

"And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem: When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning." Isaiah 4:3, 4.

Jerusalem and Zion are references to the church. God's last-day church is not described in very good terms here. It is described as a corrupt, vain, and world-loving people. But notice that God Himself will take care of the situation, by the sword, by judgment, and by burning. Then those that remain in the church (4:3) will be holy.

Isaiah 58:1-60:5

"Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins." Isaiah 58:1.

"My brethren, you need to study more carefully the fifty-eighth chapter of Isaiah. . . . The whole chapter is applicable to those who are living in this period of the earth's history. Consider this chapter attentively; for it will be fulfilled." 4BC 1149.

God's last-day church is described, not as a pure group of people, but as a people of great sin. The description continues through chapter 59. How will the church be purified? Verses 16-19 of chapter 59 show that, since there was "no man" who could fix the problem, God Himself will step in to take care of it. He will "put on the garments of vengeance." Verse 17. "When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him." Verse 19. "And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord." Verse 20.

Ezekiel 9

"The prophet, looking down the ages, had this time presented before his vision." 5T 208.

The best way to describe this chapter is to ask you to read it yourself, along with the inspired commentary found in 5T 207-216 entitled, "The Seal of God."

God's church in the last days is here described as a mixture of faithful and unfaithful people, for there must be a mark placed upon the foreheads of those in the church who are sighing and crying for the abominations taking place within it.

The church is not described as only the pure ones, but as a mixture of good and bad. And how is the situation corrected? Not by the faithful ones leaving the church, but by the divine intervention of God, who cuts off the unfaithful ones from the city.

The faithful members are described as sighing and crying because of the abominations in the church. If the faithful did not consider it to be the church, they would have no reason to cry over it. Their tears are a reflection of the even greater concern felt by God, whose character they reflect.

Micah 7:18

"Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? He retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy."

This verse speaks of the remnant people, and God's longsuffering with them.

Malachi 2 and 3

Here is another passage dealing with God's end-time church on earth, most specifically with the leadership of it. The description is not complimentary. And, once again, the matter is corrected by God Himself (3:2-5).

Matthew 13:24-50

The church is here depicted as a field containing both wheat and tares. While members who are living in open sin are to be dealt with, it is not our duty to attempt a separation between the wheat and tares before the harvest. "In the end of this world the Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity. . . . Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father." Verses 40-43.

Matthew 22:10-13

Those who accept the gospel invitation and are joined to the church are described here as "both bad and good." But some day the King Himself shall make an inspection, and cast the unfaithful ones out into the darkness.

Luke 12:42-53

Verse 42 speaks of the Lord's "household," a word used in Ephesians 2:19 to describe the church. The passage speaks of those who say, "My lord delayeth his coming," and they begin "to eat and drink, and to be drunken." This is the inspired description of God's church in the last days. But the Lord Himself takes care of the problem "when he cometh."

Revelation 3:14-22

This letter from Jesus to His last-day church says nothing good about it. If the church consisted only of those who are true to God, the Bible would not consistently describe it in the condition that it does. In this passage, as in all the others, God takes upon Himself the responsibility of chastening the church.