There are many reasons and factors why many people despise the Church of Jesus Christ today: 

1. IGNORANCE, LACK OF KNOWLEDGE, AND LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF THE PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH: 

The price for ignorance is greater than the price for knowledge. He that knows not and knows not that he knows not is ignorant. A lot of people despise the Church because of their lack of knowledge of the workability and the ownership of the Church. The Church belongs to the Head -Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:22) and anything done against the Church is done against the Lord Jesus Himself. 

If everybody that comes to Church will have this understanding, it will really change the attitude of many toward the Church .When you don’t understand something you treat it anyhow. God has a purpose for the Church and it is the sense of purpose that gives life, drive and meaning. If the purpose of a thing is not understood abuse will be inevitable! 

The abuse of the Church by those who are called to defend it, is a clear indication of insensitivity and lack of understanding of the purpose of the Church. 

2. SELFISHNESS AND OUTRIGHT WICKEDNESS: 

“For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares: they set trap, they catch men. As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: Therefore they are become great and waxen rich. They are waxen fat, they shine yea, they over pass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper: and the right of the needy they do not judge” Jeremiah 5:26-28 

Selfishness and outright wickedness are one of the reasons why many don’t care about the Church and neglect their contributions and functions to compliment the Church. And for this reason the work of God is suffering tremendously. Selfishness and wickedness have made many not to look beyond their nose, they are only focused and satisfied when their needs are met and they enjoy and live to the detriment of the Church and the people of God. 

“The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts” Psalm 10:4 

Self-centered, riotous life and thought have short-circuited the eyes of many not to take up their responsibilities in the Church. 

2. LACK OF FEAR OF GOD:

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil” Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 

Lack of fear of God is to give a vote of no-confidence to God. In fact it is an act of disrespect to God. When people don’t fear God they behave anyhow in His house. And what you cannot allow your children to do in your house why should you do it in the Church? Many come to the Church and eat all kinds of stuffs and just throw the papers, and waterproofs on the floor. 

They can even drop their chewing gums on the floor, in the house of God because of lack of fear for God. The Church is not just an ordinary building but also the habitation of the Spirit of God and His presence. You need to have a holy reverence for God as you come to Church if not you are just despising the Church and Jesus Christ. 

4. UNFAITHFULNESS AND INGRATITUDE: 

“Help, Lord: for the godly man ceaseth: for the faithful fall from among the children of men” Psalm 12:1 

“In the last days, men shall be unthankful” 2 Timothy 3:1, 

“And Jesus answering said, were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?” Luke 17:17 

Unfaithfulness and ingratitude have eaten the fibers of many Christians in these last days. And they are no longer appreciative of what the Church, their families and the pastor contribute to their lives. Some of them came to the Church poor as a rat , but the corporate anointing in the Church , wise counseling and care of the pastor catapulted them to the level they are today, and in return they criticize the same Church, the leaders and the pastor and finally walk out of the Church or change Church. 

Anytime you think that you have walked out of a Church, you have just walked out of God and if you change Church, you have you not changed the God of the Church! You are just an ungrateful and unfaithful servant who refuses to appreciate the inputs of others in his life and accomplishments. An ungrateful man or woman might be a great fool! 

Unfaithfulness is the reason why many receive blessings from the preaching, teaching and the care of the Church but refuse to pay their tithes, offering and say good things about the same place they received their nourishment. You cannot bite the same fingers that feed you daily! You cannot drink from a clean river and urinate in the same river. 

If you do, you have just blocked others from drinking from the same river. Let me tell you, if you have nothing to offer to the place that nurtured you and made you who you think you are, just say good things about the same place that saved you from decay and ruin once. You knew how you were when you came to that Church! 

Every child born here on earth was taught how to say papa, mama, and even to say Jesus by somebody. God used someone to speak blessings into your life, taught you the word of God, and baptized you in water and in the Holy Ghost and gives Holy Communion every month. You need to be careful Child of God, before you harm yourself because of your lose character.

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This text is an extract from the book “ DO YOU DESPISE THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST? ” written by Victor Charles OKAFOR.

We invite you to read the following article “LACK OF STEWARDSHIP AND COMMITMENT TO THE KINGDOM”.