nation of mankind. That this group control is never to be perfected is evident from Daniel’s prophecy. The iron clad rule of autocratic power will perpetuate itself to an extent until the return of the Christ — right along with the cohesive clay of the mass prerogative (Dan. 2:43). The “ power élite” (to use C. Wright Mills’ phrase) will always stand over against the group and will even be a'ble to use it. This very combination will make Anti christ’s reign possible. Group conformity will also have considerable effect upon the Church of Jesus Christ. World unity through the power of corporate flesh is not only Satan’s last great stratagem for the consolidation of personal earthly pow er, but it will also constitute his last devastating attack upon the body of Christ. The effects of this are described in the Laodicean address. Historically, the Laodicean church was a city of com promise. W. M. Ramsay described it as a city where there were no extremes and few outstanding features, and which was characterized by pliability, accommodation, compromise and even balance. It was a suitable figure for the Holy Spirit to use to warn the church of the latter days. The same dynamic as that behind Antichrist will infiltrate the church and overcome it to a tremen dous extent before the beginning of the great tribulation. The church of Christ will regulate itself by the crowd— perhaps the Christian crowd. The voices which speak out boldly about Biblical specifics will be subdued in favor of a more comfortable framework while allegiance to the Scripture will still be professed. Loyalty to Christ will still be a shibboleth, but it will be structured by the group definition of loyalty. The commands of Christ and the apostles will be “ obeyed,” but with the under standing that they were given for the benefit of the Laodicean church and must be adjusted accordingly. In a word, the social trend toward group conformity, the crest of which Antichrist will ride, will also make itself powerfully manifest in the Church. The Laodicean address itself demonstrates this in sev eral ways. First, the very word Laodicea is related to people-righteousness, folk-regulation or crowd decree. On this basis J. A. Seiss commented years before the actual development of the modem social orientation that the Laodicean church would be completely opposite to the Nicolaitan (clerically dominated) church of the medieval period, and would be dominated by the “mob.” Second ly, Christ presents Himself in this letter as the Amen. He thus uses a Hebrew word by which to call Himself the support or foundation of church life. To the church which is evidently built upon the foundation of the corporate sentiment, He indicates that He is the central point of reference, the foundation which is laid, and the person who should be in command. Thirdly, the church is neither cold nor hot. The control of the crowd is never completely good or evil, strong or weak, right or wrong. The crowd has its morality, means and loyalties. It will tolerate neither gross evil nor enthusiastic holiness, dedi cated godliness nor blatant atheism, honest zeal nor studied unbelief. If these are the latter days, it is important that the church should examine itself in regard to the crowd orientation. Abundant testimony is forthcoming from concerned pastors and observing parents, as well as from probing professional sociologists, that it is an important and unprecedented factor in contemporary church life. We are either in the Laodicean age or very rapidly ap proaching it. While belief in the soon return of Christ suggests wariness of Laodicea, the crowd-pleasing church in turn becomes another reason for lifting our eyes in expectation. Satan is now using his final and most strategic weapon
C > e v e r a l , t i m e s I had driven by a certain ^ church between the hours of seven and eight o’clock Sunday mornings. I was intrigued by the dozen cars parked in front and around the side of this church at that hour in the morning. I saw no advertised serv ice for 7 o’clock Sunday morning. One morning to satisfy my curiosity, I took the liberty of quietly opening the door to at least peek and listen. Some one was praying, that I could hear. But I couldn’t see anyone. So, quietly tiptoeing for better advantage, I saw better than a dozen men on their knees at the front row of pews in the church auditorium. “ This is interesting” I said, under my breath. I just couldn’t resist the temptation to listen further and through a few more prayers. Now just what would a dozen or more men pray for every Sunday morning at 7 o’clock? As I listened they were pouring our their hearts in petition to their Heavenly Father that He would bless the teachers in the Sunday school and then, too, they prayed for the pastor and the assistant pastor. They asked the Lord’s blessing on the church service which is broad cast every Sunday morning. They pjrayed for the sick, physically and spiritually; and for the lost, even naming them. They prayed for the missionaries and the young people away from home in the military or in colleges. They prayed that they might be better witnesses for their Lord and Saviour. There were no signs nor the smell of any thing to eat. What then was the attraction? It could only have been one thing. The love of these men for their fellow men who didn’t know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. It was! against the church. He must do so! He must do it now, because it is a concomitant to his worldly preparation for the revelation of Antichrist. While the church is here, it is subject to this major and overwhelming temptation. The believer has one definite advantage, however; he knows the nature of the attack. It is clearly identified in the Word of God. Satan cannot back out now and intro duce another major tactic. With spiritual eyes wide open the believer can resist that stratagem to which the or ganized church will eventually succumb. The battle will, nevertheless, be real and fierce. Social pressure, especially when it is religious, is very powerful.
MARCH, 1963
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