Reformation not Revival

This study is directed at those who call for a revival in their Church and town. It is a misguided assumption that a revival is a kick start to see many souls saved in a town or area. It is at best a lazy call for God to do their work for them, and at worst a call in ignorance to what it really means.

I don’t like the word revival as it constrains God to specific times and places, in the Church we seem to think from one revival to the next, as though between is a dark period where we struggle to get people saved and into a Church. Because of this we sometimes try to force revivals with celebrations, conventions and various gimmicky meetings.

God doesn’t need a revival to save people He just needs the right people who He puts in the right place at the right time. We do see revivals (move of God) today and they are in places of great distress, poverty and oppression. Again I don’t really like to put revival on these moves of God but for the purpose of description and definition it does meet all the criteria.

Why then will we not see revival in the UK? Simply put, its not what we need. I believe God is continually pouring out His Spirit on the earth, look at Acts which tells us God is already doing this. In verse 17 it tells us He is doing it on ALL PEOPLE or ALL FLESH in the AV version. Acts 2:17-21

17 ‘In the last days, God said, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams.
18 In those days I will pour out my Spirit upon all my servants, men and women alike, and they will prophesy.
19 And I will cause wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below — blood and fire and clouds of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon will turn blood red, before that great and glorious day of the Lord arrives.
21 And anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

This is very clear and can be seen today in the continued opening up or revelation of the scriptures. I don’t believe this scripture is pointing to a few days prior to the end or the return of Christ. This is a lead up which covers many years culminating in the scenes of verse 20. The fact that we see revivals in other countries also bears up this scripture.

So again why won’t we see a revival? The problem with the western Church today is that it needs a ‘Reformation’ first.

The great reformation in Christian history began in 1517, when Martin Luther ignited the Protestant Reformation. Reformers of Luther’s day emphasized the Bible as the supreme authority in matters of faith and practice. They challenged the authority of the papacy and how the Catholic Church at the time had warped God’s message for its own political and monetary gain.

Wikepedia says of Revival:
Revival in a Christian context generally refers to a specific period of spiritual renewal in the life of the Church. While elements such as mass conversions and perceived beneficial effects on the moral climate of a given culture may be involved, the key factor in revival is the restoration of the Church to a vital and fervent relationship with God after a period of decline.

Revival and Reformation may seem similar but are actually quite different;

Revival can be seen as a quickening of the Spirit.
Reformation is a quickening of the mind.

Reformation comes to the Church.
Revival comes to ‘anyone’ who has an open heart and mind.

9 For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.
11 As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who believes in him will not be disappointed.”
12 Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They all have the same Lord, who generously gives his riches to all who ask for them.
13 For “Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Christianity is being attacked by Science and modern humanistic thinking, specifically in the teaching of creation. Because science appears to give ‘absolute proof’ to back up their theory Christians try to fit this humanistic thinking into the Bible in an attempt to keep the Bible real and relevant. This undermines the foundations of Biblical truths. For some reason people seem to think that God must have got it wrong somehow and in their ignorance they add things and take things out to match the thinking of the day.

What leaders and Pastors are doing by allowing this thinking in to the Church is giving people the right to opt out of parts of the Bible they have problems with. If you can deny creation today then tomorrow it’s the Virgin birth and the next day Sin and judgement, very soon you can deny all of it.

Well this is why we need a revival, people say, we need God to sort out our problems by filling us with His Spirit, transforming our lives so we will have the faith to believe the hard bits. Unfortunately a revival will not sort out a Church which has been lost to bad teaching. Hear me on this, I am not saying God can’t sort this problem out I am saying a ‘revival’ is not the medicine needed to fight this ailment. We have gone too far now for a revival to be of any use.

Here is a definition of the word revival;

To bring back to life or consciousness; resuscitate.
To impart new health, vigor, or spirit to.
To restore to use, currency, activity, or notice.
To restore the validity or effectiveness of.
To renew in the mind; recall.
To present (an old play, for example) again.
To return to life or consciousness.
To regain health, vigor, or good spirits.
To return to use, currency, or notice.
To return to validity, effectiveness, or operative condition.

If a Church has started to go off the mark or slow down then an out pouring of the Spirit can quicken the hearts of the congregation and bring them back in line (a Revival) based on the teaching they were getting, based on the Biblical foundations they had let slip or forgotten, but were in their hearts.

But a Church which has changed its thinking, has perverted the teaching can not be quickened, they become harder than sinners to convert because they think they know the truth, they think they already have the way and they want God to Bless it. 2 Timothy 4:3 tells us of these types of people;

3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

The problem with a Church which has been corrupted is that they have their own Spirit, their own mind, they have their own Faith based on a corrupt and twisted belief in the Word, some have even replaced the Word so when they call for revival they are calling from a position where their mind is closed to God’s thinking and Word, they have already discounted half of the Bible because humanistic influences have undermined it and they have accepted it and embraced it. Romans 12:2 specifically tells us to be different.

2 Don't copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is.

If there are no real foundations which God can build on then God can’t build. First He will have to break down the corrupt foundations we have built before he can then start to do any kind of work. Psalm 11: 3 is quite clear on this.

3. If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?

If you are in a Church which doesn’t have a firm foundation in the Word, real teaching based on a literal interpretation of the Bible then how can God use you as a person or the church as a body, to do His will. As I have said in another study it is not our job to get people in to Church, God will do that, all we are asked to do is preach the Word.

Acts 2:38-47 for the prospering Church.

38. Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
39. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the LORD our God shall call.
40. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
41. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
42. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
43. And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
44. And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
45. And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
46. And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
47. Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

Verse 42 tells us they continued in what they believed, in their faith, in verse 44 they were in agreement in what they believed, verse 46 they taught and were taught about what they believed daily. The result was that in verse 47 GOD added to the Church those HE wanted saved.

If we do this then there will be no need for a revival, God will be blessing the Church. I would go as far as to say that when a ‘Church’ asks for a revival to come to their Church then it isn’t a Church that is doing what God wants, it isn’t doing what was mentioned in Acts 2:38-47 for it was then God would be adding to their congregation. If God is pouring out His Spirit on the whole earth as it says in Acts 2:18 then we will see the fruit of this if we are doing what God asked us to do in Timothy 4:1,2;

1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
2 preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

OK so what is needed?

We need a reformation, a renewing of our mind, a change of direction. Like Luther we need to say hang on, it says in the Bible… and believe it, and do it. We need to believe unconditionally on the Bible. Reformation comes from the word ‘reform’ which means;

To improve by alteration, correction of error, or removal of defects; put into a better form or condition.
To abolish abuse or malpractice in: reform the government.
To put an end to (a wrong).
To cause (a person) to give up harmful or immoral practices; persuade to adopt a better way of life.
A change for the better; an improvement.
Correction of evils, abuses, or errors.

I urge all Churches to look at what they teach, if they teach at all, and if not then why not, God said you should be. If you don’t teach a literal Bible then ask yourself why would God send anyone to your Church.

If you want to see the move of God in your Church and town then start by changing your mind, renewing your mind in God, start by reforming the way you do things. Get in line with the Bible, read the Bible and teach the Bible, you are representing the Author of the Bible to the population around you, ask yourself are you doing it well, are you putting over what God is saying, are you living proof that what He says is true.

If people cant see Him in you then you wont see them in your Church, and more importantly you wont see God either.