Keeping Ourselves Off the Throne
Imagine what churches would look like if believers truly lived that way.
Keeping Ourselves Off the Throne
One of the greatest dangers facing any church is not persecution from the outside. It is pride from within.
Churches drift when people begin forget about surrendering to Christ. Ministry becomes dangerous when God’s servants crave recognition more than humility.
I’ve seen churches divided over personalities, preferences, traditions, opinions, positions, and power. Churches can lose their focus when ambition replaces humble service.
The church was never supposed to revolve around us. It belongs to Jesus.
John the Baptist understood that. As crowds began leaving him to follow Christ, John made one of the most powerful statements in Scripture:
John 3:30
“He must increase, but I must decrease.”
That is the heartbeat of true ministry.
Not:
“Build my reputation.”
“Protect my influence.”
“Promote my platform.”
Instead:
“Lift up Jesus.”
The healthiest churches are the ones where nobody is trying to sit on the throne except Christ. Pride is subtle because it can disguise itself as spirituality. Sometimes people want recognition for being humble. Sometimes leaders want admiration for being servants. Even good works can become corrupted when our motives stop being about God’s glory.
That’s why humility is absolutely essential in the church. Paul wrote:
Philippians 2:3
“Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves.”
Imagine what churches would look like if believers truly lived that way.
Arguments would shrink. Forgiveness would grow. People would serve quietly. Worship would become sincere. Love would deepen. The Holy Spirit would move freely among people who no longer need to be the center of attention.
The church shines brightest when Christ remains at the center.
Not the pastor.
Not the music.
Not the denomination.
Not traditions.
Not personalities.
Jesus.
At the end of the day, nobody has ever been saved by our opinions or reputations. People are saved by Christ alone. And when we keep Him on His throne, we begin to experience the beauty, unity, and power the church was always meant to have.
