petr

The question of "how did the false doctrine affect the church in Ephesos?" was (i think) perfectly responded in the article itself. It led people to loving the people's myth instead of God's word. Somehow it focused the aim of preaching the faith on the preaching itself, which caused that it was hollow, purposeless. What's more, in the heart of a preacher the hole of purposelessness was filled with his own ego. That's what is likely to happen when faith and religion departs from truly loving God. If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. (1.Cor 13, 1-2) And if that was to became a common practice, the preachers would be admired by the congregation not because of living God's word but solely because of their own "greatness". The religion would converted into a kind of a "Pop Idol", a competition in religion. Effects are clear - there no longer was an interest in the God's will itself in the teaching a preaching. And so the God's will was not fulfilled. Or was not intended to be fulfilled. It was probably clear and apparent on the lifes of many people there. As it can be today - from my own experience i can say that quite often man is tempted to substitute God for his own selfish pride. Even when talking about god. Even when writing to this forum ... so we should be wary. The effect on a mission of a church comes the same way. Church's mission is God's will, church's aim is God's love. Moreover (as it was also already said) - "If the mission is to spread, the church can't be closed inside the churches and create some elitist society. These things are not likeable from the outside. (Not speaking of that they are also not likeable to God.) Wish you a nice Sunday!