The Ballestero Blog

A Second Class Saint In A First Class Church

He looked up at the most beautiful structure his eyes had ever seen. Of all places in town, he liked this place the best. It was considered by all to be absolutely magnificent. Thousands workers were hired just to build this section of the edifice.

Looking slowly up at the giant pillars, he saw that they were formed into cloisters. They were 50 cubits high. He’d heard that the weight of each pillar was so great that it took 20 men to move it into place.

They each were so large that if three men stood together with outstretched arms, they would barely be able reach around them and touch fingers.

This one cloister of pillars by itself is 100 feet longer the world famous Cologne Cathedral.

There were a total of nine of these colossal entrances. But this one outshone them all. It was the best one.

This one entrance had an arch that was 24ft wide and 45ft high. It was decorated with lilies formed out of brass from Greece. It was an absolute work of art. It was fashioned like a border highlighting the whole top of arch. It shimmered and dazzled in the bright sunlight. It’s beauty made each passerby look on with awe.

The entrance originally was named “Nicanor” after the Alexandrian Jew who built the arch. Recently a grave plaque was discovered bearing the Greek inscription: “The bones of Nicanor the Alexandrian, who made the doors.”

Its other name was “Corinthian,” because of the costly material of which it was constructed— Corinthian brass.

However spectacular this was, it still wasn’t the building. It was just the entrance to the building. The building itself was so beautiful that people had even been known to faint just looking at its beauty. But he had never gotten that close before.

Josephus gives many interesting particulars about this gate, which, he tells us, “Greatly excelled in workmanship and value above all the others. They all were plated with gold and silver, but this one was plated more richly and thickly. It was larger than the other gates too. It was 50 cubits in height, the others were 40.” Its massiveness and magnificence, therefore, earned for it the name Beautiful.

The name stuck. They called it Beautiful. It became known as the gate called Beautiful. It was just one of the entrances into the great Temple.

The beggar sat there just looking at this amazing entrance. He had never been inside. He had no idea what the Temple was like on the inside. He could only imagine. His physical handicap, his lameness, kept him out. Because of this, he was considered a second-class citizen. He even thought of himself as such.

No one seemed to know his name. He was not able to work. Begging was his only option. Everyone referred to him as… the beggar that sits by the gate Beautiful.

He lived in survival mode. He had long ago given up dreams of being called a success in life, let alone ever being a rich man. He was content to be a beggar. He was content to let others support him and allow him to maintain this level of existence. He’d accepted his lot in life. He was content to be miserable. He never believed he could ever be any different. He was just a beggar. A beggar that just happened to be sitting by the most beautiful Temple entrance in Jerusalem.

He was a Jew like everyone else. He just didn’t get to enjoy the same level of relationship with Jehovah everyone else did. He considered himself a second-class member of a first-class Temple.

But one day that changed!

Acts 3:1 Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.

Acts 3:2 And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;

Acts 3:3 Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.

Acts 3:4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.

Acts 3:5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.

Acts 3:6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

Acts 3:7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.

Acts 3:8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

Acts 3:9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God

Although this story happened about 2,000 years ago, it still continues to happen throughout many Apostolic churches today on a spiritual level.

It is not unusual to notice 2^nd class saints in 1^st class churches.

Some are easy to spot because they don’t worship or get involved in their church. They always hold back. Something in the past handicapped them and prevented them from enjoying what others enjoy freely every day. They never “enter” into His inner courts. Something keeps them on the outside of everything wonderful. They are content to stay there.

Even in the best of churches, there can be second-class saints.

• Some don’t Worship.
• Some have a problem with Holy living.
• Some aren’t Faithful in attendance.
• Some are lovers of Pleasure MORE than lovers of God.
• Some don’t Obey.
• Some don’t Submit.
• Some don’t Forgive.
• Some don’t give God His tenth.
• Some don’t Witness.
• Some are Proud.
• Some don’t have a Teachable spirit.
• Some are still Babes in Christ.
• Some are filled with Unbelief.
• Some live in Fear.
• Some are Bitter
• Some have no Desire.

All of them COULD enjoy church on a higher level. All of them could even be a blessing to the church family.

There’s no doubt, they are attending a 1^st class church. (Surely no one would CHOOSE to be a 2^nd class saint and sit in a 1^st class church!)

In the Bible story, the men of God invited the lame man to ‘look on us.’

Get your eyes off of every thing else. Look afresh at your Pastor and listen anew to his preaching. Then, do like the lame man did… ‘take his hand.’ You will never change without preaching. You will never be delivered on your own. You can’t even be saved without a pastor. Give your heart to God, and then give your hand to the preacher.

When we join hands with God’s man and “expect to receive something from him,” then we can expect to receive a miracle and a transformation in our life. It will happen.

Even your friends and family won’t recognize you. You’ll act differently. The next time they see you, you will be where you’ve never gone before. You will have entered into the inner courts.

Like the beggar who had never walked or jumped in his whole life, you will praise God and worship Him like you never have before. Your joy will be full for the first time in your life.

We all need to get the revelation that we don’t HAVE to be a 2^nd class saint in a 1^st class church. We don’t have to sit on the outside while others enter in. There is hope for all. You CAN go to places in God where you have never gone before.

You can be a 1^st class Christian in a 1^st class Church!