... to be consumed as stubble. Five characteristics are here given, by which an honest inquirer may be guided if he has a desire to find the Church of God, and avoid the church of the adversary. He must avoid—
(1) All churches which are built up to get gain. A church operated for the purpose of “making money” is not God’s church.
(2) All churches that are built up to get power over the flesh; that is, over fellowmen. Churches not governed in accordance with the recognition of the free agency of man and the law of common consent, are not of God.
(3) All churches which are built up to become popular in the eyes of the world are to be shunned. The “world” in this passage stands for such persons in the world whose interests are only worldly; who are seeking nothing but worldly pleasures, and who are dead to spiritual things. To become popular in such circles is to be outside the true church.
(4) All churches that seek the lusts of the flesh and the things of the world. The Apostle James had something like this in view, when he wrote:
"Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore, will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. (4)
(5) All churches that do all manner of iniquity. It is not only what is generally looked upon as immorality that disqualifies the church that tolerates and condones it; all manner of iniquities have the same effect.
“For I the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance.” (D. and C. 1:31)
All such churches are to be consumed.