I found this in Karl Barth's commentary on Romans written…

I found this in Karl Barth’s commentary on Romans written back in 1918. As soon as I read it I asked myself if it might apply to the Church of God today?

Were the Church to appear before men as a Church under judgment; did it know of no other justification save that which is in judgment; did it believe in the stone of stumbling and rock of offence, instead of being offended and scandalized at it; then, with all its failings and offences – and certainly one day purified of some of them – it would be the Church of God. The Church, however, which sings its triumphs and trims and popularizes and modernizes itself, in order to minister to and satisfy every need except the one!; the Church which, in spite of many exposures, is still satisfied with itself, and, like quicksilver, still seeks and finds its own level; such a Church can never succeed, be it never so zealous, never so active in ridding itself of its failings and blemishes. With or without offenses, it can never be the Church of God, because it is ignorant of the meaning of repentance.