The deity of Christ is absolutely essential.
It is to be believed, not denied. It is to be lived, not ignored. It is to be celebrated not questioned. It is arguably the lynch pin of Christianity. It is necessary to the Christian faith. It is not negotiable, it is a non-negotiable truth that stands no matter what cult or false religion says or teaches or asserts. It is gospel truth nestled in the true doctrine of God. Up against pagan lies it stands as the pinnacle of orthodox belief. The church of God boldly claims it's truth and rightly takes it's stand on it as the pillar and support of the truth.
When I came to faith in Christ, or better said when God drew me to Himself by grace through faith, and I repented of my sins, being transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of his glorious Son, I did not realize this truth. It was shortly thereafter that I was struck by the magnitude of the teaching. That I was awestruck by the sheer wonder of it all. It hit me like a ton of bricks one day, that while I grew up in a great family, going to a Protestant church, I did not know two foundational truths until I was brought to saving faith...that the bible is completely true and Jesus is God. It is significant to notice as well that these two truths go hand in hand, that they complement each other, that they are both rooted in God's sovereignty.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Our Great God and Savior Jesus Christ
How do we know Jesus is God? Bible says so. Col. 1, John 1, Hebrews 1, 1 John 1, etc. Multitudes of places proclaim Christ's deity. Our triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit exists co-equally, co-eternally, three persons within the one Being that is the one true God.
Why does He have to be God? Because there is no gospel if He isn't.
What results? Maximum worship…the Father is seeking worshippers to worship Him in spirit and in truth. See John 4:23-24.
What difference does it make? All the difference in this world and the next!
When we sin…we have a sinless Savior whose blood covers – if He were not God we do not have a sinless Savior whose blood covers.
When we are fearful…we have a present Savior who is with us always, able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think…if He were not God we do not have such a Savior. When we worry…we have a Peaceful Savior who says, Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you, do not let your hearts tremble nor be afraid.
When trouble comes, in the form of temptation or trial, persecution or condemnation, we have a all-sufficient Savior who is able…if He were not God we would not have this hope, an anchor for our souls, our souls therefore would be aimless and void of any lasting freedom from sin and it’s power and penalty and ultimate presence.
When we are tempted to be discouraged or succumb to self-pity, anger, or resentment, when we feel the magnet-like pull of the world, the flesh and the devil…we have a overcoming, perspective building Savior who has suffered in the flesh, who has been tempted in all ways as we are yet without sin (from the beginning to the end without sin)…if He were not such we would not have such perspective.
When we die…we will be absent from the body and present with the Lord…this is due to the blood-bought sacrifice of Christ on the cross…if it were not so we would not have such a hope. We would still be in our sins. No resurrection, no freedom, only slavery.
Why does He have to be God? Because there is no gospel if He isn't.
What results? Maximum worship…the Father is seeking worshippers to worship Him in spirit and in truth. See John 4:23-24.
What difference does it make? All the difference in this world and the next!
When we sin…we have a sinless Savior whose blood covers – if He were not God we do not have a sinless Savior whose blood covers.
When we are fearful…we have a present Savior who is with us always, able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think…if He were not God we do not have such a Savior. When we worry…we have a Peaceful Savior who says, Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you, do not let your hearts tremble nor be afraid.
When trouble comes, in the form of temptation or trial, persecution or condemnation, we have a all-sufficient Savior who is able…if He were not God we would not have this hope, an anchor for our souls, our souls therefore would be aimless and void of any lasting freedom from sin and it’s power and penalty and ultimate presence.
When we are tempted to be discouraged or succumb to self-pity, anger, or resentment, when we feel the magnet-like pull of the world, the flesh and the devil…we have a overcoming, perspective building Savior who has suffered in the flesh, who has been tempted in all ways as we are yet without sin (from the beginning to the end without sin)…if He were not such we would not have such perspective.
When we die…we will be absent from the body and present with the Lord…this is due to the blood-bought sacrifice of Christ on the cross…if it were not so we would not have such a hope. We would still be in our sins. No resurrection, no freedom, only slavery.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Election and Encouragement
I wrote the following in 1986 while attending Talbot Seminary.
The doctrine of election is grounds for encouragement. There is great encouragement in knowing that the work of God is initiated and sustained by God himself. There is also excitement in knowing that as His instruments God chooses and uses people He has brought into a saving relationship with Himself through Jesus Christ. For the outworking of His purposes, God couples His omniscience and omnipotence with the efforts of His people energized with power by the Holy Spirit. Here is an interesting point: God uses the elect to reach the elect. Those who know Jesus personally are sent out to reach those who are not yet aware of their future standing with God. And God leaves this a mystery to those He sends. He knows. He shows. We offer the gospel to any who will receive it. Some accept what God has done, others reject it. 'The Lord knows those who are His...' 2 Timothy 2:19. The doctrine of election goes together with the universal offer of salvation. In fact, 'the doctrine of election is never taught apart from the universal offer of salvation'".
The doctrine of election is grounds for encouragement. There is great encouragement in knowing that the work of God is initiated and sustained by God himself. There is also excitement in knowing that as His instruments God chooses and uses people He has brought into a saving relationship with Himself through Jesus Christ. For the outworking of His purposes, God couples His omniscience and omnipotence with the efforts of His people energized with power by the Holy Spirit. Here is an interesting point: God uses the elect to reach the elect. Those who know Jesus personally are sent out to reach those who are not yet aware of their future standing with God. And God leaves this a mystery to those He sends. He knows. He shows. We offer the gospel to any who will receive it. Some accept what God has done, others reject it. 'The Lord knows those who are His...' 2 Timothy 2:19. The doctrine of election goes together with the universal offer of salvation. In fact, 'the doctrine of election is never taught apart from the universal offer of salvation'".
Sunday, August 8, 2010
God is Sovereign, man will be held accountable
God is sovereign over all and man is responsible. Two seemingly contradictory truths to finite minds. Like oil and water how could they go together? Many have tried to figure it out and in the process overemphasized one to the exclusion of the other. What results is error of some kind. It is what happens when finite man meets infinite God and tries to explain the infinite in finite terms. We often end up going further than the bible does and misconstruing both the biblical teaching as well as God's intent. If we overemphasize God's sovereignty we make men into puppets. If we overemphasize man's responsibility we make God into one. While both errors are harmful, the second is worse since it essentially puts man in the driver's seat. Both errors diminish a true knowledge of God as they deny certain biblical truths.
The first is a great doctrinal truth that stands as the capstone and pinnacle of all great biblical truths. The other is a fact of life. A biblical truth that causes us to take an honest look at our condition before God and our response to Him. We will beheld accountable for our thoughts, words and actions. Let's take a quick look at both.
1. God's sovereignty. What can we say to begin except amen and amen? Without this great doctrine everything falls down. It would be helpful to define exactly what God is sovereign over. That is easy. Everything. If not, he is not sovereign. He rules as king over all. Nothing and no one is above him. No one gives him orders. Rom. 11, job, etc. No one can tell God what to do or be in charge of Him. He is all powerful, all knowing, all present. He is great and awesome and inspires shock and awe from his subjects. There is none greater. The one true God of the Bible is great. And he is also good, allowing in mercy, grace and his great wisdom, in his design of the universe, for his human subjects to think, act and operate in the world he created, in such a way that they can blame no one for their actions. We call it...
2. Man's responsibility. Another way to put it is accountability. What exactly is man responsible for? Or what will God hold man accountable for? His sin, his response to God, his thoughts, words and actions. For all these things our just and holy God will hold him accountable. Man is not responsible to choose himself to be saved, or to give himself life, or to do any of God's things. He will be held accountable by God for the things God expects from him. Rom. 3:19 says that all the world is accountable to God. Those who reject Christ condemn themselves. They were marked out for destruction and by their own admission they confirm it. No one can blame God or any person for his own actions and choices.
The discussion of man's responsibility often falls into error when the discussion turns to free will. The balance tips precariously towards a view that makes man entirely independent of God, essentially portraying man as greater and stronger than God. But who can resist God's will? He will draw all he has chosen to himself. It is for their good, not their harm. Any discussion of man's free will must have the safety net, the protective fencing if you will, of God's overriding sovereignty, and it must be guarded by the question: What is the will free to choose? Apart from Christ the will is enslaved, not free to choose what is good. Regenerated in Christ the will can choose what is good, right and true, for God's glory and other's good.
The first is a great doctrinal truth that stands as the capstone and pinnacle of all great biblical truths. The other is a fact of life. A biblical truth that causes us to take an honest look at our condition before God and our response to Him. We will beheld accountable for our thoughts, words and actions. Let's take a quick look at both.
1. God's sovereignty. What can we say to begin except amen and amen? Without this great doctrine everything falls down. It would be helpful to define exactly what God is sovereign over. That is easy. Everything. If not, he is not sovereign. He rules as king over all. Nothing and no one is above him. No one gives him orders. Rom. 11, job, etc. No one can tell God what to do or be in charge of Him. He is all powerful, all knowing, all present. He is great and awesome and inspires shock and awe from his subjects. There is none greater. The one true God of the Bible is great. And he is also good, allowing in mercy, grace and his great wisdom, in his design of the universe, for his human subjects to think, act and operate in the world he created, in such a way that they can blame no one for their actions. We call it...
2. Man's responsibility. Another way to put it is accountability. What exactly is man responsible for? Or what will God hold man accountable for? His sin, his response to God, his thoughts, words and actions. For all these things our just and holy God will hold him accountable. Man is not responsible to choose himself to be saved, or to give himself life, or to do any of God's things. He will be held accountable by God for the things God expects from him. Rom. 3:19 says that all the world is accountable to God. Those who reject Christ condemn themselves. They were marked out for destruction and by their own admission they confirm it. No one can blame God or any person for his own actions and choices.
The discussion of man's responsibility often falls into error when the discussion turns to free will. The balance tips precariously towards a view that makes man entirely independent of God, essentially portraying man as greater and stronger than God. But who can resist God's will? He will draw all he has chosen to himself. It is for their good, not their harm. Any discussion of man's free will must have the safety net, the protective fencing if you will, of God's overriding sovereignty, and it must be guarded by the question: What is the will free to choose? Apart from Christ the will is enslaved, not free to choose what is good. Regenerated in Christ the will can choose what is good, right and true, for God's glory and other's good.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Scars Remind Us of Christ's Cross
Someone I know closed an email message recently with these words: "Love as if you’ve never been hurt." I like that. It is so easy to isolate from relationships due to not wanting to be hurt again.
I have scars on my body. Several significant ones in fact. On my right leg I received 17 stitches back in 1979 as the result of an injury sustained during a track race in high school. On my left index finger I received 7 stitches resulting from a botched roast beef cutting incident (100% operator error). I have a 3 inch scar on my right abdomen, the result of an emergency appendectomy in 2004. The pain from all of these is long gone but the scars remain. I remember how I got them. I still do similar activities, but with more wisdom! But some see their relational scars and continue to remember how they got them and as a result they run from relationships. They become tough to be around; they carry their scars like a sign –"Don’t get too close to me!". Scars will always remain. You remember. You still hurt. But not in the same way if you deal with it appropriately and biblically. Resolve differences, reconcile. Put it under the blood of Christ. Let your scars remind you of the cross.
It is one of the reasons we are so insistent at Grace Church that people get in a group where they can know people and be known. Growth in Christ is 100% dependent on God, but the outworking is definitely a community project. We need the Lord and we need His people to bear our burdens and encourage as well as challenge us. It is the way God has designed healthy relationships to work.
I have scars on my body. Several significant ones in fact. On my right leg I received 17 stitches back in 1979 as the result of an injury sustained during a track race in high school. On my left index finger I received 7 stitches resulting from a botched roast beef cutting incident (100% operator error). I have a 3 inch scar on my right abdomen, the result of an emergency appendectomy in 2004. The pain from all of these is long gone but the scars remain. I remember how I got them. I still do similar activities, but with more wisdom! But some see their relational scars and continue to remember how they got them and as a result they run from relationships. They become tough to be around; they carry their scars like a sign –"Don’t get too close to me!". Scars will always remain. You remember. You still hurt. But not in the same way if you deal with it appropriately and biblically. Resolve differences, reconcile. Put it under the blood of Christ. Let your scars remind you of the cross.
It is one of the reasons we are so insistent at Grace Church that people get in a group where they can know people and be known. Growth in Christ is 100% dependent on God, but the outworking is definitely a community project. We need the Lord and we need His people to bear our burdens and encourage as well as challenge us. It is the way God has designed healthy relationships to work.
Friday, August 6, 2010
God's Grace Grants Fellowship
It is easy to take the body of Christ for granted, even when we have a good connection to a local body of believers. Sometimes those who go through the most intense pain appreciate the church most. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in his book Life Together wrote, "It is by the grace of God that a congregation is permitted to gather visibly in this world... Not all Christians receive this blessing. The imprisoned, the sick, the scattered lonely, the proclaimers of the Gospel in heathen lands stand alone. They know that visible fellowship is a blessing. They remember, as the Psalmist did, how they went 'with a multitude…to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday' (Ps. 42:4)…Therefore, let him who until now has had the privilege of living in common Christian life with other Christians praise God’s grace from the bottom of his heart. Let him thank God on his knees and declare: it is grace, nothing but grace, that we are allowed to live in community with Christian brethren.”
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Your Part in the Church
Let’s focus on developing a biblical understanding of your part in the church by looking at 1 Corinthians 1:1-3.
Paul wrote 1 Corinthians to a group of born-again believers riddled by division caused by selfishness and a reliance on hierarchies and social status, somewhat confused about how following Jesus played out into daily living. In the first three verses of chapter one Paul reminds them he was called by the will of God, just as they were called by the will of God to be in Christ (1 Cor. 1:23, 30). He writes to God’s church not that of any individual. That was part of their problem identified in chapter 3; they were divided around leaders rather than the Leader Jesus. He points out an often neglected truth in the church today. He wrote to those who belonged to the church at Corinth, a church, who along with all believers (all who in every place call on Jesus) the Church. The primary implication: every person who is a part of the Church needs to be a part of a church.
1st Question: What is the Church? It is All who believe that Jesus Christ is God the Son, and who trust Him as their Lord and Savior, All believers throughout the world baptized into Christ and indwelt by His Spirit; the entire body, everyone who knows the Lord. All true born-again believers in Christ – justified by faith alone in Christ alone by God’s grace alone for God’s glory alone. We are all one in Christ no matter what local church or fellowship we belong to.
2nd Question: What is a church? Little c. A community of born-again believers, under qualified leadership, who gather regularly for worship, growth and outreach. A localized expression of the Body of Christ living daily in relationship in a community; obeying the head of the church, Jesus and engages in preaching, teaching, baptism, Lord’s Supper, discipline. The true church of Jesus Christ, wherever it organizes and gathers, organically speaks of Christ in a local way – and collectively impacts the world globally. Think globally, live locally.
3rd Question: Is church membership biblical? Is a formal, definable process by which a church’s leaders identify who is a part of that particular assembly something the Bible speaks to? It is not explicitly commanded so many see it as an option, not necessary. Here are 9 reasons that seem to imply the existence of a definable membership; a formal commitment to each other on the part of believers in a local church.
1st the existence of church leadership. Assumes they know who they are leading. Leaders need to “know their sheep”, who they are accountable for. Acts 20:28, 1 Cor 4. Titus, elders in every city. 1 Peter 5.
2nd The existence of church followership. Accountability to leadership – must be an identifiable group that is accountable. Heb. 13:17. Churches Acts 16:5, 1 Cor. 14:33.
3rd The existence of church lists. They kept a list of widows. 1 Tim. 5:9. The church in Jerusalem chose from among themselves, Acts 6. How were they to know who is committed and counted among them?
4th The existence of a formal decision making process. Acts 6; 2 Cor. 2:6.
5th The existence of a formal welcoming process, bringing one into fellowship (right hands of fellowship, Acts 9 Barnabas advocating for Paul and the church receiving him.).
6th The existence of a formal dismissal process. If you can be formally put out of something, it implies that you were formally put into it. There is always a bit of a margin of error, the man in 1 Cor. 5 thought he was saved.
7th The existence of the one-another’s. You can’t do these alone or with people you are not associated with. These are ongoing disciplines, actions, effort put forth in close community with other believers.
8th The ordinances imply belonging. Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are literally invitations to membership –to know and be known; recognized in a certain location by the people of God – giving testimony of your faith and living consistently before a group of like-minded people.
9th The body metaphor and the proper exercise of spiritual gifts. Rom. 12:4, 1 Cor. 12:5, 18, Eph. 4:25. Possibly the strongest explicit argument, 1 Cor. 12 speaks of members of the body, Paul refers to a local not universal Body, a specific church, when body is used w ref to the church it usually refers to a local assembly of believers. Being a member of a body is a church’s public affirmation of a person’s conversion. The Body is handicapped if all are not engaged – all have essential, necessary gifts.
4th Question: Why belong to a church? In one sense the 9 reasons listed above answer the question but in more relational terms, why should every believer be engaged, committed and accountable to a church? Why join a church, not just casually being a regular attendee? Why link arms with a church and say for now, until God leads otherwise, I am here as a part of this body, committed to common life together in this community. These are my people, this is my family of faith?
You are a part of the body and the body missing parts is incomplete. Think of this: Grace Church has everything God wants it to have today to fulfill His purposes in this community. Jesus saying “Follow Me” means join a group of disciples who together are God’s people, the household of God, the family. Sanctification is a community project. In fact You cannot be sanctified apart from the church. Heb. 10:25 Don’t neglect meeting together. We can't obey all the biblical commands or use our gifts or accomplish what God wants us to without being part of a church.
You need the help of others in the body of Christ. building one another up, teaching one another the Word of God. We are not to be lone ranger Christians. We need to be connected in this way if we are to fulfill our calling in the world.
You need to be equipped for ministry. Eph. 4:11-12. Involvement based on your God-given spiritual gifts. We build other believers with our gifts, and we witness for the Lord through our gifts.
You need the protectiononly the church can give. Heb. 13:17. Elders to watch over your soul. Accountability.
You strengthen the church by your presence rather than criticizing it in your absence. Remember, you join a house full of sinners saved by the grace of God. It is not enough to say I am a member of the universal church and leave it at that – you need the accountability and support of a group of people who can get to know you and vice-versa. It is what obedient Christians do. Regenerated people seek out membership (whether formal or informal – whatever the leadership of a particular church has identified). Over forty years ago the founders of Grace Church decided to have a formal, definable membership. We believe it a healthy practice to have a formal, definable membership. It is how we know who is with us. The main idea of church membership in a local body of believers centers on the idea of committed love and accountability.
5th and last Question: What are the signs of a healthy church member? What should a church expect from its members?
You show up. Attend regularly. Heart, mind, body, soul. Love the Lord and your neighbor as yourself. Depend on and trust God. Hunger for His Word. Engage with His people. Get on board.
You support others. Do the one another’s. Know others, allow yourself to be known, get involved in lives. Give of your time, talents, treasure. Use gifts, skills, resources in serving, encouraging. Seek Peace. Pursue reconciliation. Pray. Love as if you’ve never been hurt. Get in a group.
You Serve together from your giftedness. On mission in the community and world – active ambassadors of Christ. No fence sitters. Get out and serve. Train people up and set them loose for active ministry. Speechless – best example of teamwork. 50+ in unison. Our model.
You are either a Member of a church in name and function operate in a healthy way in the body; Keep doing that. Or a Member in name only, not functioning meaningless membership. You need to do some soul searching. An inactive member is an oxymoron – you don’t need your right foot? Or a Member in function but not in name have never officially linked arms with us in the way the leadership has set up; its simple – just do it. Or uncommitted to the church. You may not be able because you are not a believer. You can’t join with us, you can be present, enjoy relationships, but the life in Christ we have is foreign to you, we love you, we care about you and we want you to know Jesus and be a member of the family. You need to turn from your sins to Jesus and believe. You may be a believer that for some reason remains uncommitted to this body of believers. Joshua Harris’ book Stop Dating the Church – observes church daters are often me-centered, independent and critical, short on allegiance and quick to find fault, coming with a consumer mentality – looking for the best product for the price of their Sunday morning, as a result are fickle and not invested for the long-term. Ask yourself these questions...is the gospel affirmed, preached and lived here? Is the preaching faithful to Scripture? Would I want to find a spouse brought up under this church’s teaching? Do I want my kids to grow up here? What picture of Christianity will they see? Biblical or a lot like the world? Can I minister and serve here?
We all need to know how important the church is and to know our place in it. Those who believe Jesus Christ is God, who trust Him as Lord and Savior, are members of the Body of Christ. We welcome them as our brothers and sisters in the Lord, & invite them to identify themselves with our fellowship at Grace Church. I hope you will decide it is time to link arms and put your name on the line with us. That will be exciting.
Soli Deo Gloria
Paul wrote 1 Corinthians to a group of born-again believers riddled by division caused by selfishness and a reliance on hierarchies and social status, somewhat confused about how following Jesus played out into daily living. In the first three verses of chapter one Paul reminds them he was called by the will of God, just as they were called by the will of God to be in Christ (1 Cor. 1:23, 30). He writes to God’s church not that of any individual. That was part of their problem identified in chapter 3; they were divided around leaders rather than the Leader Jesus. He points out an often neglected truth in the church today. He wrote to those who belonged to the church at Corinth, a church, who along with all believers (all who in every place call on Jesus) the Church. The primary implication: every person who is a part of the Church needs to be a part of a church.
1st Question: What is the Church? It is All who believe that Jesus Christ is God the Son, and who trust Him as their Lord and Savior, All believers throughout the world baptized into Christ and indwelt by His Spirit; the entire body, everyone who knows the Lord. All true born-again believers in Christ – justified by faith alone in Christ alone by God’s grace alone for God’s glory alone. We are all one in Christ no matter what local church or fellowship we belong to.
2nd Question: What is a church? Little c. A community of born-again believers, under qualified leadership, who gather regularly for worship, growth and outreach. A localized expression of the Body of Christ living daily in relationship in a community; obeying the head of the church, Jesus and engages in preaching, teaching, baptism, Lord’s Supper, discipline. The true church of Jesus Christ, wherever it organizes and gathers, organically speaks of Christ in a local way – and collectively impacts the world globally. Think globally, live locally.
3rd Question: Is church membership biblical? Is a formal, definable process by which a church’s leaders identify who is a part of that particular assembly something the Bible speaks to? It is not explicitly commanded so many see it as an option, not necessary. Here are 9 reasons that seem to imply the existence of a definable membership; a formal commitment to each other on the part of believers in a local church.
1st the existence of church leadership. Assumes they know who they are leading. Leaders need to “know their sheep”, who they are accountable for. Acts 20:28, 1 Cor 4. Titus, elders in every city. 1 Peter 5.
2nd The existence of church followership. Accountability to leadership – must be an identifiable group that is accountable. Heb. 13:17. Churches Acts 16:5, 1 Cor. 14:33.
3rd The existence of church lists. They kept a list of widows. 1 Tim. 5:9. The church in Jerusalem chose from among themselves, Acts 6. How were they to know who is committed and counted among them?
4th The existence of a formal decision making process. Acts 6; 2 Cor. 2:6.
5th The existence of a formal welcoming process, bringing one into fellowship (right hands of fellowship, Acts 9 Barnabas advocating for Paul and the church receiving him.).
6th The existence of a formal dismissal process. If you can be formally put out of something, it implies that you were formally put into it. There is always a bit of a margin of error, the man in 1 Cor. 5 thought he was saved.
7th The existence of the one-another’s. You can’t do these alone or with people you are not associated with. These are ongoing disciplines, actions, effort put forth in close community with other believers.
8th The ordinances imply belonging. Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are literally invitations to membership –to know and be known; recognized in a certain location by the people of God – giving testimony of your faith and living consistently before a group of like-minded people.
9th The body metaphor and the proper exercise of spiritual gifts. Rom. 12:4, 1 Cor. 12:5, 18, Eph. 4:25. Possibly the strongest explicit argument, 1 Cor. 12 speaks of members of the body, Paul refers to a local not universal Body, a specific church, when body is used w ref to the church it usually refers to a local assembly of believers. Being a member of a body is a church’s public affirmation of a person’s conversion. The Body is handicapped if all are not engaged – all have essential, necessary gifts.
4th Question: Why belong to a church? In one sense the 9 reasons listed above answer the question but in more relational terms, why should every believer be engaged, committed and accountable to a church? Why join a church, not just casually being a regular attendee? Why link arms with a church and say for now, until God leads otherwise, I am here as a part of this body, committed to common life together in this community. These are my people, this is my family of faith?
You are a part of the body and the body missing parts is incomplete. Think of this: Grace Church has everything God wants it to have today to fulfill His purposes in this community. Jesus saying “Follow Me” means join a group of disciples who together are God’s people, the household of God, the family. Sanctification is a community project. In fact You cannot be sanctified apart from the church. Heb. 10:25 Don’t neglect meeting together. We can't obey all the biblical commands or use our gifts or accomplish what God wants us to without being part of a church.
You need the help of others in the body of Christ. building one another up, teaching one another the Word of God. We are not to be lone ranger Christians. We need to be connected in this way if we are to fulfill our calling in the world.
You need to be equipped for ministry. Eph. 4:11-12. Involvement based on your God-given spiritual gifts. We build other believers with our gifts, and we witness for the Lord through our gifts.
You need the protectiononly the church can give. Heb. 13:17. Elders to watch over your soul. Accountability.
You strengthen the church by your presence rather than criticizing it in your absence. Remember, you join a house full of sinners saved by the grace of God. It is not enough to say I am a member of the universal church and leave it at that – you need the accountability and support of a group of people who can get to know you and vice-versa. It is what obedient Christians do. Regenerated people seek out membership (whether formal or informal – whatever the leadership of a particular church has identified). Over forty years ago the founders of Grace Church decided to have a formal, definable membership. We believe it a healthy practice to have a formal, definable membership. It is how we know who is with us. The main idea of church membership in a local body of believers centers on the idea of committed love and accountability.
5th and last Question: What are the signs of a healthy church member? What should a church expect from its members?
You show up. Attend regularly. Heart, mind, body, soul. Love the Lord and your neighbor as yourself. Depend on and trust God. Hunger for His Word. Engage with His people. Get on board.
You support others. Do the one another’s. Know others, allow yourself to be known, get involved in lives. Give of your time, talents, treasure. Use gifts, skills, resources in serving, encouraging. Seek Peace. Pursue reconciliation. Pray. Love as if you’ve never been hurt. Get in a group.
You Serve together from your giftedness. On mission in the community and world – active ambassadors of Christ. No fence sitters. Get out and serve. Train people up and set them loose for active ministry. Speechless – best example of teamwork. 50+ in unison. Our model.
You are either a Member of a church in name and function operate in a healthy way in the body; Keep doing that. Or a Member in name only, not functioning meaningless membership. You need to do some soul searching. An inactive member is an oxymoron – you don’t need your right foot? Or a Member in function but not in name have never officially linked arms with us in the way the leadership has set up; its simple – just do it. Or uncommitted to the church. You may not be able because you are not a believer. You can’t join with us, you can be present, enjoy relationships, but the life in Christ we have is foreign to you, we love you, we care about you and we want you to know Jesus and be a member of the family. You need to turn from your sins to Jesus and believe. You may be a believer that for some reason remains uncommitted to this body of believers. Joshua Harris’ book Stop Dating the Church – observes church daters are often me-centered, independent and critical, short on allegiance and quick to find fault, coming with a consumer mentality – looking for the best product for the price of their Sunday morning, as a result are fickle and not invested for the long-term. Ask yourself these questions...is the gospel affirmed, preached and lived here? Is the preaching faithful to Scripture? Would I want to find a spouse brought up under this church’s teaching? Do I want my kids to grow up here? What picture of Christianity will they see? Biblical or a lot like the world? Can I minister and serve here?
We all need to know how important the church is and to know our place in it. Those who believe Jesus Christ is God, who trust Him as Lord and Savior, are members of the Body of Christ. We welcome them as our brothers and sisters in the Lord, & invite them to identify themselves with our fellowship at Grace Church. I hope you will decide it is time to link arms and put your name on the line with us. That will be exciting.
Soli Deo Gloria
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