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A Little Time With The 1689: Day 332

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Day 332

Of the Church.

Chapter 26, Paragraph 10.

“…so as they may have a comfortable supply, without being themselves entangled in secular affairs; and may also be capable of exercising hospitality towards others;…”

Scripture Lookup

2 Timothy 2:4
1 Timothy 3:2

Reflection

Bitterness abounds towards the flashy pastors who appear to live large on the backs of their congregants. Such men use the church for their own gain, and should be rebuked for such. That is often what people think of when the topic of pastors and pay is brought up. While financial fleecing does sadly occur, the impoverished state of a pastor and his family is more likely to happen in your average church. Where is the balance?

It is often joked that a pastor only has to work one day a week. Nothing could be further than the truth. In this chapter of the Confession, a key word describing the work of the pastor is “constantly”. Constantly is he to attend the service of Christ. Constantly is he to attend to the ministry of the word. Constantly is he to be in prayer, and constantly does he watch over the souls in his care. This never-ceasing aspect of the role of the pastor takes a toll emotionally and spiritually. Seeking to provide for himself as well is a great burden, one that the church should be able to relieve through their financial provision.

The church that cares for its spiritual health, and the well-being of its pastor, will provide enough so that he may devote himself to the work of the church. He will not have to obtain employment elsewhere that may hinder his availability. With the generosity of the church, he will in turn be able to be generous to those in his midst. Both pastor and church will be blessed by one another.

Questions to Consider

  • Why is the compensation of a pastor such a sensitive subject for many?

 

 

Saving Faith (Defining Evangelism)

/ William F. Leonhart III / 1 Comment

You can listen to the audio lesson here.

You can also find the “Working Definition of Evangelism” here.

_______________________

DEFINING EVANGELISM

PART V – The Gospel Commands

Lesson Twelve: Saving Faith

“8For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9not of works, lest anyone should boast,” (Ephesians 2:8-9; NKJV).

 

We saw in our last lesson that repentance and faith are commanded of all who hear the gospel of Jesus Christ preached. These are not mere requests or invitations any more than a criminal might be requested or invited to stand before a judge or an officer of the law might request or invite a lawbreaker to put his hands in the air. Faith and repentance are required of all who hear the gospel under penalty of eternal judgment.

Last week we considered the command to repent. We also considered the grace given to God’s children to repent. This week, we will examine the same aspects of saving faith. As we mention last week, faith and repentance are two sides of the same coin. Thus, whereas we are commanded to repent, we are commanded to do so in faith, and whereas we are given grace for repentance, that grace also works in us the necessary faith that works repentance.

The command to believe. In our study, we have considered the purpose of evangelism (the Great Commission), the messengers and the recipients of evangelism, God’s holiness and man’s sinfulness, and the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. These are the central messages of God’s redemptive revelation. There are many other very important doctrines of the faith but, taken as a whole, these are the power of God unto salvation (Rom. 1:16).

The gospel of Jesus Christ is not merely a message to be heard, though. It is also a message to be believed. It is a message in which we are to place our full trust, hope, and allegiance. In order to understand what we mean by saving faith, let us take it in three parts. John Murray explains, “There are three things that need to be said about the nature of faith. Faith is knowledge, conviction, and trust,” (Murray, Redemption Accomplished and Applied, pg. 110)..

When we confess that faith is knowledge, we do not mean to deny that faith requires belief. What we mean to say is that faith is belief that is not divorced from knowledge. Faith in Scripture is never presented as being blind faith. Rather, biblical faith is always married to biblical knowledge. Afterall, “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God,” (Rom. 10:17; NKJV). And what is the word of God if not knowledge of Him received from Him. When we talk about faith, then, we are talking about a substance, an object in which we believe. When we speak of faith, we are speaking about a body of knowledge. We mean to draw our attention to something that ought to be preached, something to be defended. Faith, in this sense, is knowledge.

When we confess that faith is conviction, we mean not merely that we know something, but that we affirm it. It is one thing to assert a truth. It is quite another to agree with it, to assent to it. When we share the gospel with a person at the workplace or catechize our children in our homes or Sunday Schools, we equip them with knowledge through the hearing, but God requires their assent. He requires that they agree with the message that has been preached. He requires that they affirm its truthfulness.

“9that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11For the Scripture says, ‘Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.’” (Rom. 10:9-11; NKJV).

God not only requires that we know the truth. A man can know a tremendous amount about Buddha or the golden tablets of Moroni without ever being convicted of it. Knowledge and conviction, then, are two very different but necessary elements of saving faith. It was not only necessary for Abraham to know what God had said. He also had to believe Him: “just as Abraham ‘believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness,’” (Gal. 3:6; NKJV). He had to be convicted of the truthfulness of the word that had been spoken.

Finally, when we confess that faith is trust, we recognize not only that it is a body of knowledge and that it we must be convicted of its truthfulness. We also confess that we must entrust ourselves unto it. The recipient of the gospel message is not merely being asked to join a club or buy a product. He is being presented with a Savior into Whose hands he is now commanded to entrust not only his eternal soul but, perhaps even more difficult, the remainder of this earthly existence.

The demand that is made upon the life of the disciple of Christ is quite weighty. Christ doesn’t demand bits of the believer here and there. He demands the believer’s whole being. As a skydiver entrusts himself to the parachute the moment he throws himself from the plane, so too the new disciple entrusts himself to Christ from the moment he first bows the knee until he draws his final breath.

The grace to believe. Like repentance, faith is impossible apart from the sovereign grace of God. Let it be known that the whole of the Christian life is all of grace. All that is required of the Christian, including faith, is only accomplished by the sheer grace of God bestowed freely and lovingly upon His children.

“8For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9not of works, lest anyone should boast,” (Eph. 2:8-9; NKJV).

Grace comes to us as a gracious gift from the God to whom belongs all things and from whom all things are freely given. From heaven the plan of redemption was laid. From heaven Christ came to live the perfect life we could never live. From heaven Christ came to receive the punishment that we deserved. From heaven Christ was sprung from the grace that, for three days, held His body captive. After Christ’s ascension, we received the Holy Spirit from heaven. From heaven also, we receive the minds to perceive and the hearts to believe in the glorious gospel that is afforded us in Christ, from heaven.

Thus, we see that our faith is not merely all of grace. It is more accurately to be stated that our faith is all of Christ. He is both the Author and the Finisher of our faith (Heb. 12:2). He is both the Source and the Object of our faith. “For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen,” (Rom. 11:36; NKJV). As John Murray explains:

“It is to be remembered that the efficacy of faith does not reside in itself. Faith is not something that merits the favour of God. All the efficacy unto salvation resides in the Saviour,” (Murray, Redemption Accomplished and Applied, pg. 112).

Surely, “without faith it is impossible to please Him,” (Heb. 11:6; NKJV), but we mustn’t be so foolish as to believe that we can somehow muster this faith on our own. The canal through which our faith is given birth is not the mind, the heart, or the will of man, but the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. No hope, then, is to be placed in the faculties of man.

This knowledge should give us great boldness in our evangelism. When we know that our evangelism does not hinge on man who is prone to fail and err, but on our infallible and inerrant God who has promised to work through the power of the gospel to save souls, we can go in confidence to preach the gospel to a lost and dying world with great confidence. Far from being hindered by sovereign grace in our proclamation of the gospel, we are instead given wings!

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 331

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Day 331

Of the Church.

Chapter 26, Paragraph 10.

“The work of Pastors being constantly to attend the Service of Christ, in his Churches, in the Ministry of the Word, and Prayer, with watching for their Souls, as they that must give an account to him; it is incumbent on the Churches to whom they Minister, not only to give them all due respect, but also to communicate to them of all their good things according to their ability,…”

Scripture Lookup

Acts 6:4

Hebrews 13:17

1 Timothy 5:17,18

Galatians 6:6,7

Reflection

Pastors should be paid.

As part of the office of elder, a pastor is to devote himself to the word and to prayer for those members under his care. He is to know his congregation, keeping watch over their souls. Rather than being the cushy job that some megachurch pastors have led society to believe it is, the pastor that truly cares for his flock carries a tremendous responsibility, as he will be held accountable for those under his care.

Because of the constant nature of the work of a pastor, it is necessary and right that the members of the local church pay him. That is what “communicate to them of all their good things” means. It does not mean that you tell him what a good job he does during Pastor Appreciation Month (although that may be welcome!). Rather, it means that the pastor ought to be supported financially as much as a church is able.

Notice that nowhere in the Confession does it state that a church ought to have its own building, or dedicate funds for Sunday School, or even to set aside part of its budget for missions. While all of those are worthwhile things for a church to have, the primary purpose of the church is the “mutual edification of the local assembly, and the due performance of that public worship.” The spiritual growth of the church is dependent upon the preaching of the word, and preaching of the word is part of religious worship. If a church values its spiritual health, it will place the monetary support of its pastor as a top priority.

Caring for the church is a full-time job. It is a labor of love, sometimes overlooked and underappreciated by members. Such a strenuous ministry deserves the support of the congregation, and a vital way to support the pastor is to pay him well. The pastor looks to the spiritual needs of the church, and the church looks to his physical needs. In this way both pastor and members are mutually supportive of one another.

Questions to Consider

  • Is the support of the pastor a primary concern of your church? Why or why not?

 

 

Repentance unto Life (Defining Evangelism)

/ William F. Leonhart III / 1 Comment

You can listen to the audio lesson here.

You can also find the “Working Definition of Evangelism” here.

_______________________

DEFINING EVANGELISM

PART V – The Gospel Commands

Lesson Eleven: Repentance unto Life

“From that time Jesus began to preach and say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,’” (Mt. 4:17; NASB).

 

The gospel in its essence is not a command, as though it were comprised of a list of dos and don’ts. The gospel is a set of historical and theological facts painting the picture of God’s great redemption of His people from the beginning of creation to final glory. Yet, wherever we find the gospel being preached in the Greek Scriptures, we find along with it the commands to repent and believe. As such, when we refer to repentance and faith as gospel commands, we do not mean the gospel to be taken as a set of imperatives. We simply mean that these are the commands that, by necessity, accompany the gospel.

Order of consideration. The first of these commands we will consider is the command to repent. We’re not considering repentance first because it is in any way prior to faith, but rather the opposite. Faith and repentance, as they are found in the pages of Holy Writ, are chronologically simultaneous events. That is to say that they occur at one and the same time at whatever point they are found in the lives of Christ’s disciples. Repentance is impossible apart from faith, and genuine faith in Christ necessarily breeds repentance.

There are numerous instances in the Bible in which hearers are told explicitly to believe, but not to repent. There are similar instances in which they are told explicitly to repent, but not to believe. In all of these instances, the command not mentioned is not therefore to be seen as excluded. Rather, where one is commanded, the other is implied. It has rightly been asserted that faith and repentance are two sides of the same coin.

One of the most difficult struggles I’ve personally watched a child endure is the struggle of the child raised in the Reformed tradition who desperately wants to know if he or she is among the elect. The reason we start with repentance is not because we believe it to chronologically precede faith, but because it is the evidence of genuine faith. A child raised in the Reformed tradition should not be made to rest his or her assurance upon the genuineness or strength of a faith considered apart from a biblical understanding of repentance. Rather, it is a faith that will manifest itself in the fruit of repentance. The root of faith, then, will be known by the fruit of repentance.

Defining repentance. Before venturing further, it is imperative that we pause to define our terms. When we speak of repentance, what do we mean? For some, this can be a rather archaic term. The term in the Hebrew Scriptures basically meant a change of mind (Num. 23:19). In the Greek Scriptures, the term took on more of the idea of turning from sin toward God (Acts 20:21; Heb. 6:1). Thomas Watson defined repentance in this way:

“Repentance is a grace of God’s Spirit whereby a sinner is inwardly humbled and visibly reformed,” (Watson, The Doctrine of Repentance, pg. 10).

As such, even as we consider the fact that repentance and faith are gospel commands, we must simultaneously recognize that they are graces of God worked upon the soul of man, not mere works of man conjured up in man’s own strength. As such, in our consideration of repentance, let us first consider it as a command, and one that is impossible to be fulfilled in the mere strength of the hearer. Then, we will consider repentance as a grace, and one that is worked upon the soul by the good pleasure of God by His word and Spirit.

The command to repent. The very first message we find John the Baptist preaching in the Greek Scriptures is a message of repentance: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” (Mt. 3:2; NASB). Strikingly, the Christ began His own public ministry with the exact same message of repentance: “From that time Jesus began to preach and say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,’” (Mt. 4:17; NASB). From the beginning of the New Covenant era, it was clear that repentance was not merely a requirement for Israel, but for all who would hope to be found in Christ (Lk. 24:46-47; Acts 11:18).

John the Baptist commanded his hearers to repent. So did Christ. We also see in the preaching of the apostles that repentance was a requirement of all believers. Repentance was a staple of Peter’s preaching (Acts 2:38; 3:19; 5:31; 8:22) and teaching (2Pt. 3:9). Paul also emphasized the universal obligation of all men to repent in his preaching (Acts 17:30; 26:19-20) and teaching (Acts 20:21; Rom. 2:4; 2Cor. 7:9-10).

Some may think it strange to refer to repentance and faith as commands. After all, in 21st century Western Evangelicalism, haven’t we all deemed ‘gospel invitations’ to be the more appropriate term? Nowhere in Scripture do we see God inviting every man everywhere to repent and believe in Christ. Instead, we read: “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent,” (Acts 17:30; NKJV). Thus, we see that repentance is both a universal requirement and a command.

The grace to repent. Some would interject here that we are adding to the gospel a new law. We are in a sense, according to these detractors, making the gospel conditional upon a work. First of all, we must admit that the salvation afforded us in the pages of Scripture is a salvation by works. It simply is not a salvation by our works. We are saved instead by the works of Christ alone.

As Thomas Watson asserted in the aforementioned quote, even the repentance we exercise is a grace worked upon our souls by the sovereign God of our salvation. Repentance, then, is not a condition for our justification and regeneration, but the fruit of it. When the sinner, by grace through faith, receives with joy the good news of salvation in our Lord Jesus Christ, God works upon his soul the grace of repentance. Repentance, in this sense, is not a work but a gift from God (Acts 11:18)!

When we think about repentance, it is necessary also that we consider it as part of our overall sanctification. In Philippians 2:12-13, we’re commanded to work out our own salvation. At the same time we’re informed that, as we work out our own salvation, it is God who is at work in us to accomplish it. As we consider this great grace of sanctification afforded us by the indwelling, preserving work of the Holy Spirit, we must recognize that repentance and faith are vital parts of it.

Repentance and faith are not one-time requirements in the lives of disciples; they are regular expectations throughout the Christian life. Thus, just as every other element or our sanctification is wrought by God who is at work in us, so it is true also of repentance. The same grace that comes bringing the saving grace of conversion also comes bringing the saving grace of sanctification. The apostle Paul is very clear on this matter when He writes:

“11For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, 13looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, 14who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds,” (Titus 2:11-14; NASB).

The same grace of God that converts us also instructs us to deny the ungodliness and worldy desires in which we formerly walked when we were dead in our trespasses and sins. It calls us instead to live sensibly, righteously, and godly in the present age, having been raised with Christ to walk in newness of life. Rather than dreading the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, the grace of God causes us to look upon it with blessed hope and joyful expectation. The grace of God in Christ redeems us from every lawless deed and purifies us for Him who purchased us, sowing in us a godly zeal for the good deeds God predestined from the foundation of the world, that we should walk in them.

The grace of God, then, is not a mere forgiving grace. It completely renovates us throughout our sojourn in this foreign land. It grants us new hearts with new desires. It renews our minds. It causes us to hate sin, such that we gladly turn from it, and to love God, such that we turn to Him finding in Him our all-in-all. Let us pray, then, that all with whom we have the joy of sharing the glorious news of redemption in Jesus Christ will be granted the grace of repentance unto life and salvation.

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 330

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Day 330

Of the Church.

Chapter 26, Paragraph 9.

“…And of a Deacon that he be chosen by the like suffrage, and set apart by Prayer, and the like Imposition of hands.”

Scripture Lookup

Acts 6:3,5,6

Reflection

What is a deacon? Sample a smattering of churches, and you might find that not all agree on what a deacon is. Some churches give deacons the position that the Bible calls “elder”; they make decisions regarding the spiritual health of the church. Others view deacons as little more than janitors. Who is right?

The Bible gives an example of the purpose of deacon in Acts 6. The physical needs of some in the congregation were not being met. However, the apostles could not neglect the teaching and preaching of the word in order to fulfill this need. Thus men were selected to serve as deacons. They took care that those in their midst were fed. So today, deacons serve the church, ensuring that the  material aspects of the church are covered.

Need for churches to be as careful and considerate of their appointing deacons as they do elders. “Can’t anyone serve tables?” you may ask. Yes, most anyone can, but when it comes to serving the physical aspects of the church, there are those appointed by Christ that are well-suited to such a task. Thus the church needs to mutually agree to the appointing of deacons, giving the same attention to prayer as they did to appointing elders. Deacons are to be ordained to their office, not swept up into it because somebody has to do it.

Deacons tend to not receive much praise. They do not speak at conferences, or write books, or are prominent in the worship service. Yet they are an indispensable office to the functioning of the local church. They are not to be treated any less than elders.

Questions to Consider

  • What is the role of deacon in your church? How are they chosen?

 

 

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 329

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Day 329

Of the Church.

Chapter 26, Paragraph 9.

“The way appointed by Christ for the Calling of any person, fitted, and gifted by the Holy Spirit, unto the Office of Bishop, or Elder, in a Church, is, that he be chosen thereunto by the common suffrage of the Church itself; and Solemnly set apart by Fasting and Prayer, with imposition of hands of the Eldership of the Church, if there be any before Constituted therein;…”

Scripture Lookup

Acts 14:23
1 Timothy 4:14

Reflection

The local church consists of members. It also consists of officers, those ordained by Christ to lead the public worship of God and administer discipline. One of the offices is that of an elder. Elders of a church are not imposed upon a local church. They do not come and serve for a couple years and then are whisked away to another part of the country by an overseer. The office of elder is not a mantle that anyone can take upon themselves. The process for calling an elder looks quite different according to the Bible.

All power and authority necessary for the running of a local church Christ has given to the local church. When it comes to appointing elders, the members of the local church are to mutually agree to installing someone to that office. This is not a light decision to be made. Prayer and fasting are to be undertaken. If there are fellow elders, then they ought to lay hands upon the man set apart to be an elder.

When you first join a church, it may seem that the elders in the church are in a league of their own. Yes, they do have a different position than the other members. Yet they are still fellow members, recognized by the membership for the office. They have been appointed by Christ, but the local church has a role in granting that authority contained in the office of elder.

Questions to Consider

  • How do elders get chosen in your church?

 

 

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 328

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Day 328

Of the Church.

Chapter 26, Paragraph 8.

“A particular Church gathered, and completely Organized, according to the mind of Christ, consists of Officers, and Members; And the Officers appointed by Christ to be chosen and set apart by the Church (so called and gathered) for the peculiar administration of Ordinances, and Execution of Power, or Duty, which he intrusts them with, or calls them to, to be continued to the end of the World, are Bishops or Elders and Deacons.”

Scripture Lookup

Acts 20:17, 28

Philippians 1:1

Reflection

When it comes to the local church, everything ought to be done in decency and in order. Worship is to be conducted, and discipline is to be administered. Who decides the order of worship? Can anyone call the congregation together to act upon a matter of discipline? Imagine some churches where there is not a clearly defined leadership. Conflict, discussions revolving around trivial matters, long and tedious meetings. How long would such a church last?

Christ has appointed officers within the church to carry out the ordinances and powers of the church: elders and deacons. These officers are chosen by the local church; they are not thrust upon them by an outside entity. Elders and deacons equip the church to walk in obedience to Christ, as they enable the church to worship Him corporately and publicly.

These offices sometimes get confused in Baptist churches. Rather than elders and deacons, there is the pastor, and then there may be a deacon board or a board of trustees. Deacons tend to take on the role of elders, and general committees take up the role of deacons. Some members may cling to these structures because it’s all they’ve ever known. However, tradition is not what we rely on for our church government. We must get our instructions in organizing the church from the head of the church Himself. Jesus has told us in His word that the church offices consist of elders and deacons.

Questions to Consider

  • What offices does your church have? Why is it structured that way?

 

 

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 327

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Day 327

Of the Church.

Chapter 26, Paragraph 7.

“To each of these Churches thus gathered, according to his mind, declared in his word, he hath given all that power and authority, which is any way needful, for their carrying on that order in worship, and discipline, which he has instituted for them to observe; with commands, and rules, for the due and right exerting, and executing of that power.”

Scripture Lookup

Matthew 18:17, 18

1 Corinthians 5:4, 5, 5:13

2 Corinthians 2:6-8

Reflection

“Only God can judge me.”

This is often heard by unbelievers who insist on remaining in their sin. But what about believers? Is it true that only God can judge a believer? If someone joins your local assembly as a member, then falls into repeated sin with no evidence of repentance, what should the church do? Should the unrepentant one simply say, “Only God can judge me!” and everyone goes their own way?

It is true that only God knows who has been regenerated or not. But God also uses the church as a means to correct and rebuke those in her midst. Sometimes, such correction means removing the membership of some people, effectively putting them outside the assembly of believers. If there is an issue of discipline in your church that requires action, the church does not need to seek out permission from a church several towns over in order to enact it. The authority and power to regulate worship and discipline has been given to each local church by the Lord Himself.

Sadly, many churches today do not value the authority they have been given. Too often the requirements for membership are few and far between, and discipline is practically non-existent. This has consequences for the spiritual health of the church. Unchecked sin can poison the well-being of the congregation, so it is important that the church fairly, but firmly administer discipline when necessary.

Questions to Consider

  • Is church discipline practiced by your church?

 

 

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 326

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Day 326

Of the Church.

Chapter 26, Paragraph 6.

“The members of these churches are saints by calling, visibly manifesting and evidencing (in and by their profession and walking) their obedience unto that call of Christ; and do willingly consent to walk together, according to the appointment of Christ; giving up themselves to the Lord, and one to another, by the will of God, in professed subjection to the ordinances of the Gospel.”

Scripture Lookup

Romans 1:7

1 Corinthians 1:2

Acts 2:41,42, 5:13,14

2 Corinthians 9:13

Reflection

We gather together to ask the Lord’s blessing -Adrianus Valerius (italics added).

Joining a church is a public demonstration that you take the commands of Christ seriously. It demonstrates that you are one of His, called out of the world to follow Him. It demonstrates that you value the time with your brothers and sisters in Christ, fellow saints who have also been called by Him as you were. It demonstrates that you are committed to walking with your church because of your love for Christ.

Like other institutions created by God, being part of a church calls us to direct our attention towards others. Becoming a member of a church should be beneficial to you, but it is not the main reason to join. Instead, we are purposely agreeing to be a part of other believers’ lives. We will be held accountable by them, and we will encourage and rebuke them in turn.

If you love Me, you will keep my commandments. -John 14:15

It is humbling to become a member of a church. Dealing with other people, even fellow saints, tests our patience and sometimes even our faith. As one of Christ’s, we should be ever mindful of His work in our lives. In gratitude we serve one another in the local church. And as a result, we are blessed.

Questions to Consider

  • What reasons do people give for not joining a church? Are they valid?

 

 

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 325

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Day 325

Of the Church.

Chapter 26, Paragraph 5.

“… that they may walk before him in all the ways of obedience, which he prescribes to them in his word. Those thus called, he commands to walk together in particular societies, or churches, for their mutual edification, and the due performance of that public worship, which he requires of them in the world.”

Scripture Lookup

Matthew 28:20
Matthew 18:15-20

Reflection

Recently, a popular writer in evangelical Christian circles posted a photo on social media of relaxing by a waterway on a Sunday. The caption read, “This is my church today.” Apparently for her, setting apart time for the public worship of God is not necessary. Church can occur all by yourself! Sadly, this view is shared by many who claim to be Christian. Gathering together in a formalized way to worship God is seen to be stuffy.

Honestly, life would be so much easier if I didn’t have to attend a church. The notion of going into a field, or hiking a mountain, or standing by an ocean to “spend time with God” is ultimately more attractive. There, no one is going to confront me if I sin. I don’t have to deal with any quirks: crying kids, out of tune singers, unfashionable architecture, or whatever else might irk me.  I pick and choose who I am around. If I am feeling particularly compassionate, I will deign to be in the presence of some underprivileged soul who needs my benevolence. If I want to be uplifted, I will surround myself with like-minded, affirming people. Like on Instagram, but in person!

As Christians, we do not get to decide who are the elect. That is a choice our sovereign God has made. And as our Lord Jesus has purchased us with His own blood, He has every right to tell us what to do. He commands that those called out by Him are to join with others in local assemblies. By doing so, we publicly demonstrate the power of God in bringing together people from every tribe, nation, and tongue. We are encouraged by the presence of our brothers and sisters in Christ when we gather together. We are corrected when we need correcting. We do not walk this path of salvation alone.

If you are in an assembly that consists of the redeemed rich and famous, then you are to walk with them. If your church consists of converted “people of Wal-Mart”, then you are to walk with those people. But walk with them you must. That is your church today.

Questions to Consider

  • Is not being part of a church ever acceptable?