Grace Family,

 

            Yesterday we completed our sermon series entitled "I Love the Church". It's a shame that there has been so much negativity recently about the Church and I'm not talking about from unbelievers. The shame is that much negativity is coming from those within the Church and many of the critics are abandoning the Church all together while slandering Her in the process. Our Christian bookstores have plenty of books written to this tune on their shelves. The truth is, if someone is a genuine believer and has been brought from death to life through the atoning work of Christ, they are a part of the Church Universal and should be committed to a local Church. There is nothing wrong with evaluating the church with God's Word attempting to critique and correct any deficiencies. That was the spirit of the reformation and we should continually test the Church with God's Word and make changes where there is unfaithfulness in confession and/or practice. However, it is very troubling when people begin to bash the Church and then walk away. This type of action seems to be becoming some what of a trend. The Bible refers to the Church in the following ways; the Bride of Christ, the body of Christ, and the temple of God (Ephesians 1:22-23, 2:21-22, 5:22-33). The indication is that God loves the Church very much and has not given up on Her.

 

            The slogan of the day is quickly becoming "we love Jesus but not the Church." We are in severe error when we abandon the Church (yes, local) while claiming our love for God (1 John 3:14-18, 4:20-21). I'm not saying there is never a time to leave a Church but that leaving all together is wrong for a believer. Is the church perfect? More specifically is our Church perfect? Absolutely not! Thanks be to God, He is not through with us yet. We should be committed to continually reforming in light of God's Word. All the while walking with one another patiently, humbly, gently and bearing with each other in love. As this happens God will change us individually as well as corporately. The outcome will be threefold; God will be glorified, the church will be edified (built-up), and the community will be evangelized (through word and deed).

 

 

Because of Him,

 

Matt

 

 

 Humility— C.J. Mahaney