|
It satisfies the plan of God.
Acts 2:25-26, “You are heirs of
the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to
Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.
When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by
turning each of you from his wicked ways”
It produces unity of the
believers.
Ephesians 4:4-5, “There is one
body and one Spirit – just as you were called to one hope when you were
called – one Lord, one faith, one baptism.”
It brings together all kinds of
believers.
Galatians 3:28, “There is neither
Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in
Christ Jesus.”
It displays allegiance to Jesus
Christ.
I Corinthians 1:30, “It is
because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us
wisdom from God – that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.
Therefore as it is written: ‘Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.’”
It allows the work of the Spirit
to be magnified.
Ephesians 2:21-22, “In Jesus the
whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in
the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a
dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”
It fulfills
Jesus’ mission on the earth.
John
10:16, “I have other sheep that are not of this flock. I must bring
them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one
flock and one shepherd.”
--------------------------------------------------
During his earthly ministry, Jesus
gave himself to the task of creating a new people of God. That could
only be accomplished by his death. As the Servant-Messiah, the Son of
Man who came to redeem the lost and to give his life as a ransom for
many, he had to die.
Jesus looked forward to a time
beyond his death when there would be a new community of people coming
together to worship God. These Christians would continue to grow and
develop into God’s people. It would not be a place, but a community of
people held together by a covenant, coming together in submission to
God’s rule in their life.
This is the beginning of the kingdom
of God on earth, and it sets the wheels in motion to fulfill the
prophecies of Scripture. It is further developed and fulfilled in the
church which the apostles built up after Jesus established it and then
returned to God’s right hand.
Simply stated, the church consists
of the people of God brought together through Jesus Christ. The people
of God have a heritage that goes back to the history of Israel. But it
is not the physical Israel, rather the spiritual Israel. The New
Testament never mentions unattached Christians who live solitary lives.
They are a member of the Lord’s one body through their salvation in
Jesus.
According to
the New Testament, to be a Christian means to be a member of the New
People of God created and maintained by God’s saving act in His Son
Jesus Christ. The church was one group of people from the beginning and
can never be anything else. It can never be divided as that is contrary
to God’s will
Questions for consideration:
What are some of the blessings that come with being in
the body of believers?
How can being a part of Jesus’ church bless me? How
can I bless others through the church?
Does the church I attend honor and worship God and His
son Jesus Christ?
How can I be a more active part of my church?
Am I part of God’s family? If not, then why not? |
