THE COMPOSITION OF THE CHURCH discussion 3
Greetings in the name of Jesus:
God made the church to be a special place of refuge for those in Christ to learn and grow in a safe environment. The actual importance of the things they participated in was seen in the individual commitment not just to Christ but also to one another. Acts 2:41-42 mentions the act of baptism as being a commitment not only to Christ as a public act but also to one another as they immediately became a part of the church through the tradition. Acts 2:31; 8:4 and Acts 5:41-42 indicate the link made through baptism in the death burial and resurrection of Jesus. I believe the importance of this act by new believers was to publicly testify of their faith in Christ and to immediately join the church. There is no indication of baptism for the remission of sins, but as an act of obedience in becoming a part of the church body.
The concept of becoming a family meant they were to get as close to one another as possible and stay as loyal to one another as they could just as Christ showed oneness and loyalty unto death to His cause and message to us. Holding people together in belief means that they were not willing to let any teaching influence them that was not directly associated with Christ teachings. They formed as habit of being together as much as they could preferring to meet frequently and share meals and fellowship with one another; even preferring one another over the world around them. Hebrews 10:25. The entire church was compared to a family, and that becomes the importance of understanding how a family is designed by God to be made.
Even more so than our physical families the church family is designed to support the needs of it's members in prayer, emotional support, as well as in physical needs. There should be no where on this earth that is more important to us than our spiritual church family. Evil intentions are being allowed to run freely within this world for a season and the power of the church family is becoming the only true family that is still created in the image that God desires us to live under. Do not allow yourself to be fooled into thinking that what you see going on in a loving and caring church is beginning to seem out-dated or no useful in today's world. In many ways I believe that the church is perhaps the last true family we will physically have in this life. Hold to that family and take refuge in it's safety for your growth spiritually. Ignore that which is evil and cling to that which is good in Jesus Christ. May you richly bless God through your life in Him.
THE UNWORTHY SERVANT
God made the church to be a special place of refuge for those in Christ to learn and grow in a safe environment. The actual importance of the things they participated in was seen in the individual commitment not just to Christ but also to one another. Acts 2:41-42 mentions the act of baptism as being a commitment not only to Christ as a public act but also to one another as they immediately became a part of the church through the tradition. Acts 2:31; 8:4 and Acts 5:41-42 indicate the link made through baptism in the death burial and resurrection of Jesus. I believe the importance of this act by new believers was to publicly testify of their faith in Christ and to immediately join the church. There is no indication of baptism for the remission of sins, but as an act of obedience in becoming a part of the church body.
The concept of becoming a family meant they were to get as close to one another as possible and stay as loyal to one another as they could just as Christ showed oneness and loyalty unto death to His cause and message to us. Holding people together in belief means that they were not willing to let any teaching influence them that was not directly associated with Christ teachings. They formed as habit of being together as much as they could preferring to meet frequently and share meals and fellowship with one another; even preferring one another over the world around them. Hebrews 10:25. The entire church was compared to a family, and that becomes the importance of understanding how a family is designed by God to be made.
Even more so than our physical families the church family is designed to support the needs of it's members in prayer, emotional support, as well as in physical needs. There should be no where on this earth that is more important to us than our spiritual church family. Evil intentions are being allowed to run freely within this world for a season and the power of the church family is becoming the only true family that is still created in the image that God desires us to live under. Do not allow yourself to be fooled into thinking that what you see going on in a loving and caring church is beginning to seem out-dated or no useful in today's world. In many ways I believe that the church is perhaps the last true family we will physically have in this life. Hold to that family and take refuge in it's safety for your growth spiritually. Ignore that which is evil and cling to that which is good in Jesus Christ. May you richly bless God through your life in Him.
THE UNWORTHY SERVANT
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