Modern culture has sought to redefined the church to accommodate the sin within, but God alone, through His Holy Word, has the authority to define it. What the church is, A body of believers in and followers of Jesus Christ, new creatures in Christ Jesus, who have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit. (Jn 6:47, 10:27, 2 Cor 5:17, Eph 4:4-6) A group of holy people, set apart by God to be light in this dark world. (1 Peter 2:9) They take up their cross, die to self daily, (Lk 9:23) and now live for Him. (2 Cor 5:15) They are being transformed by the renewing of their minds, empowered and led by the Holy Spirit, fully dependent on God. (Rom 12:2, 8:14, Jn 15:50) No longer allowed to continue in sin, they are corrected and chastised by the Father so that they may be partakers of His holiness. (Heb 12:6-10) They hear and obey the Shepherds voice, (Jn 10:27) and they no longer serve sin, but serve God. (Rom 6:6) They no longer live a life characterized by habitual, continual sin. (1 Jn 3:6-10) What the church is not, People who continue in their former lifestyles of sin, both unchanged, (1 Jn 3:8-10, 1 Cor 6:9-10, Gal 5:21) and without the Lords chastisement. (Heb 12:8) People who profess the Lord with their mouths while denying Him with their lives. (Titus 1:16) People who hate others. (1 Jn 3:15) People who will refuse to listen to the truth of Gods Word, but follow preachers and teachers who compromise the truth to fit their sin. (2 Tim 4:3-4) People who have a religion without the life changing power of the Holy Spirit. (2 Tim 3:5) The church is not a group in which sin can be tolerated and accepted, but a place where those who continue in sin are corrected or removed,(1 Cor 5:1-13) and false teachers are also removed. (Acts 20:28-30) The Bible says this about the first new testament church, And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. Acts 2:47
Posted on: Mon, 12 Jan 2015 17:48:18 +0000
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