As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday in this country, we tend to be more mindful of the blessings we have. We have many things to be thankful for, and we ought to recognize God as the source of these blessings (James 1:17).
With this in mind, I want to briefly look at Colossians 3:15-17. These three verses contain three reminders to us to be thankful. These verses also give reasons why we should be thankful to God.
"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful" (v. 15). As Christians, we can be thankful because we are part of His body, the church, where salvation is (Ephesians 5:23). We have the peace of Christ, being assured of the salvation we have in Him.
"Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God" (v. 16). We sing hymns of praise and thanksgiving to God for His goodness. We also sing in order to teach and admonish one another. This reminds us that we should be thankful that we have our brethren for support and encouragement (cf. Ephesians 4:15-16; Hebrews 3:12-13).
"Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father" (v. 17). We often cite this verse to show that we must do all things by the authority of Christ. But this, too, is a call for thanksgiving. Give thanks that God has revealed His will to us that we can know how to please Him.
As you reflect on the many reasons you have to be thankful, do not forget what Paul mentions in these three short verses. Give thanks to God for your salvation as part of Christ's body, for your brethren, and for the Word that reveals the will of God.
Showing posts with label church. Show all posts
Showing posts with label church. Show all posts
Monday, November 24, 2008
Friday, October 3, 2008
Those Who Are of "The Way"
There is an interesting description of the Lord's people in the book of Acts. In a few places, the Lord's church is called, “The Way.”
Saul went to Damascus “so that if he found any belonging to the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem” (Acts 9:2).
Later, after Saul (then Paul) became a follower of Christ, he was preaching in Ephesus. “But when some were becoming hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the people, he withdrew from them and took away the disciples” (Acts 19:9).
Answering his accusers before Felix, Paul said, “But this I admit to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect I do serve the God of our Fathers” (Acts 24:14).
Each time this term is used, it is describing a people who were suffering for their faith. They were spoken against. They were persecuted. They were called a sect. Sound familiar? Doesn't this happen with the Lord's church today?
There is something that I find interesting as we relate this to our day and age. Today we have brethren who argue that we should not use “church of Christ” as a name or description of a local congregation. What is usually the reason for wanting the change? The negative connotation people have of churches of Christ. What is probably the primary complaint against us? “You people in the church of Christ think you're the only ones going to heaven.” This is too exclusive and narrow-minded for most people's liking.
What if we started calling ourselves “The Way” so we would not be called by the unpopular term, “church of Christ”? Would that be any better? You can't get much more exclusive and narrow-minded than this term. “The Way” implies that there is just one way. Couldn't people say, “you people of the Way think you're the only ones going to heaven,” just the same?
We need to not care about what the world thinks and focus on pleasing God. The passages we looked at show us that if we follow Christ, we will not be popular or well-liked. So don't seek the popularity or approval of the world. Let's simply do the will of God no matter what people say about us.
Saul went to Damascus “so that if he found any belonging to the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem” (Acts 9:2).
Later, after Saul (then Paul) became a follower of Christ, he was preaching in Ephesus. “But when some were becoming hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the people, he withdrew from them and took away the disciples” (Acts 19:9).
Answering his accusers before Felix, Paul said, “But this I admit to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect I do serve the God of our Fathers” (Acts 24:14).
Each time this term is used, it is describing a people who were suffering for their faith. They were spoken against. They were persecuted. They were called a sect. Sound familiar? Doesn't this happen with the Lord's church today?
There is something that I find interesting as we relate this to our day and age. Today we have brethren who argue that we should not use “church of Christ” as a name or description of a local congregation. What is usually the reason for wanting the change? The negative connotation people have of churches of Christ. What is probably the primary complaint against us? “You people in the church of Christ think you're the only ones going to heaven.” This is too exclusive and narrow-minded for most people's liking.
What if we started calling ourselves “The Way” so we would not be called by the unpopular term, “church of Christ”? Would that be any better? You can't get much more exclusive and narrow-minded than this term. “The Way” implies that there is just one way. Couldn't people say, “you people of the Way think you're the only ones going to heaven,” just the same?
We need to not care about what the world thinks and focus on pleasing God. The passages we looked at show us that if we follow Christ, we will not be popular or well-liked. So don't seek the popularity or approval of the world. Let's simply do the will of God no matter what people say about us.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Let Not the Church be Charged
"If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed" (1 Timothy 5:16, KJV).
This verse comes at the end of a section dealing with the care of certain widows. Paul had given Timothy instructions about which widows were to receive continual, ongoing support from the local church, and which ones were not. In the case of widows who had family to care for them, the church was not to be charged with their care.
The idea of the church not being charged with something can certainly extend in application beyond just the care of certain widows.
God has given the local church plenty of work to do without men trying to throw additional tasks and obligations upon it. The local church has been commissioned with the works of evangelism (1 Timothy 3:15; Acts 13:1-3) and edification (Ephesians 4:11-16). It can also provide temporary benevolence in certain situations to Christians (Acts 11:29; Romans 15:26), and continual benevolence to widows indeed as Paul discussed in 1 Timothy 5.
But many feel that it would be good to charge the church with other works: extending benevolence to non-Christians, providing recreation and common meals, offering services like secular education and daycare. The list could go on and on. The thing is, none of these are wrong in themselves. The problem is that God has not given them as responsibilities for the church.
Local churches need to focus their time, energies, and resources on the tasks that God has given -- evangelism, edification, and limited benevolence. There is far too much work to do in these areas for us to burden the church with anything else. Leave all the other "good works" to individuals and the institutions of men.
This verse comes at the end of a section dealing with the care of certain widows. Paul had given Timothy instructions about which widows were to receive continual, ongoing support from the local church, and which ones were not. In the case of widows who had family to care for them, the church was not to be charged with their care.
The idea of the church not being charged with something can certainly extend in application beyond just the care of certain widows.
God has given the local church plenty of work to do without men trying to throw additional tasks and obligations upon it. The local church has been commissioned with the works of evangelism (1 Timothy 3:15; Acts 13:1-3) and edification (Ephesians 4:11-16). It can also provide temporary benevolence in certain situations to Christians (Acts 11:29; Romans 15:26), and continual benevolence to widows indeed as Paul discussed in 1 Timothy 5.
But many feel that it would be good to charge the church with other works: extending benevolence to non-Christians, providing recreation and common meals, offering services like secular education and daycare. The list could go on and on. The thing is, none of these are wrong in themselves. The problem is that God has not given them as responsibilities for the church.
Local churches need to focus their time, energies, and resources on the tasks that God has given -- evangelism, edification, and limited benevolence. There is far too much work to do in these areas for us to burden the church with anything else. Leave all the other "good works" to individuals and the institutions of men.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
The All Sufficiency of the Church
I came across Daniel Sommer's commentary on the New Testament. I thought a couple of his comments regarding the church in particular were quite good.
1 Timothy 3:15
"...I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth."
Sommer comments:
"We may also learn by considering the verse now before us that the Church is declared to be "the pillar and ground of the truth," and thus is the support of the truth. In other words, the Church of God, wherever it exists, is intended, by its Founder, to be the institution to uphold the truth, and he never ordained any other institution for that purpose."
Ephesians 3:21
"to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen."
Sommer comments:
"It indicates that God's purpose is to be glorified in the Church in all ages, and does not intimate that he desires to be glorified, nor can be glorified, in any human institution. This verse is God's eternal veto of all human societies that man may pretend to establish for his glory."
1 Timothy 3:15
"...I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth."
Sommer comments:
"We may also learn by considering the verse now before us that the Church is declared to be "the pillar and ground of the truth," and thus is the support of the truth. In other words, the Church of God, wherever it exists, is intended, by its Founder, to be the institution to uphold the truth, and he never ordained any other institution for that purpose."
Ephesians 3:21
"to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen."
Sommer comments:
"It indicates that God's purpose is to be glorified in the Church in all ages, and does not intimate that he desires to be glorified, nor can be glorified, in any human institution. This verse is God's eternal veto of all human societies that man may pretend to establish for his glory."
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Merger
The Christian Chronicle recently reported that the Highland Oaks Church of Christ has recently merged with the nearby Pitman Creek Church of Christ. [You can read the story here.] Yet what is unique about this merger is that each congregation is going to remain where they currently are. They will now be "one congregation meeting in two locations", sharing "a common staff, eldership, budget and vision."
The obvious error in this is the disregard of local church autonomy and the over-extension of the rule of elders. But I want to notice something else right now that the article mentioned.
The Highland Oaks church has 2000 members. The Pitman Creek church, which has just been taken over, has 200 members. The Pitman Creek church was described as "struggling" and "small". It is difficult for me to see how a 200-member congregation can be described as small and struggling. What does this say about much smaller groups?
The Bible teaches that the church is fully sufficient to do the work God has given it to do. 1 Timothy 3:15 says the church is "the pillar and support of the truth." The context indicates that this is the local church. The local church has the responsibility of upholding and proclaiming the truth.
Each congregation, whether it has 10, 200, or 2000 members, is fully capable and equipped to do what God intends for the local church to do. Let us not be discouraged by those who want to improve God's plan by leading us to believe that we cannot do what God wants us to do without doing it their way. Let us do things God's way. His way is, and always will be, the best way to accomplish His goals.
The obvious error in this is the disregard of local church autonomy and the over-extension of the rule of elders. But I want to notice something else right now that the article mentioned.
The Highland Oaks church has 2000 members. The Pitman Creek church, which has just been taken over, has 200 members. The Pitman Creek church was described as "struggling" and "small". It is difficult for me to see how a 200-member congregation can be described as small and struggling. What does this say about much smaller groups?
The Bible teaches that the church is fully sufficient to do the work God has given it to do. 1 Timothy 3:15 says the church is "the pillar and support of the truth." The context indicates that this is the local church. The local church has the responsibility of upholding and proclaiming the truth.
Each congregation, whether it has 10, 200, or 2000 members, is fully capable and equipped to do what God intends for the local church to do. Let us not be discouraged by those who want to improve God's plan by leading us to believe that we cannot do what God wants us to do without doing it their way. Let us do things God's way. His way is, and always will be, the best way to accomplish His goals.
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