|
|
|
|
       |
||
|
Hey Baby, You Have A New Family!
One of the great benefits of receiving Christ is that we also get a new family! Since God has become our Father, and we are His children, we can say that we are in the family of God.
The Church One biblical word for God’s people is church . We use this word in several ways, but the most biblical meaning refers to everyone on the earth who has trusted Christ as Savior. We also use the term "church" to refer to individual congregations of Christians. Sometimes we refer to groups of churches as a "church" who pool their resources together for greater effectiveness, like The Assemblies of God. It is also common for us to refer to the building we use where we gather as a "church." According to scripture, however, the church is not a building but rather, the people who worship in the building. (Ephesians 1:22,23)
The Family The concept of Christians as a family is very clear in scripture. God has become our heavenly Father (Matthew 6:6,9) and our fellow Christians are our brothers and sisters in Christ. Jesus told His disciples, "You are not to be called ‘Rabbi’ for you have only one Master and you are all brothers..." (Matthew 23:9). Not only does God care how we respond to Him, but He also cares how we treat each another. I Timothy 5:1,2 says "Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolutely purity." It is the Lord’s desire that we enjoy the close relationships of a family unit. As in any family, the glue that ties God’s people together is love .
The Bride Another analogy God uses is that of the church being His bride . The earthly marriage relationship is compared to the relationship between a husband and wife: "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless" (Ephesians 5:25-27).
The Body The Lord further defines the church as being His body . I Corinthians 12:27 says, "Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it." Each of us is a different member of the body. Therefore, we all have different roles and functions.
Why Do I Need To Be In A Church? There are many benefits in becoming an integral part of a local congregation . After a baby is born he needs shelter, nourishment, love and care. In a spiritual sense, this is what the church provides for us. Our goal is to be..."mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:13). Satan uses various methods to allure us away from Christ. We need the close relationship of godly friends to observe our walk, hold us accountable, and encourage us when we are being tested. Every family must deal with heartache, sickness, and discouragement. It is a great comfort to receive love from fellow believers at such times. We need wise and godly counsel in discovering our role in the body of Christ. As we begin to function in our calling we are blessed to receive instruction and training from mentors in whom we can trust.
How Do I Become A Part? "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the day approaching." (Hebrews 10:25) Relationships are more likely to be developed where there is interaction among the members. Such groups may be a Sunday school class, a home fellowship, a prayer meeting, etc. In doing so you move from simply attending church to accepting responsibility for the congregation to become increasingly pleasing to God. 4. Volunteer for service. As you begin working in Christ’s body, no longer are you in church merely to receive ministry, but now you become a minister/servant to bless others.
Be A Part The Bible declares that Jesus loved the church and gave Himself for it. (Ephesians 5:25) We are to follow His example. Never should we speak against the church or in any way harm it. It is through the church most of God’s blessings will come to us. So...ENJOY THE CHURCH! |
||
|
Join our Group- JesusFreakyPeople! then click the fish! Read the Bible Online | Request Prayer | Search Jesus is on the .Net! | Link to us | Optical Illusion | Are you captive to sin? Click Here! © MMVII Hungry Heart Ministries, All Rights Reserved.
|
||
