Historic Baptist Teaching on Church Membership: All church members must be born-again

Acts 2:42 "So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls."

Introduction & review:

In yesterday's post we began exploring the conditions of church membership as spelled out by Edward T. Hiscox's classic treatment: "The New Directory for Baptist Churches". As mentioned yesterday, this writer finds the Biblical teaching of regenerate church membership a very significant teaching in understanding the nature of the local church. In short, regenerate church membership emphasizes the need for everyone on the church membership roles to be born again and having publically expressed that miraculous work of God through public profession of faith in believer's baptism. We looked yesterday at the following conditions spelled out by Hiscox:

1. A regenerate heart. 

2. A confession of faith. 

3. The reception of baptism. 

4. A Christian life.

Below Hiscox begins his lively discussion on regenerate church membership by noting the first requirement for being  a member of a local church (at least among Baptist churches), namely the need for a regenerate heart.

Excerpts from Edward T. Hiscox's "New Directory for Baptist Churches" on the subject of regenerate church membership

I. A regenerate heart. 

None but converted and godly persons have any right in the Church of Christ as members. To admit the ungodly and the profane to the fellowship of the holy, to share the privileges of the faithful, and partake of the sacred Communion of the Body and the Blood of Christ, would be a scandal and a shame, not to be perpetrated or endured by those who profess to be His disciples. 

Nor is it enough that one's moral character be without reproach, and his life orderly. He must give good evidence that he is "a new creature in Christ Jesus," that he "has passed from death unto life," and that " Christ is formed in him," or he has no place in His body, which is the Church. If our churches are to fulfill their mission, remain true to their traditions, and honor their apostolical pretensions, they must 

insist, with unabated vigor, on a regenerated membership. 

Nor must they insist on it in theory only, but take every precaution to maintain it in practice. This position, however, is one with which many Christians, deemed evangelical, not a few Christian teachers, and some entire denominations do not agree; such persons claiming that nothing more than good moral character and a serious disposition to attend to religious instruction should be demanded in 

candidates for Church membership. 

Their theory is, that within the Church regeneration and salvation are to be found, rather than before entering it. By this practice the holy and the profane are brought into unseemly fellowship in the body of Christ, the broad distinction between the Church and the world is diminished or obliterated, the salt loses its savor, and the city set on a hill to that extent is hid, and ceases to be a monument of grace to men. This becomes more emphatically true, since churches which hold this theory hold also to infant baptism and Church membership witliout pretension of sav- ing faith or spiritual birth. 

Such associations lose the foremost characteristic of Christian churches, and become religious societies, where carnal and spiritual mingle in inharmonious fellowship, only a part of which can pretend to be members of the body of Christ. The teachings of the New Testament are clear and emphatic on this point. Both Jesus and His Apostles made it manifest that His kingdom was not of this world, and those who constituted it were such as are born of the Spirit. 

In the constitution of the first churches, both Jewish and Gentile, the persons who composed them were not indiscriminately gathered, but those called out of the masses of the people on a confession of faith in Christ, and a change which betokened a regenerate nature. 

This was the case at the Pentecost, and subsequently it was " the saved " who were added to the churches. So was it at Samaria, at Antioch, at Ephesus, at Corinth, at Philippi — everywhere. The Church at Rome was addressed as " Beloved of God, called to be saints." — Rom. i : 7. And these same disciples Paul reminds of their former condition, " When ye were servants of sin," and contrasts it with their present condition: " But now, being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life." — Rom. 6 : 20, 22. 

The salutation to the Corinthians is, " Unto the Church of God, which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in 

Christ Jesus, called to be saints." — 1 Cor. 1 : 3. His second epistle he inscribes: " Unto the Church of God, which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in Achaia." — 2 Cor. 1 : 1. The Ephesians he addresses as: " The saints which are at Ephesus, and the faithful in Christ Jesus," He says they "were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise." Also, they "were dead in trespasses and sins," but God had " quickened them together with Christ." — Eph. 1:1; 2:1, 6. 

The broad distinction between what they once were and what they had become, indicative of the great change, is carried through all the epistles. To the Philippians, it is, " To all the saints in Christ Jesus, which are at Philippi." — Phil. 1:1. Elsewhere it is the same : " To the saints and faithful brethren which are at Colosse." — Col.1:2; 3:3. He says: " Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." Peter, addressing the saints, says: " Ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God, through Jesus Christ." And further, he declares: "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light." — I Peter 2:5,9. 

The unvarying tone of New Testament utterance is the same. Those gath- ered in fraternal fellowship to constitute the churches of our Lord, are such as have been called out of darkness into light, and from the power of Satan. Once were they darkness, now are they light in the Lord."

More tomorrow...

The historic Baptist teaching on the conditions of regenerate church membership

Acts 2:42 "So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls."

Introduction:

In yesterday's post we explored what I termed: "The miraculous basis for church membership". The reason for this description is because in Baptist churches, the Biblical teaching of "regenerate church membership" is maintained. In short, to become a member of the local church in the Biblical sense, the following order must be followed: The New Birth by grace through faith + Obediently submitting to the ordinance of believer's baptism = initiation in the membership of the local church. 

Today's post will aim to situate what was written yesterday in the wider stream of historic Baptist teaching. This writer finds the Biblical teaching of regenerate church membership a very significant teaching in understanding the nature of the local church. In short, regenerate church membership emphasizes the need for everyone on the church membership roles to be born again and having publically expressed that miraculous work of God through public profession of faith in believer's baptism. 

We will be considering excerpts from Edward T. Hiscox's Baptist Church manual, a classic Baptist work that describes this vital teaching. Bro. Hiscox lived from 1814-1901 and was a Baptist Pastor, theologian and spokesman of his day. Below Hiscox begins the discussion on regenerate church membership by noting four major elements.

Excerpts from Edward T. Hiscox's "New Directory for Baptist Churches" on the subject of regenerate church membership

I. CONDITIONS OF MEMBERSHIP. 

"The very great importance of the subject hereby becomes apparent, and the question of who may and who may not be admitted to membership is one of primary moment. What are the scriptural qualifications for citizenship in this spiritual kingdom, for brotherhood in the family of the faithful, for mem- bership in the society of Jesus." 

What are the conditions on which this privilege depends? 

These conditions are four: 

1.  A regenerate heart. 

2. A confession of faith. 

3. The reception of baptism. 

4. A Christian life. 

To be sure we are clear
The excerpt above is not talking about what is necessary for a person to be reconciled to God in salvation. The above statement deals with the matter of membership in the local church. Why be sure that this point is clear? Because too often, even in Baptist churches, I have met people who thought they were Christians upon the basis of their church membership. Sadly, such assumptions reverse the order as taught by scripture. To be clear, to be initiated into a right relationship with God, you must be born again by grace through faith alone. In what we are discussing in this series of posts, the issue has to do with how one is initated into the life of the local church, which is a post-conversion issue. As will be maintained, to be a member of the local church, you must be born-again + scripturally baptized = membership in the local church. 

More tomorrow.....

The miraculous basis for church membership

Acts 2:38-41 Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.” 40 And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!” 41 So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls."

Introduction:

Whenever we talk about the subject of church membership, some may roll their eyes or try to change the subject. Why? To some, such a subject sounds unimportant or boring. The Biblical concept of who composes the church is what is called by Baptists: "regenerate church membership". Author John S. Hammett in his book: "Biblical Foundations for Baptist Churches", page 81, notes about regenerate church membership: "(C)entral to the the Baptist vision of the church is the insistence that the church be composed of believers only."

Whenever we begin to consider this fundamental requirement for church membership - it is none other than a miraculous requirement.  Salvation is a work of God in the heart. 

Today's post is about unfolding this Biblical concept of regenerate church membership. Consider the following main thoughts...

The Miraculous basis for church membership is regeneration

The Biblical teaching of "The New Birth" or regeneration defines the beginning of the Christian life. Regeneration in saving faith is how a person is initiated into relationship and fellowship with Jesus Christ. The new birth is initiated by God the Holy Spirit, Who upon bringing faith and repentance, affects a sinner to freely and willingly believe upon Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins. (Ephesians 2:8-9; 2 Timothy 2:25; James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:23) The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 defines the new birth or regeneration as: "Regeneration, or the new birth, is a work of God's grace whereby believers become new creatures in Christ Jesus. It is a change of heart wrought by the Holy Spirit through conviction of sin, to which the sinner responds in repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ."

What is a miracle in the sense of which we are speaking out here? A miracle is a direct working of God whereby He alters his creation and its inner workings to validate His person and message. The miraculous nature of our salvation, Divinely wrought in our hearts by the Holy Spirit and received in saving faith, is a genuine miracle.  Furthermore, salvation Divinely wrought by the Holy Spirit includes the miraculous book of God - the Bible. (Romans 10:17) The wonder of salvation wherein God the Holy Spirit works directly to draw and convict sinners, affecting their hearts and resulting in a validation of the Gospel to their human will is, by definition, a miracle. The very life of the resurrected Christ that freed Him from death and resulted in His victory over death, hell and the grave is included in the definition of regeneration. (1 Peter 1:3-5) 

The freed will of the sinner in choosing Christ is a work that only God could do. (Ephesians 2:1-5) This is what the New Testament teaches concerning the starting point of salvation - the New birth.

The main expression of this miracle that initiates one into the life of the church is believer's baptism

Whenever a person is born-again by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, the scriptures teach that the new convert needs to publically profess their faith. Matthew 28:18-20 is where Jesus commanded His disciples to go into all the world, make disciples, baptize and teach. A disciple is made at the moment the sinner receives by faith the truth of the Gospel presented to them. Once salvation has taken place, the next and first major step of Christian obedience is believer's baptism. 

As mentioned before, the new birth or regeneration in saving faith results in a person being initated into life with Jesus Christ. By how is it that one is initated into the life of the local church? In Baptist churches at least, the belief is that Biblically, once a person has followed through in believer's baptism, that person is initiated into the life of the local church. We use the term "believer's baptism" to underscore the fact that one necessarily must had been born-again in saving faith prior to entering into the baptismal tank. 

Believer's baptism is Jesus' command and sign to His church that the candidate entering into the waters has already been born-again. The miraculous event of regeneration occurs at saving faith, with the baptismal waters simply picturing that prior reality. Such a sign as baptism, signifying the prior miracle of regeneration, is what Baptist churches use to indicate who are members in each local church. It is understood of course that not everyone who is baptized or a church member is necessarily a true convert. 

So we have seen that the miraculous basis of church membership is the miracle of regeneration and the main public expression of that prior reality is believer's baptism. Now lets consider the final thought regarding regenerate church membership....

Membership in the biblical sense is defined as those who have been born again and scripturally baptized in believer's baptism

Notice the order: The miracle of regeneration in saving faith and repentance of salvation. The New convert then follows their Lord by making their public profession of faith in believer's baptism. Once baptized, the new convert is considered a member of the fold in that local church. In Baptist churches, the scriptural principle of "regenerative church membership" is upheld when this order is taken seriously. The miraculous basis for church membership is the new birth that occurs at saving faith, and the public expression of that work is done in believer's baptism.

What regenerate church membership looks like in action
As we begin to draw this post to a close, we want to know what church membership looks like that is built upon this miraculous basis of regeneration as spelled out above. Whenever we study closely passages such as Acts 2:38-41, we see the order: regeneration in saving faith (Acts 2:38-41a) + believer's baptism (Acts 2:41b) = regenerate church membership (Acts 2:41c). As you consider the remainder of Acts 2:42ff, the members of the church Jerusalem did the following activities as regenerate, baptized persons:

a. Hearing the preaching and teaching of the scriptures. Attending to the corporate hearing of the preaching and teaching of God's Word. Acts 2:42a "They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching....".

b. Fellowship. Church membership includes the idea of actually being in attendance with God's people. Acts 2:42b "and to fellowship".

c. Lord's Table. The partaking of the Lord's table is a privilege reserved for regenerate church members who have been scripturally baptized. Acts 2:42c "to the breaking of bread..."

d. Prayer. Church members ought to be characterized as a praying people. Acts 2:42d "....and to prayer."

e. Corporate worship through singing of praises. The local church composed of regenerate church members, scripturally baptized, ought to be characterized as a body of people in awe of Jesus, His Word and His work. Acts 2:43-45 "Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders andsigns were taking place through the apostles. 44 And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common;45 and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need."

f. Joy. Finally, the church conceived of in this manner was characterized as a joyful fellowship that grew as God saw fit to add more converts. Acts 2:46-47 "Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was addingto their number day by day those who were being saved."

This is what I mean when I say that a Biblical understanding of church membership is miraculously based. The basis is the miracle of regeneration. All truly converted persons make up the church. With the basis, the main public expression of the converts salvation experience comes through believer's baptism. To be initiated into the life of God in Jesus Christ, you must be born again. In order to be initiated into the life of the local church, you must had been born again and scripturally baptized. Regeneration in saving faith is the miraculous basis, and believer's baptism following such a reality points back to that miracle. These two truths are what constitute the Biblical model of regnerate church membership as conceived in the New Testament. Church membership is indeed based upon the miracle of salvation in Jesus Christ by grace alone through faith alone. 

Healthy Christians exercise Instant obedience

Luke 6:27 “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you."

Luke 6:37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned."

Luke 6:47 "Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like"

Introduction

Today's post is all about identifying the marks of a healthy Christian. Jesus' teaching in Luke 6 is a parallel account of His first ever public sermon in Matthew 5-7, the Sermon on the Mount. In that inaugural sermon Jesus lays out what will be the necessary foundations for the Apostle's New Testament teaching. We could in effect say that what we gather from the Sermon on the Mount constitutes the foundations for the Christian life. Every child of God should desire a healthy Christian walk. Thus in the opening above three verses (Luke 6:27,37,and 47), we see depicted those three marks, which are listed below:

1. Healthy Christians love their enemies. Luke 6:27

2. Healthy Christians exercise right judgment.  Luke 6:37

3. Healthy Christians exercise instant obedience. Luke 6:47

For the past couple of days we have looked at the first and second marks of a healthy Christian: Loving one's enemies (Luke 6:27-36) and Exercising Right Judgment (Luke 6:37-45). Today we will consider the final mark of a healthy Christian as expounded by Jesus in Luke 6:46-49: Instant obedience.

Healthy Christians exercise instant obedience. Luke 6:47-49
We have a saying around our home: "slow obedience is no obedience". In the scripture, the only obedience is that which is instant obedience. Whenever you study the life of Abraham, you mostly see a man who instantly obeyed God nearly every time. Whenever he was called to leave his homeland in Genesis 12 - he did so without hestitation. Likewise we as Christians ought to instantly obey our Lord whenever He addresses us from His word. 

Jesus poses the question in Luke 6:46- "Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?" What Jesus then does is express the valuable lesson He is going to teach, and also the meaning of the little parables that will accompany his lesson on instant obedience. In Luke 6:47 we read - "Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like". 

I'm almost certain someone reading this blogpost today recalls the famous Sunday School song: "The wiseman built his house upon the rock". That song is based upon Jesus' short little parable here in Luke 6:48-49 and its parallel Matthew 7:24-27. The contrast is plain: the man who instantly obeys the Lord is reinforced by the known will of God. The wonder of this parable is two fold. For one thing, instant obedience to the Master does not render one immune to trouble. However the second lesson is expressed in the promise of the parable that such a man will not be shaken. The Greek word translated "shaken" can be used to refer to that which is easily toppled or of a mind that is easily agitated. 

Healthy Christians are able to withstand the storms of life because they know Whom they have believed in and know that He is able to keep that which has been committed unto Him against that day. (2 Timothy 1:12). Unhealthy Christianity and in reality, unbelief, operates like a foolish man building his house upon the sand. Having lived in Florida for some time, I have witnessed what happens when a beach is eroded by the ocean. Whenever a hurricane makes landfall, many many feet of walkable shoreline slides into the ocean due to the relentless waves. I am sure you have seen it on the news where million dollar homes are reduced to worthless heaps of wood. Why? Improper foundations. The Christian's health depends upon the promptness of their obedience.

Closing thoughts:
These past several days have been dedicated to unfolding Jesus' teaching on the marks of a healthy Christian. We noted three of them from Luke 6:26-49, namely healthy Christians:

1. Love their enemies
2. Exercise sound judgment
3. Instantly obey their Lord

Healthy Christians judge rightly

Luke 6:27 “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you."

Luke 6:37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned."

Luke 6:47 "Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like"

Introduction

Today's post is all about identifying the marks of a healthy Christian. Jesus' teaching in Luke 6 is a parallel account of His first ever public sermon in Matthew 5-7, the Sermon on the Mount. In that inaugural sermon Jesus lays out what will be the necessary foundations for the Apostle's New Testament teaching. We could in effect say that what we gather from the Sermon on the Mount constitutes the foundations for the Christian life. Every child of God should desire a healthy Christian walk. Thus in the opening above three verses (Luke 6:27,37,and 47), we see depicted those three marks, which are listed below:

1. Healthy Christians love their enemies. Luke 6:27

2. Healthy Christians exercise right judgment.  Luke 6:37

3. Healthy Christian exercise instant obedience. Luke 6:47

Yesterday we looked at the first mark of a healthy Christian: Loving one's enemies. Today we will explore the second mark: Exercising Right Judgment.

Healthy Christians exercise sound judgment.  Luke 6:37-46

Luke 6:37 states: “Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned." Between this verse and its parallel Matthew 7:1, perhaps no other statement has been made as popular and misunderstood as this remark by Jesus. In the parallel of Matthew 7:1-2 we read these words: “Do not judge so that you will not be judged. 2 For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you." 

What exactly did He mean when He said: "do not judge"? If you read later on down to Matthew 7:5, we glean this insight: "You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye." The word for "judge" can refer to distinguishing between two options or alternatives, separating or dividing up something. Certainly the idea of rendering a legal decision is included in the meaning of this word in various other passages. It seems here that Jesus is referring mainly to practicing right decision making. To judge something rightly means to see an object or a person as they really are and then to act or respond accordingly.

Such ability to exercise discernment is one of the marks of spiritual maturity (see Hebrews 5:14-15). Healthy forms of judgment or decision making are extolled elsewhere in the Gospels. Perhaps the best commentary verse on Luke 6:37 is in John 7:24 "Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” What happens whenever we exercise proper judgment or fail to do so?

a. Right judgment knows how to handle God's resources. Luke 6:38

b. Whenever right judgment is not exercised, vulnerability to error is increased. Luke 6:39-40

c. Whenever right judgment is not exercised, the chance of hurting a fellow believers is increased.  Luke 6:41-42

d. Right and wrong judgment can be easily spotted. Luke 6:43-45

Thus the need for discernment or exercising proper judgment is not suspended by this text. If anything, we need as Christians to exercise caution in this world. Healthy Christians love their enemies and exercise right judgment.

More tomorrow.........

Healthy Christians love their enemies

Luke 6:27 “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you."

Luke 6:37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned."

Luke 6:47 "Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like"

Introduction

Today's post is all about identifying the marks of a healthy Christian. Jesus' teaching in Luke 6 is a parallel account of His first ever public sermon in Matthew 5-7, the Sermon on the Mount. In that inaugural sermon Jesus lays out what will be the necessary foundations for the Apostle's New Testament teaching. We could in effect say that what we gather from the Sermon on the Mount constitutes the foundations for the Christian life. Every child of God should desire a healthy Christian walk. Thus in the opening above three verses (Luke 6:27,37,and 47), we see depicted those three marks, which are listed below:

1. Healthy Christians love their enemies. Luke 6:27

2. Healthy Christians exercise sound judgment.  Luke 6:37

3. Healthy Christian exercise instant obedience. Luke 6:47

For now we will look at the first mark of a healthy Christian: Loving one's enemies.

 Healthy Christians love their enemies. Luke 6:27

As Jesus continues teaching in this section, He makes this curious statement in Luke 6:27 “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you." Jesus is restating a principle that was first revealed in the Old Testament. Exodus 23:4 for instance states: “If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey wandering away, you shall surely return it to him." We read later on in Proverbs 25:21 "If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink." The Old Testament concept of Biblical, Jewish spirituality included this essential mark of a healthy relationship with God. To love one's friends is quite natural. To love one's enemies is supernatural. 

In other places in the Four Gospels (Matthew 5:44; 7:12) we find this same principle. When Jesus taught what he taught in the Sermon on the Mount and the parallel verses here in Luke, He not only demonstrated agreement with the Law of God, He also went a step beyond it. The whole point of Luke 6:27-36 is to expound and amplify this first healthy mark of healthy Christianity, loving one's enemies. What is involved in loving one's enemies?

a). Praying for your enemies. Luke 6:27-28

Whenever you and I pray for those who mistreat us, it becomes increasingly difficult to stay angry at them the next time you see them. 

b. Pursue reconciliation, if possible. Luke 6:29-36

The striking phrase: "turn the other cheek" has been a subject of debate and misunderstanding throughout the history of interpretation on the passage. In William Neil's "The Difficult Sayings of Jesus", Eerdmans, page 11, we read the following explanation: "Jesus is contrasting the Old Testament principle of "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" (Exodus 21:23-25), the law of retaliation (Matthew 5:38), with the new principle by which his followers must be guided, the desire for reconciliation." The IVP New Testament commentary notes: "Jesus decries our culture's version of love. What is required to possess true love is an understanding of what it is to be loved by God and how God wishes one to love. At the center of Jesus' sermon is a unique concept of love. This love cannot be reduced merely to the "golden rule"; it is love that is golden even when everything around is not."

In loving one's enemies, reconciliation and the desire thereof lies at the heart. Afterall, God's supreme demonstration of love in the cross included the desire to be reconciled to His enemies. (Romans 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:21) When Jesus hung the cross, He prophetically turned His cheek, as written in Isaiah 50:6 "I gave My back to those who strike Me, And My cheeks to those who pluck out the beard; I did not cover My face from humiliation and spitting." We as Christians today are told in Romans 12:18 "If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men." 

Contrary to what many think this statement of "turning the other cheek" means, this is anything but easy, or pacifistic. Jesus is describing what it truly means to love one's enemies. Luke 6:30-36 functions to describe this concept in several ways. Anyone an love their friends (6:32-33) or do something good knowing full well that they will get compensated (6:34-35). However whenever the prospect of nothing in return is a true reality, and yet whenever someone still chooses to love that person regardless, then according to Jesus we are seeing nothing short than God's love in action. 

A Healthy Christianity then aims to love one's enemies.

More tomorrow.........

The Church in this world

Acts 28:21-22 They said to him, “We have neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor have any of the brethren come here and reported or spoken anything bad about you. 22 But we desire to hear from you what your views are; for concerning this sect, it is known to us that it is spoken against everywhere.”

Introduction:

I recall not to long ago somebody walking up to me and asking: "So how is the world treating you?" The only response I could think of was: "The world is treating me terribly, it hates me. However, Jesus is treating me wonderfully, He loves me." That response reflects the true reality of the relationship of the Christian to this world. The Book of Acts tells the history of the Holy Spirit's working in and through the church. Acts 1-2 details the commissioning by Jesus of His disciples to go and wait upon the Holy Spirit, Who then comes to birth and empower Christ's church. As the Book of Acts comes to a conclusion, the Apostle Paul is seen under House arrest in Rome, proclaiming the Gospel to whomever will give him an audience. Today's post is all about understanding the Church in this world.

Point of Application

The church in this world can expect discouragement, different responses and definite victory. Lets briefly consider these three parts of this main point.

The Church in this world can expect discouragement. Acts 28:21-22

Notice what the Jews say to Paul in Acts 28:22 "But we desire to hear from you what your views are; for concerning this sect, it is known to us that it is spoken against everywhere.” The underlined word "sect" in this verses comes from a Greek word from whence we get our English word "Heresy". The idea is that the early church was viewed as a variant, a differing opinion with Judaism and in the final analysis - a movement that ran counter to the Jewish traditionalism of the day. As the early Christians pushed the frontiers of the mission field, opposition increased. Jesus told His disciples that they would experience discouragement and opposition in this world. Matthew 10:22a reminds us: "You will be hated by all because of my name." Matthew 24:9 paints an even worse picture: “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name." Thankfully Jesus tells His disciples (and us really) these words in John 16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” So though Christians in this world can expect discouragement, we know that Jesus' peace and presence is ever with us. So the church in this world can expect discouragement and then a second thing....

The church in this world can expect different responses. Acts 28:23-24

Acts 28:23-24 relays to us how Paul spent countless hours communicating Jesus Christ from the scriptures. He would had done so mainly from the Old Testament prophets. When Paul got finished, we read in Acts 28:24 - Some were being persuaded by the things spoken, but others would not believe. We must expect different responses from people. There will be doubt, unbelief and apathy. Sometimes anger or offense. However there will be moments where the Spirit of God moves upon someone to elicit a response of faith. Jesus had this in John 12:42 "Nevertheless many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue." We must ever remember that the differing responses to our presentation of God's Word is more often and not due to the failure in the hearer, rather than us. Thankfully God's Word is never the reason as to why people don't believe. So the church in this world can expect discouragement and different responses. But notice the last and positive truth in all of this...

The church in this world can expect definite victory. Acts 28:25-31

Notice Acts 28:30-31 "And he stayed two full years in his own rented quarters and was welcoming all who came to him, 31 preaching the kingdom of God and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered." Paul had finished the closing remarks of his address to his hostile audience. He quoted Isaiah 6:9-10 as evidence against his opponents. Much like Isaiah the prophet who was sent on a mission to a hard people, the church has been sent on a mission to a hostile world. We may experience discouragement and different responses as the church in this world, however no matter what, the mission will succeed. God's Word achieves whatever purpose God sends it to accomplish. For some that may mean conviction and for others convincing. 

I close today's post with this quotation from Isaiah 6:6-11 as a reminder of what definite success looks like for the church in this world: "Seek the Lord while He may be found;Call upon Him while He is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake his way And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the Lord, And He will have compassion on him, And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. 8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.
9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts. 10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth and making it bear and sprout,
And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; 11 So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;
It will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it."