Aug 15
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The Church which is His Body
| “… And hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all.” Eph 1:22-23
The church of the Living God, the mystical body of Christ, is a glorious church not having any spot of sin or any blemish as a result of the propitiatory work of our Redeemer. We are one in and with Christ of whom it is written, ‘In Him is no sin”. The child of God living with the knowledge of our perfection in Christ in this fleshly body condemned to death because of sin is an humbling experience of God’s revealed grace. The effects of seeing our union with Christ in regeneration is abundant in blessings and benefits which redound to His glory. We are comforted and assured in Him who is sovereign over all things to our eternal good – “And hath put all things under His feet”. He Who is our Wisdom is our HEAD that knows and sees all things and therefore governs all things Providentially for our good – “and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church”. Then there is the sweet fellowship we have with Him together as we are united in one body, in one mind and in one accord. Our union with Christ brings us together as one body at His feet to worship Him and hear His Words which are life unto us. Our union with Him is a union begotten of love and abides in love for Him and one another and causes us to seek the good of our brethren, forgiving, forbearing, and patiently bearing with the faults and failures of others for Christ‘s sake – “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” Eph 4:32. It is a misnomer to bear the name of Christian and be filled with malice, jealousy, envy, hatred and strife. If we truly know Him we are those of whom it is written – “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular” 1Co 12:27. We, as believers, should have one objective, one goal, one desire, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God” 1Co 10:31. |
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The Church where everybody is a nobody
I’m sure you have seen the popular religious slogan used by so-called churches today: “The Church Where Everybody Is Somebody”. Fact is, THE church is a place where everybody is a nobody. The Church is made of unworthy sinners. All members know that. Ask them. Ask Jacob, he will tell you: “I am not worthy of the least of (God’s) mercies. Ask Abraham: “I am but dust and ashes.” Ask Job: “I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes.” Ask David: “Who am I, O Lord God? and what is my house, that Thou hast brought me hitherto?” Ask Mephibosheth: “What is thy servant that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?” Ask John: “I must decrease.” Ask Paul: “I am less than the least of all the saints.” Ask any of the saints of God and they will all tell you that they are nothing. You see your calling don’t you brethren? (I Cor. 1:26-28), how God hath chosen . . . things which are not.” As Matthew Henry once said: Since God made everything from nothing, if He is going to make anything out of us, we have to be a nothing.” Scripture says, “If any man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself” (Gal.6:3).
Do you know yourself to be a worthless, helpless, useless, sinful nobody? . . . that God doesn’t need you and that the Kingdom of God doesn’t need you? If so . . . welcome to the family of God! For the church is a place where everybody is a nobody and Jesus Christ is Somebody . . . the only One Who is of real value and worth, yea the altogether lovely One, the Holy One of God. As the people said of David, so say the saints of the Son of David: “Thou art worth ten thousand of us!” The saints in Heaven are singing to the Lord Jesus Christ right now “Thou art worthy.”
But wait! God says of the saints on earth, “Ye are the salt of the earth . . . of whom the world is not worthy.” This is a wonderful paradox, that all who see themselves unworthy, He calls worthy. All who call themselves unclean, God pronounces clean. All who feel they are nothing, God says they are His Jewels, His peculiar treasure! Why? Because Christ hath made them righteous, holy, worthy. Because He died for them, and because of the invaluable price He paid, they are now of infinite worth to Him and the Father. Because Christ is formed in them, they are now fruitful, faithful, obedient and full of goodness. That is what God says of them. Isn’t that what you think of them? All the saints are told to esteem other better than themselves. We feel that we are nothing, lest than the least, not fit to be called a disciple, but highly esteem our brethren. That’s as it should be. We think ourselves to be nothing while esteeming our brethren very highly. A wonderful thing isn’t it? That though we are nothing in ourselves, yet, in Christ, we are called sons of the God! –Paul Mahan.
Public Worship
| Public worship is the public assembly of God’s saints, meeting together to worship God publicly through the preaching of the Word, public prayer, and public praise. Public worship is just as important as private worship.
It is so important that Christ Himself gives the promise of His special presence and blessing only to public worship. “Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them ” (Matt. 18:20). One who says, “I don’t need to worship God publicly, I can worship just as well on my own,” is nothing more than a religious hypocrite. One who does not worship God publicly in reality does not worship God privately either. Public worship, the coming together as a church to hear the Gospel preached, is of utmost importance to the child of God. If a person can willingly and habitually absent himself from public worship, one of two things is true: He is in a serious, spiritually sick condition. When one is physically sick he loses his appetite for food. When one is spiritually sick he loses his appetite for the Word preached. The true child of God delights in public worship, because true worship does something for him. True worship will draw us closer to Christ in communion, faith, love and obedience. It shows us Christ, it shuts us up to Christ, and it leaves us looking to Christ. If that is not the case, we have not truly worshipped. God uses public worship to cause us to grow in grace and the knowledge of Christ. It always inspires, increases, and enlarges the faith, submission, and consecration of the believer to Christ. We cannot do without public worship, anymore than we can go without food. |
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In Vain do they worship me
| “This people draweth nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honoureth Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me.” Matthew 15:8
This was our Lord’s commentary concerning the professing Pharisee. Their outward form of worship was in vain because of their unbelief. They had His name upon their lips but no love for Him in their hearts. I fear this is the case of many in the visible churches today. Although the Lord knows what is in man then and now, it is more evident now than then for all to see. The Pharisee of His day was devoted and committed to the external motions of ceremonial religion. The average church going Pharisee of our day holds to a profession of doctrine with little or no devotion or commitment in any form. Sad to say, this is not only the case in rank Arminian assemblies, it is the case in many assemblies where the sovereign grace of God is preached faithfully. Many would fight and argue over the five points of Calvinism and their profession of faith, but they don’t have a heart of love and commitment to Christ and His church. Many in the ministry seem to believe that if they can convert men from Arminianism to Calvinism their salvation is certain and the ministry is successful. I am convinced by the Word of God and by experience, that those whom God the Spirit has efficaciously called to faith in Christ Jesus our Lord will have a new heart that is near to Christ in love, devotion and commitment. God’s preachers will not be cheerleaders and babysitters. They will preach Christ and Him crucified to sinners. Do we have a head for doctrine without a heart for Christ? There could be no more sorrowful edict from Jesus Christ than, “I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity”. |
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The good Shepherd’s flock
(Henry Law, “Deuteronomy” 1858)
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know
them, and they follow Me.” John 10:27
The good Shepherd’s flock is widely
scattered. They wander far on hills, and
valleys, in every land, and every climate.
Some pant beneath a tropic sun.
Some shiver in perpetual snows.
A watchful eye sees all.
And in fit time each is approached.
Jesus Himself draws near.
He wins the heart.
He enters in.
He takes the throne.
He shows His smile.
He melts the rock.
He turns the enmity to love.
He sits a conqueror in a once rebel camp.
All given by the Father come to
Him, because He comes to them.
They follow, because He calls.
They run, because He draws.
He opens out His arms; and then
they flee quickly to the shelter.
THE BODY OF CHRIST
Tom Harding
Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular (1Cor. 12:27).
All of God’s elect make up the body of Christ, His church (Matt. 16:18; Eph. 1:3-6). All who Christ Jesus redeemed with His precious blood, make up the body of Christ (Acts 20:28; 1Peter 1:18; Rev. 5:9-12). All who are regenerated by God the Holy Spirit, make up the body of Christ (1Cor. 12:13; Eph. 2:1-4; 1Peter 1:23). All who are made to believe the true gospel, make up the body of Christ (John 5:24; Gal. 3:26).
Therefore, any earthly organization or religious cult that sets itself as the “body of christ” proclaiming they have authority to put sinners into Christ or remove them at their own discretion and power to wash away sin, is truly an abomination to Almighty God, a discredit to the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and totally contrary to the whole testimony of God. Salvation, as it is taught from Genesis to Revelation is of the Lord; from election, to justification, to sanctification, to reconciliation, to regeneration and to glorification (Rom. 8:28-30; 1Cor. 1:30-31; 2Tim. 1:9: Titus 3:5-7).