HUGH’S NEWS & VIEWS
The church as set forth in the New Testament was the fulfillment & fruition of God’s eternal purpose to redeem mankind Ephesians 3:8-12. It was brought into existence by Christ, being purchased with His blood Matthew 16:18; Acts 20:28. All who have been cleansed of & saved from their sins by the blood of Christ are members of the church, having been added to it when they were saved Acts 2:47. To speak of being a saved person, yet not being a member of the church is to speak in ignorance of what the church is according to New Testament. While one can be saved from sin & become a Christian without being a part of any denomination, it is biblically impossible to be saved from sin & a Christian without being a member of the church, the spiritual body of Christ Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 1:18. Christ is the savior of the church, & in the gospel era only those accountable persons who are members of that blood-bought institution have the hope & promise of eternal life in heaven Ephesians 5:23.
I have written often about the church & its place in God’s grand scheme of redemption, of its undenominational nature, & of the necessity of being a member of the very church Christ Himself established. I will continue to do this because the need for such is so pressing. At the same time, it is imperative members of the Lord’s church recognize they will not go to heaven just by being members of the right church! Christianity is a way of life, & if one who wears the name of Christ does not “walk the walk,” his membership in the church will not be sufficient on the day of judgment for him to enter the eternal abode of the redeemed.
Those who hear & obey the gospel & are added to the church are to be taught to observe all things Christ has commanded Matthew 28:20. They are to remember the greatest commandment is to love the Lord with all of their heart, soul, & mind Matthew 22:37-38, & to love the Lord means to keep His commandments John 14:15. They are to remember the second greatest commandment is to love their neighbor as they love themselves Matthew 22:39, & that the badge of genuine discipleship is their love for one another John 13:35. They are to understand genuine love is not an emotion but an action I Corinthians 13:4-7.
Christians, members of the body church of Christ, are to “walk as children of light” Ephesians 5:8. They are to “let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, & evil speaking be put away from [them], with all malice” Ephesians 4:31. Instead, they are to “be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also has forgiven [them]” Ephesians 4:32. Venomous words of wrath & anger are not part of a Christian’s vocabulary.
God’s people are to “approve the things that are excellent” Philippians 1:10, & their conduct is to be “worthy of the gospel of Christ” verse 27. They are to recognize their citizenship “is in heaven, from which they eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” Philippians 3:20.
Members of the Lord’s church, are to “set [their] mind on things above, not on things on the earth” Colossians 3:2. They are to remember “whatever [they] do in word of deed, [they are to] do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” Colossians 3:17.
Christians are to recognize the importance of regularly & faithfully worshiping the Lord John 4:24; Acts 20:7; I Corinthians 16:1-2; Hebrews 10:25. They are to “grow in the grace & knowledge of our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ” II Peter 3:18.
Religion is not something one “gets,” but something one practices. “Pure & undefiled religion before God & the Father is this: to visit orphans & widows in their trouble, & to keep oneself unspotted from the world” James 1:27. Note: To “visit” orphans & widows involves much more than a social visit. “Visit” means to provide for their needs.
Jesus spoke of a large crowd on the day of judgment who was going to be shocked when they learned of their eternal doom. They were lost because of their failure to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, take in the stranger, clothe the naked, & visit the sick & those in prison. Their failure to minister to those in need was a failure to minister to Christ Himself, & resulted in their being sent away “into everlasting punishment” Matthew 25:26. Note: This entire verbal picture of the final judgment painted by the Lord needs to be read & absorbed by all Matthew 25:31-46.
The Old Testament prophet Micah enunciated an eternal principle when he wrote, “He has shown you, O man, what is good: & what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, & to walk humbly with your God” Micah 6:8?
Beyond question the Lord’s church is important! Membership in it is absolutely essential to salvation! But we won’t go to heaven just by being a member of the right church! Life in the church—a faithful Christian life—involves a daily walk with the Lord: in the home, at school, on the job, in the community, & in all phases & facets of life.
Hugh Fulford
July 25, 2017
