Sticky Teachings

Have you ever had someone tell you something...and it stuck...like glue?

I find that many of the things that I was taught...when I first became a Christian had this "crazy" ability to stick to my brain.

At one youth bible study someone raised a very serious and important question.

They asked, "Does a person have to be baptized to go to heaven?"

The teacher did not speak right away...and when he spoke he began his answer by saying, "Before I answer that question it is important to distinguish a person who hasn't been baptized and a person who refuses to be baptized."

Salvation is through trusting in the life, death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, the God/man...Son of God...baptism is the sign of you entering into a covenant of life with God.

Jesus asked some people the question, "But why do you call Me, Lord, Lord, and not do the things which I say?"

Salvation is by faith...and the Bible teaches us that saving faith begins to shape and mold our thoughts and actions...producing works of love to our Saviour and Lord!

As I thought on this old sticky teaching...I thought it was very applicable to people who profess who follow Jesus and yet do not assemble with Christ's body on earth, the church.

God's word tells professing Christians,"And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not to forsake the assembling of yourselves together...as some are in the habit of doing..." [Hebrews 10:24]

We live in a culture that glories in individualism...the self needs nothing...but God's word tells Christians that they are to be shaped and molded by God's word and not by the surrounding culture and its false beliefs! [Romans 12:2]

Jesus died for His church!

Jesus trained His disciples to be the first leaders of His church!

The New Testament tells us that the church is like heaven's colony...on earth.

The church is Christ's kingdom on earth...it is governed by God's Word...it has been appointed with servant leaders...it is a place of life and hope!

Jesus gave a very serious warning! "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise Him up at the last day." [John 6:53-54]

Jesus isn't tell His followers to be cannibals...remember God's word interprets God's word. At the Last Supper, Jesus told His disciples that the broken bread was a memorial to His body that was going to be broken for them. And the wine [not grape juice] was a memorial to His blood that was going to be shed.

Life is in Christ! Jesus, the Head of church is in heaven...and Jesus body...is still on earth!

God's word commands God's people to be a part of the heavenly kingdom, to love and serve one another...to be accountable to one another...to be under the authority of godly leaders...who lead as servants...themselves submitting to the Word's of Christ...

...showing that they are partaking of eternal life...and really trusting and submitting to their Lord, by submitting to His word...and by eating His broken body and drinking His blood...at the Lord's Table!

Historically, excommunication meant that a Christian who was rebellious against God's word...and refused to repent...was dealt with by the church and its government.

The elders of the church would excommunicate this person...refusing to admit them to the Lord's Table...which the new testament says is the declaration that this person has no part in Jesus and His kingdom of eternal life...UNTIL THEY REPENT OF THEIR SIN!

How many Christians are there in North America...who call Jesus Lord, Lord...but refuse to do the things He says?

How many Christians refuse to join and intimately get involved in a church...refuse to be accountable, refuse to love and serve other Christians, refuse to submit to godly authority [elders]...

...and have excommunicated themselves!

God warns people that He will NOT be mocked...whatever a person sows...that they will also reap!

There is an almost infinite chasm between the person who can't go to church [sick, in jail] and the person who refuses to listen and obey the Lord's commands!...

...and refuses to become a part of His church!