Just Rodney
Each week, you will find brief insights on this blog page into Pastor Rodney's upcoming Sunday message. After each Sunday service, visit this blog again to view the same post, updated with a video of our worship time.
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Essential Theology for Troubling Times
The nature of the church and church membership
When I think about the nature of the church, I cannot help but to stop and think about whose church it is - it’s God’s church (cf. Acts 20: 28b).
Christ is the head (cf. Ephesians 4:15) and church is the body of believers
(cf. 1 Corinthians 12:12). Therefore, the church must take on the nature of Christ - “holiness.”
Scripture tells us what kind of church Jesus is coming back for in Ephesians - “that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish” (5:27). Since God is spirit, church membership is spiritual as well - through the new birth. Membership is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ and God alone adds to His church (cf. Acts 2:47) -
“But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.” (1 Corinthians 12:18)
We are not to rejoice because our name is written in the Sunday school class book, in the church record, or on the “roll-call” of eligible voters in its business meetings, but - “…rejoice because your names are written in heaven” - “rejoice that your name is written in the Lambs book of life” by virtue of the new birth! (cf. John 3:3)
rodney
