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being added to the church
There is no such thing as a lone Christian. Being added to the church is vital for a New Christian to stay grounded in faith and grow in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I attribute my strong faith and my walk with the Lord so many years "after" having received Christ to "Being added to the church".
"Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day --- And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." Acts 2:41,47
So far we have studied about repentance from sin and salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ,water baptism and baptism in the Holy Spirit. Now we come to the foundational truth of being added to the church - the people of God. These first four foundations can be thought of as legs to chair. Without any one or more legs the chair will not stand. The same can be said for the believer's life. If any one or more of these foundations are missing, they will not have a strong, stable life in Christ.
Probably one of the most neglected foundations is that of being added to the church. While most Christians believe that "it's important to go to church", many have little understanding of what the church is. Seeing it as only a building, a meeting, or a gathering of believers, many Christians think the church is somewhat optional to their personal relationship with Christ. The result is a weak and ineffectual Christian who has failed to understand God's eternal purpose and the work of Christ, who said, "I will build My church..." (Matthew 16:18)
When Jesus talked about His church, He did not mean buildings, religious services, denominational structures or para-church organizations. He spoke of the universal company of people who have experienced the saving grace of God in the Lord Jesus Christ. The "church" is the Body of Christ. The "church" is universal, and the church is local.
It is the selfish sinful nature of man that causes him to be more concerned with his own individual pleasure, comfort and will than the corporate life of the church. A Hindu can be a Hindu by himself. A Muslim can practice Islam all by himself. A Buddhist can seek enlightenment as an individual. But a Christian cannot find completion apart from a proper biblical relationship with the people of God, which is the church of Jesus Christ. Individualism, while highly prized by sinful man, is directly opposed to God's plan to reconcile man to Himself and man to his brother.
Lack of commitment to the people of God is simply evidence of a person's lack of commitment to God Himself. If one is truly committed to Christ, he will also be committed to Christ's church. Whole-hearted involvement in the church is not a matter of secondary importance. It is, in fact God's will for all believers. (1 Corinthians 12:18)
Being added to the church can be likened to planting a sapling. Just as pulling out a sapling and replanting it and then pulling it out again and replanting it elsewhere and then pulling it out again and replanting it elsewhere...doing this often enough will eventually kill the sapling, so also a Christian hopping from church to church and not being added to the church will eventually kill the Christian's faith.
Devoted to Fellowship
> John said he declared Jesus to people that they may ________________ and our _________________ is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ. 1 John 1:3
> And they __________________ to the apostles' teaching and _________________ to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. Acts 2:42
Doers of the Word and not hearers only
> The church is composed of people who __________________ the message.. Acts 2:41
> Obedience to God's Word is so important to the church that we are told to, "Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves, ________________________" James 1:22
Committed to a life of servanthood
> "Each one _______________________________ he has received ____________________, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms." 1 Peter 4:10
> "For even the Son of Man did not come _________________, but to _____________________" Mark 10:45
Financial Support
> In concern for the financial support of the church, we are exhorted not to rob God in _______________ and __________________ (Malachi 3:8). Jesus affirmed giving the tithe of the income as a New Testament principle (Matthew 23:23)
> A greater principle of giving we see in the New Testament would be, "give until the need is met." We see this by the statement, "There were no _________________ persons among them." Acts 4:34,35
Biblical Oversight and Accountability
> "Now we ask you, brothers, to ____________________________ and are over you in the Lord and who admonish you, and to ______________________ in love because of their work." 1 Thessalonians 5:12,13
> "______________ your leaders and ________________ to their authority. They keep watch over you..." Hebrews 13:17
Committed to be bonded together in love
> We are to ________________ with each another, and ________________ whatever grievances you may have against one another. ________________ as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues, put on ______________, which binds them all together _________________." Col 3:13,14
> "If your brother sins against you, go and _________________________. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over." Matthew 18:15
"...planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God." Psalm 92:13
Back to Foundations Class
I attribute my strong faith and my walk with the Lord so many years "after" having received Christ to "Being added to the church".
"Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day --- And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." Acts 2:41,47
So far we have studied about repentance from sin and salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ,water baptism and baptism in the Holy Spirit. Now we come to the foundational truth of being added to the church - the people of God. These first four foundations can be thought of as legs to chair. Without any one or more legs the chair will not stand. The same can be said for the believer's life. If any one or more of these foundations are missing, they will not have a strong, stable life in Christ.
Probably one of the most neglected foundations is that of being added to the church. While most Christians believe that "it's important to go to church", many have little understanding of what the church is. Seeing it as only a building, a meeting, or a gathering of believers, many Christians think the church is somewhat optional to their personal relationship with Christ. The result is a weak and ineffectual Christian who has failed to understand God's eternal purpose and the work of Christ, who said, "I will build My church..." (Matthew 16:18)
When Jesus talked about His church, He did not mean buildings, religious services, denominational structures or para-church organizations. He spoke of the universal company of people who have experienced the saving grace of God in the Lord Jesus Christ. The "church" is the Body of Christ. The "church" is universal, and the church is local.
It is the selfish sinful nature of man that causes him to be more concerned with his own individual pleasure, comfort and will than the corporate life of the church. A Hindu can be a Hindu by himself. A Muslim can practice Islam all by himself. A Buddhist can seek enlightenment as an individual. But a Christian cannot find completion apart from a proper biblical relationship with the people of God, which is the church of Jesus Christ. Individualism, while highly prized by sinful man, is directly opposed to God's plan to reconcile man to Himself and man to his brother.
Lack of commitment to the people of God is simply evidence of a person's lack of commitment to God Himself. If one is truly committed to Christ, he will also be committed to Christ's church. Whole-hearted involvement in the church is not a matter of secondary importance. It is, in fact God's will for all believers. (1 Corinthians 12:18)
Being added to the church can be likened to planting a sapling. Just as pulling out a sapling and replanting it and then pulling it out again and replanting it elsewhere and then pulling it out again and replanting it elsewhere...doing this often enough will eventually kill the sapling, so also a Christian hopping from church to church and not being added to the church will eventually kill the Christian's faith.
Devoted to Fellowship
> John said he declared Jesus to people that they may ________________ and our _________________ is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ. 1 John 1:3
> And they __________________ to the apostles' teaching and _________________ to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. Acts 2:42
Doers of the Word and not hearers only
> The church is composed of people who __________________ the message.. Acts 2:41
> Obedience to God's Word is so important to the church that we are told to, "Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves, ________________________" James 1:22
Committed to a life of servanthood
> "Each one _______________________________ he has received ____________________, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms." 1 Peter 4:10
> "For even the Son of Man did not come _________________, but to _____________________" Mark 10:45
Financial Support
> In concern for the financial support of the church, we are exhorted not to rob God in _______________ and __________________ (Malachi 3:8). Jesus affirmed giving the tithe of the income as a New Testament principle (Matthew 23:23)
> A greater principle of giving we see in the New Testament would be, "give until the need is met." We see this by the statement, "There were no _________________ persons among them." Acts 4:34,35
Biblical Oversight and Accountability
> "Now we ask you, brothers, to ____________________________ and are over you in the Lord and who admonish you, and to ______________________ in love because of their work." 1 Thessalonians 5:12,13
> "______________ your leaders and ________________ to their authority. They keep watch over you..." Hebrews 13:17
Committed to be bonded together in love
> We are to ________________ with each another, and ________________ whatever grievances you may have against one another. ________________ as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues, put on ______________, which binds them all together _________________." Col 3:13,14
> "If your brother sins against you, go and _________________________. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over." Matthew 18:15
"...planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God." Psalm 92:13
Back to Foundations Class