HOPE IS ALIVE

The New Testament makes it clear that the church is not a building, or an organization, or a social institution. It is a group of people who have trusted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. The true church is made up only of those who know Christ as their Lord and Savior. Since that is true, Christ has the right to say what the church should be and do.

The primary reason the church exists is to glorify God. This is the responsibility of every member in the body. We glorify God when we worship Him, when we praise Him, when we proclaim His Word, when we live His Word and when we spread His Word.

Christians should continually be growing stronger spiritually. This is so important that in Matthew 28:18-20 when Jesus gave His great commission He only gave one command in those verses, “Make disciples.” Just adding numbers to the roll call is not the goal; the goal is baptized, instructed, mature disciples.

The church’s goal should also be to help them become disciples. The Lord’s desire for His people, the church, is spiritual maturity. As Ephesians 4:12 indicates “…maturing…for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.”

Ephesians 5:26-27 says Christ gave Himself for the church “that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the water by the Word, that He might present it to Himself a glorious church not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”

Jesus Christ desires a pure church. Therefore, every Christian should be vitally concerned about living a pure life. But when a Christian doesn’t live a pure life, the Lord requires the church to discipline that individual to maintain the purity of the church. (Matthew 18:15-20, I Corinthians 5.)

God bless you