“Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” Matthew 28:20
A New Testament Church is to proclaim God’s Word, will, and way, teaching people to observe all things that God has commanded, according to all scripture.
The fact is, no one measures up to God, God’s Word, or will. All have sinned and come short of God’s glory. That is the reason for salvation by grace. But when God addresses the difference between a sinner’s own state, way and thoughts, versus God’s righteousness, He does so by commanding the sinner to repent, to forsake his own way and his own thoughts, and return unto the Lord. God does not take the position that He must alter or change His position to accommodate man, but that man needs to forsake his way unto seeking God’s way.
The church ministry is to be Christ’s ambassador. Thus the church holds before people God’s standard, God’s will and way. No one measures up perfectly. So the church continues to call upon people to turn from their will and way and return to God’s will and way. When people get away from God’s way, they are challenged to come back to it. When addressing the differences between people’s circumstances and God’s Word, the church is not to try and make compromises to accommodate people, but rather continue to call people back to God’s Word and way.
When good people’s circumstances differ from God’s Word, the church is to continue to declare God’s Word to be righteous, while at the same time committing these differences into the hands of God to judge. The church must also call for all people to acknowledge that God’s Word is righteous and that His judgment will be just in upholding His Word.
Whenever people choose a course that differs from the way God’s Word sets forth, there must be an understanding in the minds of all, that the individual who makes this choice must bear the burden of that choice rather than the church. The church’s integrity to teach people to observe all that God has commanded must be guarded and supported by all.
SHARING
