Pastor Joel Overduin | Vineland, Ontario, Canada
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MyChurch: vinelandfrc | Set 05313
FROM THE PASTOR “The Lord Adding”
What a privilege it is to experience the Lord’s work continuing in the history of the Church, in particular, by means of moving men and women – whether young, middle-aged or old – to express publically their faith in the Lord Jesus. This is described in Acts 2:47 as the Lord “adding to the Church.”
We do well to realize and emphasize that the real Lord does, not man. Church administrators may use all kinds of methods in order to draw people together. At best such people are added to the crowd of people assembled in a church building , and hopefully assembled for the purpose of hearing the gospel. We must concede that looking for methods bring people together under the hearing of the gospel is bad. In fact, it seems that the commotion caused by the Holy Spirit had that purpose. It succeeded in attracting attention and bringing people under the hearing of the Word preached by Peter. But the crowd gathered were still Christ-crucifying gospel mockers. Indeed! They were sinners in need of the Gospel. Drawing a crowd is not yet “adding to the Church.”
Let us be very clear that it is the Lord who adds to the Church and that He does so in a saving manner, by no other means than by His Word and Spirit. As the Word is preached Christ is preached as glorious in His Person and work and He is offered as Saviour. Hearts are pierced with conviction of sin. The gospel is received eagerly and gladly. Confessions of repentance and faith are heard. These are the indications that the Lord is adding to His Church.
If the Lord not subtract What God has joined together let not man put asunder !” (Matthew 19:6). After all, confessing faith is our solemn and willing participation in the covenantal marriage of Christ and His Bride. You have vowed “before God and these witnesses.” If the Lord has added you to His Church, what wickedness it is to ever tear yourself apart from the body of Christ, His church. How heinous it also is to cause young members to stumble in their faith in this way! Our Belgic Confession (which we pledge is our personal confession) in Art.28 says: “We believe, since this holy congregation is an assembly of those who are saved, and that out of it there is no salvation, that no person of whatsoever state or condition he may be, ought to withdraw himself, to live in a separate state from it.”
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