This Lord's day coves our Apostolic confessions 9&10. The Apostolic Church and the forgiveness of sins. We deal with the question "what do we believe regarding the church?" We confess that we are ACTIVE members of that church! The church is the body of our Lord Jesus Christ! Where does that body manifest itself here below? God gathers and calls His church in the preaching of the Gospel and as members who partake of His blessings we are careful where we worship Him.

Chosen: We can't observe things that are a matter of our faith to get the definition as we do with other things. We confess ONE church that is Holy before the sight of God. We may see something different as we see her in our period of time however. We see the church far from holy, full of schism, rent asunder, etc. Yet, we see what the Lord Himself has told us regarding the church. 1. It is HIS body and temple. The church is ONE church from an organic point of view and is part of His body! Each member will be part of that ONE organic body in heaven. (Organic like a tree that grows from the one root system. One in Christ and one deriving from Christ.) 2. The church is also HOLY. Though we are far from holy we are justified in the body of Christ...meaning we are essentially holy in Him and principally holy as we are redeemed in His blood!

Gathered: How does that one, holy, catholic church come together through all the ages? Out of the whole human race (that all finds its beginning in Adam and that was plunged into sin.) Out of that organism springs forth another organism...the church! God calls them to be redeemed to His glory. It is ecclesiastic in that they are called out! The church is ALWAYS by name called out! Read Romans 10 and John 10. "My sheep hear my voice and follow me." Read I Corinthians chapter 1. And the call is from an internal point of view. He calls through the Gospel internally in the child of God and by His Spirit and His word He gathers his church and also continues to shepherdizes them, guide them, and directs her!

Belonged to: I am a member of the church of God! We realize two things: 1. We realize in our heart of hearts that we are chosen of God, belong to Him, and are forgiven our sins and called to live a sanctified and holy lives UNTO Him. 2. We are members of the church militant as we have the struggle here below. This all brings us to where must we have our membership in that church? Through that preaching of that gospel we are called by God and directed by it. We have the calling to be where that gospel is strictly preached in clarity and purity until we struggle no more in heaven. Forget the social aspects offered, the additional programs put on and look at the preaching of His WORD!