Augustine said, “He cannot have God for His Father who refuses to have the Church for his Mother.” Someone said, “I believe in loyalty to the local church. I don’t believe in that view of the invisible church that makes you invisible at church!” There are some people who attend church fairly regularly, but are in many ways like the “live-ins” who have a very convenient situation that lacks commitment. There is no legal bond therefore if the normal pressures become uncomfortable one may “split” without a charge of obligations. The New Testament knows nothing of free-lance Christianity, they met together and shared together the responsibility of the Gospel Ministry and Mission. It is the corporate witness of the redeemed fellowship that is used by the Spirit of God. Those whom God leads, He leads to His holy hill, and to His tabernacles; those therefore who pretend to be led by the Spirit and yet turn their backs upon instituted ordinances, certainly deceive themselves. Persons who have been converted to Christ join themselves with the Church of Jesus Christ. Some say, “I have believed in Jesus, but that is a matter between God and my own soul, there is no need that I should make it public. The promise of the Gospel is, “He that believes in his heart and confesses Christ with his mouth, will be saved.” “Being a Christian” and not being a member of a local assembly that preaches the truth is hypocrisy. The idea of not joining a church, and instead simply belonging to the “church at large” is the opposite of unity and intended to put an end of all visible church fellowship. And I’m sure you’ve heard before, if you wait for a perfect church, you must wait until you get to heaven; and even if you could find a perfect church on earth, I am sure they would not admit you for you yourself are not perfect. Find those people who are nearest to the Scriptures and hold the truth in doctrine and in practice, and are most like the apostolic church. If everyone felt as some there would be no visible church and no body of people banded together to maintain and teach Christian commands and practices. Christian fellowship, the celebration of the Lord’s Supper and baptism, an evangelistic ministry and support of missionaries could not be if no one openly declared the cause of Christ. There will always be those whom the devil sneaks in and plants among the wheat, those who are “not” being saved. A Judas, and Ananias and Saphire, and Simon Magus, and Demas; Satan’s servants are the mixed multitude which infest the camp of Israel, and are the first to fall into lusting; his servants are the Achans who bring a curse on the tribes; those whom Jude worte about, “certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you.” False believers adulterate the church, and by doing so they weaken and defile it and bring on it much grief and dishonor. When the Lord adds to the church that is another matter. Those who love the Lord join me in prayer the Lord would add to the church daily those who are being saved, we long to see this.
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