A while back I was handed an article titled, “We make the Church what it is”. It states, “This is my church. It is composed of people like me. We make it what it is. I want it to be a church that is a light on the path of pilgrims, leading them to Goodness, Truth and Beauty. It will be, if I am; it will be friendly, if I am; its pews will be filled, if I help to fill them. It will do a great work, if I work. It will bring other people into it, worship and fellowship, if I bring them. It will be a church of loyalty and love, fearlessness and faith, if I, who make it what it is, am filled with these. Therefore, I dedicate myself to the task of being what I want my church to be.” Author Unknown
After reading this article I was reminded that the Lord has wonderfully placed each of our members into His assembly for which we are called Cornerstone Baptist Church.
1 Corinthians 12:27 states,
“Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.”
And Romans 12:5 states,
“So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.”
It is a wonderful work; a work that Jesus laid down His life for.
Ephesians 5:25 states,
“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;”
This assembly has a plan and a mission from the Lord Himself as recorded in Matthew 28:19-20,
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 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.”
And we are charged from the Scriptures as in 2 Timothy 4:2-4,
“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
This article also reminds me that each one of our members has a responsibility to not only uphold the doctrines and truths that the Scriptures expressly teach; but each member also has a responsibility to uplift and encourage one another by first setting an example to follow and then to bring forward those who need a helping hand. Consider the following passages of Scripture.
Colossians 3:12-17,
“Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”
1 Corinthians 12:26,
“And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.”
Galatians 6:10,
“As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”
But consider for a moment what would become of our church if we did the following.
Galatians 5:15-17,
“But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.”
1 Corinthians 12:25,
“That there should be no schism [division] in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.”
As members of one of the Lord’s New Testament assemblies, we must ask, “What type of church do we want our church to be?” Remember, “We make the Church what it is.”
