Overflow Daily...ish: Loving the Church



Adapted from Overflow Sermon on 11/13/2016

18 …and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 
Matthew 16:18b 
Whether you believe it or not, a church’s understanding of ecclesiology, the doctrine of the church, will directly affect their soteriology, the church’s doctrine or understanding of salvation, and vice versa. Why is that? Because a low view of salvation will cause a church to operate not as the body of Christ, but as a business seeking to employ various “tactics” to entertain as opposed to convicting them of their sins. On the other side of the same coin, a low view of God in a church will encourage its members to simply declare with their mouths that they submit to God, but it will not exercise church discipline to correct sin. It will not call the people to bring glory to God, but rather to man.

One of the contributing factors to this is the fact that easy-believism is being taught in too many churches; the water-down view that you can believe without truly turning from sin and towards Christ. That all you need to do is confess with your mouth, one-time, that Jesus is Lord, but not believe in your heart and be transformed into a new creation who has abandoned their old desires and replaced them with godliness and righteousness. It is, by all means, a low view of God and a high view of man. Now you may be thinking what does this have to do with the church? Everything.

The church needs to remember that we are called to love our neighbor and have a deep compassion for souls. That it is to be the pillar bulwark of truth, faithfully preaching the gospel, calling sinners to repentance and faith in Christ Jesus, and encouraging spiritual growth of its members.

The church is the place where believers can love one another (1 John 4:12), encourage one another (Hebrews 3:13), “spur” one another to love and good works (Hebrews 10:24), serve one another (Galatians 5:13), instruct one another (Romans 15:14), honor one another (Romans 12:10), and be kind and compassionate to one another (Ephesians 4:32). For a church body to function properly, all of its “body parts” need to be present and working (1 Corinthians 12:14–20). It’s not enough to just attend a church; we should be involved in some type of ministry to others, using the spiritual gifts God has given us (Ephesians 4:11–13).

Love your church and love the members of your local body. Commit to it in thick and thin, for not even the gates of hell will prevail against it.

Grace and Peace
Pastor Alex

You may watch the full sermon here: Sermon Video Link

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