JESUS SAVED THE CHURCH
We know that Jesus came to earth to save mankind. We also know that as Christians we have a responsibility to teach the lost the gospel, and at least give all men and women everywhere the chance to respond to the saving message of Christ. It is our responsibility – all of us – to teach others the gospel and what they can do to become Christians. AND we must further teach them to be faithful to the Lord and His will until death.
We will not do that unless we see people the way God does. He makes it clear that people in sin (both those outside the church and those who were at one time members of the church) will be lost. Hence, we need to not only try to reach those outside – this is vital – but we need to reach those who have gone astray.
We know that the Bible clearly teaches that a person, after becoming a Christian, can be lost. Jesus talked about the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Paul warned in Hebrews 10:26-31, “For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
What if we were able to get back all those who have left the faith? Can we imagine the army of people that could help us in sharing the gospel? Can we imagine these helping to bring back a sinner from the error of his ways according to James 5:19-20, “My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins, and the joy of having brothers and sisters in Christ back with us, working and desiring that all go to heaven with us?
The church is important to Jesus because he died for it. If Jesus loved the church enough to save us, then, if we have the heart of Jesus, we must love the church as well.
Think about some of the ones that need to be saved
The Unsalvageable – we must think of those who have left the church and “become entangled in sin once again.” 2 Peter 2:20 states For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the last state is become worse with them than the first.” Some will not want to come back after being in sin, but we must make the effort. God does not think they are unsalvageable. They can be brought back – but the church (all of us) must do what we can to bring them back.
The Untouchable – sometimes we must realize that preachers, elders, deacons and other leaders will sin and leave the church as well. We cannot be afraid of going after them as well. We read in Galatians 6:1-2, “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Paul gave Timothy instructions on how to deal with elders that sin in 1 Timothy 5:17-22.
The Unimportant!
The weak, poor, uneducated, young, unknown, or disliked are often taught as unimportant. We do have a tendency sometimes to shun certain people, but Christians must never do that. Luke 15:10 reminds us that there is joy in heaven over one sinner that repents. Every soul is IMPORTANT TO GOD AND CHRIST! Let us never say we didn’t need them. Or “they never did much,” or “they had a bad attitude.” Remember all of us have a soul that Jesus died to save, and we must make every effort to save those outside in the world and those inside the church.
“Lord, open our eyes and help us to do what you have commanded. In Jesus name, AMEN.
Thoughts from a tract by Allen Webster “Saving the Church.”
