David's Blog

Characteristics of the Church - Midweek Message 25th August 2021

 

(Thinking about the characteristics of the church as presented by the New Testament here are two relevant quotes from the writings of John Stott who once said that if he had had his ministry all over again he would have spent more time teaching about the central importance of the church in the purposes of God)


What unites the church is a common faith in Christ and a common share in the Spirit. Apart from this essential, Christians may have nothing at all in common. We differ from one another in temperament, personality, education, colour, culture, citizenship, language and a host of other ways. Thank God we do. The church is a wonderfully inclusive fellowship in which 'there is neither Jew nor Greek, neither slave nor free, neither male nor female'.(Galatians 3.28). In other words, in Christ we have equality. (Christ the Controversialist, London IVP p183) 


Love is the first mark of a true and living church and truth is the second, because the Scriptures hold love and truth together in balance. Some Christians are so resolved to make love paramount that they forget the sacredness of revealed truth. 'Let us drown our doctrinal differences,' they urge, 'in the ocean of brotherly love!' Others are equally mistaken in their pursuit of truth at the expense of love. So dogged is their zeal for God's Word that they become harsh, bitter and unloving. Love becomes sentimental if it is not strengthened by truth, and truth becomes hard if it's not softened by love. We need to preserve the balance of the Bible which tells us to hold the truth in love, to love others in truth and to grow not only in love but in discernment (What Christ thinks of the Church, Milton Keynes, Word UK p44)