23/07/2023 - THE CHURCH OF CHRIST

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Which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. Ephesians 1.23

Is the Church of Christ on Earth a social or a governmental organization? Neither. It is the heavenly agency throughout the world, composed of those who have accepted Jesus as Savior. There may be cases where the unsaved, people still in their sins, consider themselves members of it, but this does not give them the right to ascend with Jesus at His return, for no one deceives Him.

Still speaking of the previous topic, it is necessary that the leaders of the church (apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers) be in communion with the Lord, so that they will never fall away. This is what the Word says: Nevertheless, the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: The Lord knows those who are His; and let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity (2 Timothy 2.19). Everything is clear before the Light!

The Church of Christ has a privileged position before the Lord, because it is not the work of man, but a divine plan, as He declared: And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16.18). The Messiah builds it through those he sends into the world. Jesus lovingly called it my church. He takes care of it Himself!

According to the Word, the church was meant to be a house of prayer, but when Christ saw what was going on in the temple in Jerusalem, he made a whip of cords and drove out those who sold pigeons and exchanged coins there: And he said to them, It is written: My house shall be called a house of prayer. But you have made it a den of thieves (Matthew 21.13). The Lord takes care of His work. This includes the meeting place, His workers, as well as those who alter the purpose of the church.

The house of prayer should bring the saved together to worship and serve God. However, sadly, those who do anything else will give account to the Most High for their evil deeds. It must be led in holiness, without giving the enemy the right to accuse it of having lost its original purpose. Read the seven letters of Jesus to the churches in Revelation (read chapters 2 and 3), in which the deviations that should not exist are shown.

The Church is composed of the Body of Christ; therefore, never be a cell that defiles Jesus, the Head of the Church. It is always good to remember: in a meeting where two or more are united in the Name of the Lord, He makes Himself present (Matthew 18.20). Therefore, we must have double respect for the church. The people who use the house of God for other purposes, such as commerce and politics are so wrong! 

Besides being the Body of Christ together, the Church is the fullness of the Lord. We need to keep in mind that He fulfills everything in everyone. So, it has to be a place of the wonders of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, the person of the Trinity who works among the saved, bringing salvation to the lost, healing of the sick, and the deliverance of the oppressed. In It, we do what Jesus accomplished (John 14.12)!

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares.