By: Undre Griggs, Jr. There is a high standard to which the churches of Christ will be judged on the Last Day. We find a glimpse of that standard when the church of Ephesus is judged. Christ is going to judge the works of the congregation, the work ethic of the congregation, and the ability of the congregation to endure for the faith. He is not only going to gauge our knowledge of the truth, He is going to note our willingness to adhere to the Word and whether we tolerate false teachings. Revelation 2:2-3 (NIV): I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. The judgment of a faithful church does not end there. As we find throughout the Bible, our judgment has a personal component unique to our effort and talents. Much like our willingness to forgive is how we will be forgiven (Matthew 6:14-15), and the manner in which we judge others is how we will be judged (Matthew 7:2); the work we put in at our strongest, is the standard Christ expects us to uphold throughout our ministry. Revelation 2:4-5 (NIV): Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. If we find ourselves speaking about what we use to do more than what we are doing, we are on the wrong path. If we frequently speak on the Bible Studies we use to have, the classes we use to teach, the people we use to visit, the doors we use to knock, and the fellowships we use to attend; we are slowly losing our first love and our salvation. There is no benefit in a congregation growing sounder in doctrine if their willingness to preach the good news disappears. To be victorious, a congregation will need to recall their greatest year and emulate that year every year. Revelation 2:7 (NIV): Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
By: Undre Griggs, Jr. The issues of the church in Corinth are not much different than the issues we find in the church today. There are controversies relating to the actions of a congregation, and there are concerns relating to the thoughts of the congregation. Often times, the actions are a symptom of the thoughts/mindset of the congregation. Paul understands we can do the right thing, for the wrong reason, and the result is not what was desired. 1 Corinthians 14:12 (ESV): So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church. In this case, there is nothing wrong with members desiring to receive a miraculous gift from the Holy Spirit. The problem is they are not interested in building up the church (their number 1 objective) with the gift God gave them. 1 Corinthians 14:3-5 (NKJV): But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification. Our mindset should be to build up the church through edification and exhortation. While we no longer have the miraculous abilities provided by the laying of hands (from the Apostles), the application is there. Church should bring comfort, peace, and encouragement to body of Christ. This should be accomplished by sharing God’s inspired word (prophesy) found only in the Bible. In the sharing of God’s word, we need to make sure we convey the words in a clear and understandable manner. If we focus on learning/teaching the words of God, we will be well equipped in our personal ministries to grow the body and build up the members already in the body. Be of courage and be of good spirit.
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Dean Road
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