THE WEEKLY WORD
Written by Pastor Sue Lynch
HOW TO BEHAVE IN THE CHURCH OF THE LIVING GOD
1 Timothy 3:15 “But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.”
Timothy was a young man, a personal disciple of Paul the apostle. He was a bit timid and needed a lot of encouragement from the elder apostle. Paul loved Timothy like a son, in fact called him “his son in the faith.”
In this epistle, which is a word which means a letter; we read how Paul is teaching Timothy how to conduct himself in the Church of Jesus Christ and how to teach each age group to do the same. It is of great importance to Jesus for His people to know what is expected of them; how they are to behave.
Today it is unfortunate as we look around us and see what people think of the Church of Jesus Christ. Some think of it as a place where they can act any way they want, worship any way they want. Others see it as an agency to ask for money to pay off their bills. In one month, in our church office, I received several phone calls asking for money to pay rent, bills, etc. The stories I hear are alike: “I am a single parent and I get so much a month. I spent it all already and need you to help me.” When I tell them that we are a Church and do not have that kind of money. When I invite them to Church; they hang up. They are only looking for a hand-out; not serious about their eternal soul.
Neither is the church a club house, or dating agency, nor is it a social club. It is certainly not a place to go and get entertained by a so-called worship band, that really rocks out the music so the congregation can move and groove to the beat. It’s not a place to spill out angers, bitterness or revenge.
The pattern for the church of Jesus Christ is given to us in the New Testament. We have a window into this wonderful gathering, which gathers to worship the Lord in spirit and truth, and to hear the word of the Lord. A place to repent and go to the altar for healing and cleansing. To receive instruction and guidance and deliverance. If you are truly saved and following Jesus; this is how the word of God describes the church you should be attending: “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel” Hebrews 12:22-24.
Then we should look at this portion of scripture: Ephesians 2:19-22 “Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.” Knowing these descriptions of how Christ and the Father have outlined the church to function and look like; how far off the mark the church has gone.
To outline this portion of scripture; we learn these amazing truths about Jesus’ Church:
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We are a part of the heavenly company of angels and saints (those who have gone on before us.) We are called citizens of the Celestial City that abides in heaven.
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The church is built on the apostles and prophets, Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, the One who is the Head and holds all things together.
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We are being built up into a holy temple in which the Lord God Almighty dwells with and in us by His glorious Holy Spirit. {I ask, do you really think the Lord God Almighty will abide in a church that allows comedy skits, jokes, rock music and scantly dressed women on the platform}? The answer is emphatically NO!
The Apostle Paul made sure to tell the pastors, the seriousness of the church: “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood” Acts 20:28.
The church is presented as the people of God the company of redeemed believers made possible by the death of Christ: 1 Peter 1:18, 19 “Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”
Beloved, the scripture tells of a time that the Lord is coming to shake the nations, all nations will be judged by a powerful time of shaking from heaven. Evil is out of control on the earth, children being sold into sex slavery, hatred, violence like we’ve never seen. God will cleanse His church, He gave His Son, His Son gave His blood, not to let the church go off on it’s own tangent, trends, false worship, etc. He will rid His Bride of the apostasy and sin in the church and make her into a clean Bride once more: “…that He might present her to Himself a glorious church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish” Ephesians 5:25-27.
Take time this week to read 1Timothy chapters 2-6. You will gain a perspective on how we are to behave in the church of Jesus Christ. It’s the place on earth where the supernatural God dwells in His people and works His works in and for them. Amen!