Let The Church Be The Church
The church of the Lord exists for the purpose of preaching the Gospel of Christ. This is a God-given mission placed upon the church because of the world's need for truth. The world is lost in sin and the "gospel is the power of God unto salvation" (Romans 1:16). The church is the agency (and the only one) upon which God has bestowed the responsibility of carrying this gospel to the world doomed by sin (1 Timothy 3:15). There is no work which the church may do, but that some other organization is doing the same thing, and often doing it better than the church is. When the church ceases to carry on a vigorous program of preaching and teaching, it is failing in its divine responsibility and has surrendered its reason for existence.
It is not the work of the church to operate soup kitchens, colleges, grammar schools, summer camps, recreation rooms, entertainment programs, or ball teams. (Individual Christians may do any, or all, of these things, but they are not the work of the Lord's church). It is the work of the church to preach the gospel, and to care for its needy. If the church goes into the entertainment business in an effort to "reach people" (reach them with what?), the world will laud, "There is a good example of real Christianity." If the church becomes a relief agency, many people (who know nothing of the nature and work of the church) will commend saying, "that is real religion at work." However, when the church begins to preach the GOSPEL of Christ, these same people will become critical and hostile saying, "Why can't you stay with your religion and leave other people alone?"
When the church fulfills its mission of preaching, the preaching will include the following:
1) Baptism is for the remission of sins. Christ said, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved" (Mark 16:16). Peter declared on Pentecost, "Repent and be baptized...for the remission of sins." (Acts 2:38). Hence, baptism is essential to one's salvation.
2) New Testament baptism is immersion in water; sprinkling will not do. Baptism is a burial in water (Romans 6:4).
3) There is one body (Ephesians 4:4), and this body is the church (Ephesians 1:22). Denominations were unknown during the first century or for hundreds of years following the first century.
4) Faith alone will not justify anyone (James 2:24). The Bible teaches that saving faith has always been an obedient faith. "Faith that worketh by love" is the way Paul puts it (Galatians 5:6).
5) We must worship God in spirit and truth (John 4:24). When we worship "in truth", we do it as the truth of God directs, and this does not allow us to add to or subtract from the divine patter.
When the church goes into the entertainment or soup kitchen business, the world will commend us. When the church preaches the WORD, the world will criticize us resentfully.
From Our Archives, 1986
By: Bill Humble