"My Church......"
by: Gary Colley
There are multitudes who are willing to state what "my church" is doing in the realm of good works and what "my church" teaches on varied subjects. Often these believe that the "good works" of a social, political, and business nature are certainly significant for Heaven. Since they have accepted some of the teaching of the Lord, they seem to believe that if they are honest and sincere, even wrong becomes right and they will receive the Lord's approval in the end. If "my church" teaches a doctrine, it is equal to the authority of Heaven even if the Bible is silent as a tomb or has expressly forbidden the act! These believe that a human organization under human authority will save them IN SPITE of what the Bible teaches and condemns (Matthew 7:21-22, I Corinthians 1:10).
Jesus the Christ of God is Lord over a church also (Ephesians 1:22-23). He even used the term "my church" in referring to the divine institution which He would build and pay for with His own precious blood (Acts 20:28, Ephesians 5:25). He said: "...upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."
This church is the church of Christ (Romans 16:16), the people who walk by His authority (Matthew 28:18, Romans 8:1-2), wear His name (Acts 4:12), worship as He commands (Acts 2:42), trust in His promises (I John 2:25, John 14:1-6), who teach only as the Bible teaches (I Peter 4:11, Galatians 1:8-9), who plead for all to unite upon His teaching (John 17:20-23), who seek to do good to all men and especially to the household of faith (Galatians 6:10), who take seriously their obligation to preach and teach the Gospel (Mark 16:15, Romans 1:16).
This church saves those who enter into it even as the ark saved those who entered into it at God's command (I Peter 3:19-21). The Savior has never approved nor promised to save any other (Ephesians 5:23).
None are excluded from the fold who will submit to the authority of Christ....in fact, the invitation is to all who read these lines and desire to be saved (Matthew 11:28-30). Would you hear and believe in Him? Would you repent and confess His name before men? Would you be delivered from darkness and translated into His church by baptism? (Colossians 1:13, 2:12).
If you will be a member of His church, you will not be a member of any denomination, but you will belong to the body of the saved who are in what Jesus called "my church".