"You are members of God's very own family,
citizens of God's country, and you belong in
God's household with every other Christian."
Ephesians 2:19b
The body of Christ also needs us. The Bible tells us, "A spiritual gift is given to each of us as a means of helping the entire church" (1 Corinthians 12:7). This gift is called our ministry. God designed our local church for us to develop and use our gifts. We may also have a wider ministry, such as Bible studies at a local organization, but these are in addition to our service in our church.
We will share in Christ's mission in the world. God works differently now than He did when Jesus walked the earth. At that time, He worked through the physical body of Christ; now, He works through the spiritual body, meaning the church. We have the privilege of carrying the love of God to the rest of the world. The church is Christ's body; and as such, He works through us in the world. (Ephesians 2:10)
A church family will help keep us from backsliding. We all sin, even though we try to be like Christ. A church family will keep us accountable. The Bible says, "Encourage one another daily… so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness" (Hebrews 3:13). We are called to be involved with each other's lives. It is our responsibility to keep each other accountable. James tells us, "If you know people who have wandered off from God's truth, don't write them off. Go after them. Get them back" (James 5:19).It is the job of our godly leaders at church to defend, protect, and guard for the spiritual welfare of his flock. That means us. (Hebrews13:17) It is easier for Satan to tempt detached believers because he knows they are powerless against his tactics. They have no church family to defend them.
We will talk more about the church and our choices tomorrow. God bless you and have a nice day.
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