The Local Church

I guess it’s been a while since I last blogged. Most notable the title, from “Every Thought Captive” to “Wage the Good Warfare.” Why? Well I wanted to prevent confusion from the countless of other blogs which are titled “Every Thought Captive.” That’s pretty much about it. But aside from that change, the premise remains very much the same.

It is a wonderful thing to think about the church. And it is a wonderful thing to have a Master who knows the hearts and minds of those that are His adopted sons and daughters. For our God has called us into fellowship and communion by the bond of Christ. He who knows the heart of men to be prone to wander, is infinitely wise as to provide and establish for His saints the glowing beacon of light, the church. And what a privilege it is to be in fellowship with other brothers and sisters. To be encouraged by each other’s faith, to be exhorted, rebuked, to see the hearts of the saints be refreshed through each other, is a privilege.

And sadly, we find in our day that there are many who have neglected the church. They have chosen to forget and forsake the very community that Christ died for. Instead, they have chosen to opt for a life of the lone Christian. They have rejected the church for which God has specifically established so that we would “stir up one another to love and good works,” and instead have been “neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some.”

And it breaks and burdens my heart to find many who have yet to commit to the local church. As the Lord has shaped and convicted this area of my life, through Scripture first and foremost, and then through experience, I see the local church of such immense importance. Therefore, it has been my conviction as of late to begin posting my thoughts and convictions on the local church. These next series of blogs are not necessarily authoritative per se, but I stand firm in my convictions because I see it portrayed in Scripture. But if I err in anyway, I humbly ask for forgiveness, for I seek to be corrected in my understanding of Scripture, and in specifically, the church. Neither are my blogs on the church comprehensive and exhaustive, but it is my prayer that through these blogs, we would have a heavier burden for the local church. That by understanding the church in so many aspects, we would at the very least begin to love the church, just as Christ loves the church, died for it, and sanctifies it by the washing of the Word.

soli Deo gloria.