THE PURE WORD OF GOD
LOVE FROM A PURE HEART.
The two best things a local church can offer people is the pure word of God, and love from a pure heart. The preacher (pastor) is the primary instrument for proclaiming the undefiled word of God. But everyone in the church, who claims salvation, is expected to love all others, with a pure heart, even as Christ loves them. So, whichever area is your responsibility, be sure that you fulfill your calling, without flaw. It can be done, it must be done, because God commands it and God enables it.
People may come to church and not understand or accept the message of salvation and deliverance right away. They may need to hear it and digest it and hear some more before faith takes hold. Especially today, when people are not only ignorant of the word of God, but antagonistic.
HOWEVER, no one should come to a Bible believing church, and then leave, without experiencing the love of the congregation. I am not talking about "bubbly" surface love, and I am not talking about love so deep that it cannot be readily experienced. I am talking about real, warm, living, Christlike love that is self denying. If the love of God is knowable, if the love of God is redemptive, if the love of God reaches the lost, then the love of God should be flowing freely and constantly through the local body.
Some people are not as "warm" as others, or as "open" as others, or as "demonstrative" as others. IT DOES NOT MATTER. We are all suppose to love others in such a way that they glorify God in response. If you are not equipped to be a "loving" person, then you need to surrender and avail yourself of the power and grace of God.
I have seen loving churches and I have seen less loving churches, and the loving churches are going to reach the harder hearts.
The two best things a local church can offer people is the pure word of God, and love from a pure heart. The preacher (pastor) is the primary instrument for proclaiming the undefiled word of God. But everyone in the church, who claims salvation, is expected to love all others, with a pure heart, even as Christ loves them. So, whichever area is your responsibility, be sure that you fulfill your calling, without flaw. It can be done, it must be done, because God commands it and God enables it.
People may come to church and not understand or accept the message of salvation and deliverance right away. They may need to hear it and digest it and hear some more before faith takes hold. Especially today, when people are not only ignorant of the word of God, but antagonistic.
HOWEVER, no one should come to a Bible believing church, and then leave, without experiencing the love of the congregation. I am not talking about "bubbly" surface love, and I am not talking about love so deep that it cannot be readily experienced. I am talking about real, warm, living, Christlike love that is self denying. If the love of God is knowable, if the love of God is redemptive, if the love of God reaches the lost, then the love of God should be flowing freely and constantly through the local body.
Some people are not as "warm" as others, or as "open" as others, or as "demonstrative" as others. IT DOES NOT MATTER. We are all suppose to love others in such a way that they glorify God in response. If you are not equipped to be a "loving" person, then you need to surrender and avail yourself of the power and grace of God.
I have seen loving churches and I have seen less loving churches, and the loving churches are going to reach the harder hearts.
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