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| The Flawed Church |
My church isn’t perfect. I could write a medium-sized post listing the improvements I’d like to see. How about you? Does your church fall short of your expectations? Mark Dever has a word for us:
Does a particular church fail to meet your expectations in terms of what it does, as in whether or not it follows what the Bible says about church leadership? If so, remember that this is a group of people who are still growing in grace. Love them. Serve them. Be patient with them. Again, think of a family. Whenever your parents, siblings, or children fail to meet your expectations, do you suddenly throw them out of the family? I hope you are forgive and are patient with them. You might even stop to consider whether it’s your expectations that should be adjusted! By this same token, we should ask ourselves whether we know how to love and persevere with church members who have different opinions, who fail to meet our expectations, or even who sin against us. (Don’t you and I have sin that ever needs to be forgiven?)—Mark Dever, What is a Healthy Church? (Crossway, 2007), 36.
by David
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3 Comments:
donsands
"(Don’t you and I have sin that ever needs to be forgiven?)"
I think the key to the forgiveness is the heart wants forgiveness, and also hates the sin, and wants to never sin again.
There are those in the Church who don't think they need forgiveness for their mistakes as they see them.
There are those who say they struggle with their sin, when in fact they aren't really struggling.
The struggle against sin is something the Church needs to join together on. We need to help each other overcome our lusts, pride, and self-love. But only through the power of God's Spirit, and His grace.
Encourage one another to live righteously. Confess our sins to God, and to one another.
And always remember the Cross. If we don't, we shall surely condemn ourselves, and fall into deep despair, and lose hope.
Knowing we're forgiven in His death, and that we are crucified with Christ, makes a heart that has sinned sorrowful, broken, and penitent.
David
Knowing we're forgiven in His death, and that we are crucified with Christ, makes a heart that has sinned sorrowful, broken, and penitent.
. . . and humbly grateful.
Chris Kratzer
Thanks for this post, I am doing a series of messages titled, "What does Jesus think of our Church?" based on the evaluations Jesus gives of the seven churches in Revelation. It is eye opening to see what Jesus looks for in a Church compared to what others.
Check it out at http://chris-kratzer.blogspot.com