The Daily Word

 

What should characterise a church? Essentially some people would regard a church as a type of club, i.e., a social enterprise. And it does have that as one characteristic. People attend because they like the interaction and what happens there, and it should get involved in the community in which it stands, but it should still stand out as something different from a club and certainly should never adopt the practices of the community in which it operates. It should be in the world but not of the world.

The key characteristic that should characterise a church is that same characteristic which each member of that church should demonstrate both within and outside of the church and it is the characteristic that it should take from its Head and that is Jesus Himself who demonstrated this when He was on earth. The Apostle John said, “Herein is LOVE, not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to die for us”. Jesus Himself gave His Disciples, and that includes each one who has taken the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour, this command that we love one another (in the same way and to the same degree) as He loves us. By this characteristic He said, that all people would recognise that we are His disciples.

 In Romans 12, Paul gives us the same exhortation, “Let love be without dissimulation”, or “let love be sincere”. That is the true test of a church, it should demonstrate real and practical love to all without any holding back! It all starts with our love for our God and Saviour. That MUST be the prime motivation for the second outworking of love, towards other members of our church and others who likewise know and hold Jesus as the only Saviour. And finally it should flow out to all who have a need outside of the church.

Article written by Brian Preston, Elder @SFGH Church