I love my sweet bride. Carrie and I began dating when we were fifteen. We have been best friends now for over 23 years. God has blessed us and led us faithfully. There is not anything I would not do for her. She is my girl.
The church is the bride of Christ. He bought us at a great price for Himself. For His glory and our blessing He has made us His own and called us to be faithful to Him. His covenant of grace binds us together in Him.
It is unsettling to me to hear people speak ill of any church or to treat the gathered church as if it is not important. The church is the bride and Jesus has called us together to serve Him and to love Him and one another.
We need to be careful to love each other as Christ has loved us and be local churches that honor our Lord.
Listen to what John calls those who do not love the church. 1 John 4:20–21 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.
Those are some strong words we need to take to heart and be careful to truly love the church and to reveal that love by encouraging, serving, and being faithful to the body of believers we are called to.
No comments:
Post a Comment