YES- THEY ARE ALL IN THE CHURCH!

YES- THEY ARE ALL IN THE CHURCH!

John 13:15

Bishop Ponle Alabi

The Bible is very blunt when it comes to revealing the truth. God called David a man after God's heart yet speaks over and over about his sins and redemption. The Bible does not hide the errors of men who pursue the triumph that faith gives. Paul would have had a perfect life but the Bible says he was also a sinner saved by grace.Peter would have become a "demi-god" but for the many times he fell and was raised by mercy, we know Christ is still the only Saviour of the World. Elijah performed such a great miracle that without James revealing he was a man like us, many of us who have read and studied his life would have assumed...he was always a superhuman. All these point to the integrity of the Bible. Many other religions hide the faults of their founders and leaders...but Jesus Christ alone challenged the opposition; "Who among you can prove me guilty of any sin?..."- John 8:46. Nobody in the history of Humanity could ever say that. Bold statement!

Jesus Christ revealed His aim; "For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you." Jesus wants the Church to turn out like Him. But is the Church really like Christ?

The Word reveals the kind of members in the Church:

1. The IGNORANT BRETHREN: 1 Thessalonian 4:13 reveals that the Church can include the association of the IGNORANT brothers. One of my teachers would call them the largest denomination in many churches. The problem with Ignorant brothers is that they do not understand how Faith and hope works. Faith bears hope and hope is included in faith. "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen". They are so confident in things they do not know...ignorant brethren!

2. The EVIL WORKERS: Philippians 3:2 calls these people "dogs" because they live by the flesh. Their FIVE SENSES control their decisions. They want the Pastor dressed in a particular way to be acceptable to them. They want the Church programme to be according to tradition and cultural taste. They are happy fulfilling the rituals of religion. Luke 18:11-12; "...For I don’t cheat, I don’t sin, and I don’t commit adultery. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’" Their approval is in what can be seen. Pastor and ministers who don't watch out of these kind in the Church will come to live by their applause and damage their responsibility towards God. It is easy to pick a Deacon or an Elder from this group. When the flesh(five senses) controls, works of evil will ultimately abound.

3. The TRUTH DISTORTER: Acts 20:30; "Even from your own number, men will rise up and distort the truth to draw away disciples after them". They have all the vocabularies of religion. What they want is to draw a follower-ship. When you teach them from the scriptures, they come back to share the same thing with their own additions laying claim to authorship so they can gain follower-ship. Have you seen the Type "Amen" to claim a blessing? They often quote a Bible text out of its context to move your emotions to follow them.

4. The NON-ABIDER : 1 John 2:19; "They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us, because if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But they went out from us to demonstrate that all of them do not belong to us". These would stay for a while but they are just really passing through. They live by the application of any opinion and do not care about the convictions of truth. They deny the relationship between the father and His son, Christ Jesus. They will leave when the truth of Christ is continually proclaimed above all else. So talk about Christ and His salvation through the cross.

5. The NON-TONGUE SPEAKERS: 1 Corinthians 14:39; "So then, brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid anyone from speaking in tongues". The Bible says "do not forbid anyone from speaking in tongues" and this logically means there are those who do not speak in tongues in the Church. I know you have heard everyone spoke in tongues in the New Testament...but here you see that it is not everyone, there are those who didn't. Those who don't are called upon not to FORBID those who do. Now you know that the Church includes those who could speak in tongues and those who can't. Salvation is the sign of the coming of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:3) not tongues. There were times in the Bible when the only thing that happened after the infilling of the Holy Spirit was the boldness to speak the Gospel and not tongues (Acts 4:13)

6. The FAVORITISM CAMPAIGNERS: Acts 10:34; "Then Peter began to speak: "Now I really understand that God doesn't show favoritism". Peter assumed that God would have favorites. Today many still assume that God shows favoritism with those He can save and empower. God is not impressed with your income, race or social status but looks for those He can invest His grace upon. Favoritism sees who you are to qualify you, grace sees who you can be to justify you.

7. The JESUS KIND: 1 John 2:6; "The one who says he resides in God ought himself to walk just as Jesus walked". Those who walk like Jesus only feel like Jesus would feel. They will speak only when and where He speaks. They desire to do the very thing Jesus Christ did. Paul said He was a Jesus Walker too (imitate me as I imitate Christ). For them EVERYTHING must be judged and prescribed by the word of God. They live a life of total commitment to the Word. Like the Berean, they seek the "word" to accept any word.

FINALLY

It is amazing that Jesus Christ died, was buried and was raised for all men. Now what makes you different in life is the place of the finished work of Christ in your life. Not a single person will ever make heaven outside of grace. So these revelations and many more about the kind of flocks in the Church point to the activities of grace. Never stop looking at the word...for the word applies grace upon your life until you are transformed into the likeness of Christ. Shalom!