The article entitled, “Check Up for Church Members,” was in a recent church bulletin. These questions were adapted from that article.
- How many morning services would we have if everyone stayed home when I do?
- How often would there be Bible classes if others would attend only when I do?
- How much Christian instruction would the children of my community receive if other parents would pay only as much attention to it as I do?
- How many neighbors would be invited to services and welcomed if others would invite and welcome only as many people as I do?
- How many prayers would be offered for the minister, my neighbors and the church if others would pray only as much as I do?
- How many statements would be made about Christ if others only spoke out for Him as much as I do?
- What kind of church would the church be if every member were just like me?
Another article entitled, “What If…,” was in a church bulletin several years ago. These were some of the questions asked:
- What if everyone knew what you know about the Bible and studied it as much or as little as you do? Would they know what one must do to become a Christian and then remain faithful as a child of God? Would they (like you) be maturing and growing spiritually, or would they be on a decline?
- What if everyone sang during worship as you do?
- What if everyone sought to be involved in the Lord’s work (or escape from being involved) just as you regularly do?
- What if everyone possessed the same attitude about others as you do?
- What if everyone tried to lift and encourage others, contacted others, spoke positive words to fellow laborers just as you do?
If everybody in the church was just like me, what kind of a church would it be? Have we ever given any serious thought to what it means to be members of the Lord’s church? Have we ever given any serious contemplation to God’s description of us as living stones?
The apostle Peter said we are to desire the pure milk of the Word as newborn babes that we may grow, if indeed we have tasted that the Lord is gracious. Then he says, “Coming to Him as to a living stone rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:4-5).
What a noble upward calling we have through Jesus Christ our Lord! God’s expectations of us are the highest and the best because He gave the dearest and the best to die for us that we might live with Him eternally. That hope of eternal life is dependent upon our obedient faith in response to the sacrifice of our Lord.
On one occasion, God’s prophet told Asa, the king of Judah, “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him” (2 Chronicles 16:9a).
Loyalty is defined as being faithful to one’s sovereign, government or state; to be faithful to one’s oath or obligations; or faithful to any person or thing conceived as deserving fidelity. This definition is most appropriate in describing the relationship that is to exist between God and us as His children.
Our fervor for worship, attendance, giving of ourselves and our monetary means, sharing the message of the Gospel, visitation and encouragement, benevolence or anything else is dependent upon just how true and authentic Christ is in our lives! Jesus put the ultimate challenge before us when He said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23).
We have got to understand that Christianity is a daily involvement. We cannot put our lives on automatic pilot and hope they will end up where they need to be. As one good brother has stated, taking up our cross is just that, it’s taking up our cross not putting up with our cross. The decision is ours. Psalm 53:2 says, “God looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God.”
The words of a song ask a most pointed question: “Must Jesus bear the cross alone and all the world go free?” The answer comes ringing back: “No, there’s a cross for everyone and there’s a cross for me! When we serve God with a loyal heart and a willing mind, we can be confident if everybody in the church were just like us, the church would be filled with devoted, trustworthy, dependable, dedicated and committed people.
We can then say with Paul, “For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again” (2 Corinthians 5:14-15).
