Core reality of Church

As the disciples of Jesus gathered around Him after His resurrection, He said:

"I have been given complete authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age." - Matthew 28:18-20

Jesus sent His inner core of disciples into the world for the purpose of making more disciples. These new followers of Jesus would not only believe in Him, but also would obey all the commands Jesus gave to His first disciples. The second generation of disciples were to make more disciples, who would make more disciples, who would make more disciples, and so forth until all nations are filled with disciples of Jesus.

We who believe in Jesus are somewhere down this chain of discipleship, perhaps a hundred links or more from the original command to make disciples. As disciples or apprentices of Jesus, we are called to do that which He commanded to His original team, such as:

"Go and announce . . . that the Kingdom of Heaven is near. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received!" - Matthew 10:7-8

"Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other" - John 13:34

Some would argue that to exclude the immoral or ungodly members of the church is to exclude those who most need to be in church. We reply: the Bible no where commands any to become members of a church except those who have experienced an inward change, and who have been purified from the old way of life. If any comes into the membership of a church in any way except through salvation by faith in Christ, Who is, Himself, the Door, John 10:7-10, then he comes in as a thief, and has no right within anyhow. The individual who continues to practice immorality, or to believe heresy after he has had one or two admonitions, shows that he holds in contempt the teaching of the church to the contrary: Therefore to allow such an one to remain a member of the church would be to accomplish nothing good for him, and it would do much harm to the rest of the body by giving the distinct impression that it condoned the immorality or heresy. "Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump" (1 Cor. 5:6-7)

What is the Biblical Definition of Obedience?

The general concept of obedience both in the Old and New Testament relates to hearing or hearkening to a higher authority. One of the Greek terms for obedience conveys the idea of positioning oneself under someone by submitting to their authority and command. Another Greek word for obey in the New Testament means "to trust."

According to Holman's Illustrated Bible Dictionary a succinct definition of biblical obedience is "to hear God's Word and act accordingly."

Eerdman's Bible Dictionary says, "True 'hearing,' or obedience, involves the physical hearing that inspires the hearer, and a belief or trust that in turn motivates the hearer to act in accordance with the speaker's desires."

So, biblical obedience means, simply, to hear, trust, submit and surrender to God and obey his Word.

Strange that but thirty years after the resurrection and the pentecostal effusion of the Spirit, there should have been such a danger of apostasy in the very mother church of Christendom. And yet not strange, if we realize the condition of things, between 60 and 70. The Christians in Jerusalem were the most conservative of all believers, and adhered as closely as possible to the traditions of their fathers. They were contented with the elementary doctrines, and needed to be pressed on "unto perfection" (5:12; 6:1–4). The Epistle of James represents their doctrinal stand-point. The strange advice which he gave to his brother Paul, on his last visit, reflects their timidity and narrowness. Although numbered by "myriads," they made no attempt in that critical moment to rescue the great apostle from the hands of the fanatical Jews; they were "all zealous for the law," and afraid of the radicalism of Paul on hearing that he was teaching the Jews of the Dispersion "to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs" ( Acts 21:20, 21).

Starting a new church is hard work. It takes all of our efforts to make sure that things are taking off smoothly and continuing on course. However, vision in a newly planted church tends to be myopic: seeing only what is near. The new discipline requires far-sightedness despite the draw of near-sighted commitments. Bi-focal vision will keep the existing work on track, while assuring that the beginning of the next church plant is already in view.

Relational (Lifestyle) Evangelism is the most effective method of Winning Souls. A believer involving him/herself in the life of an unbeliever in the context of a friendship makes the greatest difference and has the greatest impact when it comes to sharing personal faith in Christ.

Nor should we see the newness of this mission as entailing a kind of displacement or forgetfulness of the living history which surrounds us and carries us forward. Memory is a dimension of our faith which we might call “deuteronomic”, not unlike the memory of Israel itself. Jesus leaves us the Eucharist as the Church’s daily remembrance of, and deeper sharing in, the event of his Passover (cf. Lk 22:19). The joy of evangelizing always arises from grateful remembrance: it is a grace which we constantly need to implore. The apostles never forgot the moment when Jesus touched their hearts: “It was about four o’clock in the afternoon” (Jn 1:39). Together with Jesus, this remembrance makes present to us “a great cloud of witnesses” (Heb 12:1), some of whom, as believers, we recall with great joy: “Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God” (Heb 13:7). Some of them were ordinary people who were close to us and introduced us to the life of faith: “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice” (2 Tim 1:5). The believer is essentially “one who remembers”.