2. The opinion of most concerning the church A building that serves as a landmark A place to meet and make friends A place to vote, give blood, meet for AA classes A political group to be lobbied

3. What God’s word says concerning the church That which was planned in the mind of God before the foundation of the world (I Pet 1:20; Titus 1:2) That in which we see the eternal purpose of God being accomplished through His Son (Eph 3:11) That in which God determined mankind would be blessed and God would be glorified (Eph 3:20) Would also be referred to as the family of God, the kingdom of God, the bride of Christ, the body of Christ

4. Might we ever be found trivializing the church? When we play down questions concerning the oneness of the church When we seem evasive when asked about salvation When we leave the impression with others that all is well though they are still outside the body of Christ

5. The attitude threatening the church (from within): 1.Failing to understand the distinction between the church and all other fraudulent efforts by man in religion 2.Refusing to condemn the teachings and practices of the denominations for fear of the outcome 3.The Lord’s church really isn’t that important

6. The church is the house of God (I Tim 3:15) 1. A house… In which God and His family would dwell (Eph 2:19-22) Where God would be worshipped and glorified; where His wisdom would be made known (Eph 3:10, 21) Into which all the nations of the earth would enter (Isa 2:2-4) 2. Would there be conditions for entering God’s house? “Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill? He who walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart” (Psa 15:1-2)

7. Man’s renovations (assaults) on the house of God: 1.Changing the simple worship (as authorized by God) 2.Pushing for a more entertaining style of preaching 3.Placing women in leadership roles 4.Compromising in areas of morality (excusing sin) 5.Embracing denominationalism

8. God’s house is the church, is the body of Christ “I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” (I Tim 3:15b) “And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body...” (Eph 1:22-23a) “And He is the head of the body, the church…” (Col 1:18a)

9. God’s house is the church, is the body of Christ “Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’” (Acts 2:38) 1. What are the conditions for coming into God’s house? Hear, believe, repent, confess one’s belief in Christ Complying with the baptism commanded by Christ “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” (Acts 22:16)

10. God’s house is the church, is the body of Christ “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?” (Rom 6:3) 1. What are the conditions for coming into God’s house? Hear, believe, repent, confess one’s belief in Christ Complying with the baptism commanded by Christ “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” (Gal 3:27)

11. God’s house is the church, is the body of Christ “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body…” (I Cor 12:13a) 1. What are the conditions for coming into God’s house? Hear, believe, repent, confess one’s belief in Christ Complying with the baptism commanded by Christ

12. God’s house is the church, is the body of Christ 1. What are the conditions for coming into God’s house? Hear, believe, repent, confess one’s belief in Christ Complying with the baptism commanded by Christ 2. Those who have not complied with the baptism commanded by Christ: Are not a member of the Lord’s church, His body Are not of the bride of Christ Are not of the house of God Are still unforgiven, lost, and in sin

13. Why the lack of understanding? 1. For the new convert Saw the personal need for belief and baptism Have not resolved the implications for those who have not 2. For the one who has been a Christian for years Never properly grounded in the truth of God’s word Have begun to drift in their thinking (Good + religious = close enough)

14. Are we to blame for the lack of understanding? 1.Spoken understanding 2.Unspoken understanding 3.Unspoken misunderstanding 4.Spoken misunderstanding

15. What contributed to this current state? 1.Our tolerant attitude (the climate of the day) 2.Our unwillingness to confront error 3.Our unwillingness to accept to truth concerning others

16. Ramifications: 1.For others (the lost) Do we help them by excusing or condoning? Leaving them with the impression that all is well? 2. For ourselves Are we trying to widen the gate that is narrow? Are we trying to make less confining the way that is confining? Are we compromising our Lord for the sake of others? What does it say of our attitude toward Truth; the church? What will the future hold for us?

17. What is at the heart of our reluctance? 1.Does the fault lie with others? 2. Does the fault lie with our Lord and the message He gave us? 3. The fault lies within each one of us! Lacking the courage to say what needs saying Lacking the concern to be persistent The unwillingness to sacrifice ourselves to this end Ashamed of our Lord and His teaching? “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” (Mk 8:38)