Reflections from the Pulpit

What has God called the church to?

Posted 7/15/22

What has God called the church to? How does God enable His church to fulfill this calling?

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Reflections from the Pulpit

What has God called the church to?

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What has God called the church to? How does God enable His church to fulfill this calling? What does the Lord give the church? How were these things given to the church? The answer is not found in the opinions of man, but in the Word of God. These questions above will lead to the final question that will be dealt with, where do christians find all the things that pertain to life and godliness?

What has God called His church to? “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue.” (1 Pe. 1:3) He has called His church to glory and virtue. What does glory mean? “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.” (Ps. 19:1) The heavens point to the fact that God made it all, brings light to God’s creative power, shows that He is the one who must be magnified and glorified. He desires for His people to bring attention to Him. He called the church to virtue, because God is virtuous and called them to show the splendor and brightness of God.

How does God enable His church to fulfill this calling? “According as his divine power…” (1 Pe. 1:3) He has given His church according to His divine power. God has enabled it to fulfill His. He has given His Word inspired of the Holy Spirit, penned through men, using the experiences and struggles of men to pen His perfect, complete, and sufficient Word. How does a book written by over forty different writers over the span of two thousand years come together in a consistently purposed book that is leading to one Man, Christ Jesus? It is miraculous to have this much agreement.

What does the Lord give the church? “… hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness...” (1 Pe. 1:3) God has granted His Church all things that pertain to life and godliness. He has given all things so that His saints can live in a manner worthy of the gospel, so that they can live in a godly way after the pattern given.

How were these things given to the church? “… through the knowledge of him that hath called us…” (1 Pe. 1:3) all that is needed has been provided by the knowledge of God. He who called the Church through knowledge, the question then is where is this knowledge from? God reveals His knowledge to His people. God desires His people to know Him. “But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise loving kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.” (Jer. 9:24) Let those that boast, boast in this, let them praise, glorify the fact that God desires for them to not only to understand Him, but to know Him.

Where do Christians find all the things that pertain to life and godliness? These things can only be found in His Word. In fact, they must come from His Word. There must be a journey through 2 Peter to see that what is needed must come from the Word of God, because it is the sufficient Word of God that directs His people how to live. “Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.”

(2 Pe. 1:12) What does Peter constantly point the people of God to? He points them to remember by telling them that he is always putting truth before them so that they know them and be established in that truth. What is that truth, again it is the Word of God.

Tommaso Pasquarella is the director of missions at Big Lake Baptist Association Associational Mission Strategist.

church, godliness

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