Acts 2:46-47 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. NKJV

The church is made up of those who have been saved by the blood of Christ, when they made the choice to become Christians and submit to God’s commands to repent and be baptized. Peter, by inspiration, ties remission (forgiveness) of sins to baptism, as other Bible writers clearly do. It was Paul, in Romans 6:1-6, who told us that we are baptized into his death and John who told us that it was at Jesus’ death that he shed his blood (John 19:34). Peter, in 1 Peter 1:18-19, stresses that we are saved by the blood of Christ, and it was by baptism that God appropriates the blood of Jesus to us.

The church is made up of people – people who were sinners and who are still struggling against sin in their lives and in the lives of others. One of the greatest challenges that the church has is learning to love one another – our brothers and sisters that have been saved by the blood of Christ. We are to love as Jesus has loved us (John 13:34-35) – and that takes a lot of love. We have to bear with one another’s ways, thinking and opinions. Sometimes the biggest challenge is to love those whom we know the best; we have to love them with a clear knowledge of their faults, weaknesses, and disagreeable habits. This is not an option – we have to love as he has loved us.

It is because we have not loved as we should that many have been turned off by the church. We hear the cry, “Give me Christ, but leave the church out of it,” and this statement is made because many look at the church (the people) and see our lack of love and what seem to be priorities in the church. We argue and fuss (like a family) over the smallest things and the more serious things are thrown aside. Like the Pharisees of old, we tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and omit the weightier matters of the law – justice, mercy and faith (Matthew 23:23). While we spend so much time discussing small matters, souls are lost, and ushered into a Christ-less eternity.

It is time that the church – God’s people – reminded ourselves of what is really important. It is time we unsheathed our swords, dusted them off, and fight. Before we do that, however, we must pray. It is time we knew enough Bible that we wield the sword (Hebrews 4:12) and fight against sin and Satan, and fight for the souls of men and women that are dying daily. It is time that we fight for our young people and teens, who are looking to us for answers. We have to show them the WAY – Christ – who knows all of the answers. It is time that we do this with a spirit of gentleness and love, not arrogance and pride, because we cannot afford to turn anyone away from the ONLY WAY for them to be saved. It is time that we remember that our job is to teach the gospel, and allow God’s word to have the effect that it can have if we will but let it. It is time that we in the church show the world Christ – not ourselves. It is time to lift Jesus up – and that is our purpose and mission in the church today. It hasn’t changed.

I am not embarrassed to be a part of the church. This is God’s plan and God’s way to get his work done. It is time that we be the church – that we pray and do what God has wanted us to do all along. Will we be the church?