The Church.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 3 July 1912, Page 3

The Church.

The theme dealt with at the Church of Christ on Sunday last was " The Church and the purpose for which it was established." Mr Milner stated, in order to prevent a misconception of his use of the term " Church," that he applied it to the body of people throughout the whoJa earth who profess to follow Jesus Christ. Continuing lie said " We look upon ourselves as a part of the great body of Christ's followers, and we call ourselves the Church of Chiist because we wish to have a scriptural name, and to iden^ tify ourselves with him who d^ed for 'is, rather than with Paul, Appolas, Luther, or Wesley, not because we think we are The Church, God's elect, who only are going to be saved." Attention was then called to the words of Peter, one of the first to give up all and follow Jesus "Ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that ye may show forth the excellences of him who callod you out of darkness into his marvellous light." (1 Pet, 2.9,) this was his view of the Church and its function. Paul says, writing to an elder of the early Church " The grace of God has appeared to all men, bringing salvation, instructing u« that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly and righteously in the present world, looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us that He might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a people for his own possession, zealous of good works," (Titus 2.12). Here we have set before us the motive that'led Christ to tread Calvary's pathway and to suffer on the Cross, and further in Epesians 5.25-27 we have the great ideal ho had in view for this redeemed possession "..... Christ also loved the Church and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify it ..... that he might present the Church.... a glorious chuich not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish.'' Another fact which must not be lost sight of, is that Paul said of tho Church Ye are all baptised by one spirit into one body, and ye are the body of Christ. (I Cor. 12, 13 and 27) Also that Christ is the head of the body (Col 1.18), This symbol is a beautiful one; as our minds materialise and manifest thf> attributes of our mind or head, so the Church is to show forth the excellencies of Christ, the head of the Church, all the divine attributes found in him are to be manifested in the Church, his body. To this end Paul wrote " Put on therefore as God's elect, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, humility ...,., .'and above al1 these things put on love, which is the bond uf per^ fectness." (Col. 3. 12). Now turn from what the Word of God says the Church should be to what it is, who.c is the rule of conduct which Jesus gave to his disciples "Love one another " where the godliness ? Has not the prophecy come true "In the Utter days there shall be a form of godliness, but men shall deny the power thereof " (2 Tim. 8. 5). "How many people are there to-day who go to church and sing '* All hail tho power of Jesus name," and yet not one corner of their heart is surrendered to him, nor have they ever bowed in true submission to him, and yet they sing " L,et angels prostrate fall." •' Thou hast a name that thou livest, yet thou ait dead <J (Rev. 3. 1). Thou a;t lukewarm and indifferent to the c'aims of the one who died for you. "be zealous therefore and repent, Bf.hold I stand at the door and lenook, i if any man hear my voice and open the doar X will come in and sup with him he that oveicometh, I will give him a seat on my throne .... he that hath an ear to hear, let him hear what the spirit sayetli to the Church, es." (Rev. 3. 20-22).