The Church, the Falling Away, and the RestorationShepherd, J. W. (James Walton)
Religion
The Church, the Falling Away, and the Restoration
Shepherd, J. W. (James Walton)
Churches of Christ -- Doctrines; Disciples of Christ -- Controversial literature; Disciples of Christ -- Doctrines
Every member was taught to attend the worship regularly, but this was
not the end. Even if every member attended regularly and punctually,
this was not to be the end of the teaching, the worship, the service.
These were necessary, because without these the end could not be
attained. The end was to excite and secure the active and earnest labor
of every member in serving God and teaching and helping humanity. One
could not serve God without helping others. He was to help them
spiritually, morally, intellectually and materially. The end of all the
teaching and training of men in the church was that they might bear
fruit in doing good to men. Paul said of Christ Jesus: “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
2:14). They were to cease to do evil and be zealous in good works.
“Faithful is the saying, and concerning these things I desire that thou
affirm confidently, to the end that they who have believed in God may be
careful to maintain good works. These are good and profitable unto
men.... And let our people also learn to maintain good works for
necessary uses, and that they be not unfruitful” (Titus 3:8-14). The end
of the teaching and the worship was to develop the activity and direct
the energies of every member in good works. The first element of true
good to others was to bring them into proper spiritual relations to God,
for without this no good can be enjoyed. But this spiritual harmony with
God must show itself in bringing every thought into harmony with the
will of God and so direct the bodily energies as to bring all
good—spiritual, intellectual and material—to all creatures.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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