The Church, Part 1

We believe that the true church comprises all who have been justified by God’s grace through faith alone in Christ alone. They are united by the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ, of which He is the Head. The true church is manifest in local churches, whose membership should be composed only of believers.

God’s gospel is now embodied in the new community called the church.

His “gracious purpose from eternity to redeem a people for Himself and to make all things new for His own glory (EFCA statement of faith #1)” is brought to its intended fulfillment, not merely through the new creation of individual redeemed persons, but through the new creation of a redeemed people who belong to Him and to one another in love.

By the Holy Spirit, God justifies sinners in order to unite them in the body of Christ and by doing so manifests his glorious grace. In other words, gospel doctrine is intended to create gospel culture.

What is gospel doctrine?

“The biblical message of divine grace for the undeserving: God, through the perfect life, atoning death, and bodily resurrection of Jesus, rescues all his people from the wrath of God into peace with God, with a promise of the full restoration of his created order forever – all to the praise of the glory of his grace.” (Ray Ortlund Jr., How to Build a Gospel Culture in Your Church, TGC Orlando 2015)

What is gospel culture?

“The shared experience of grace for the undeserving: the corporate incarnation of the biblical message in the relationships, vibe, feel, tone, values, priorities, aroma, honesty, freedom, gentleness, humility, cheerfulness – indeed, the total human reality of a church defined and sweetened by the gospel.” (Ibid)

Why does this matter?

“Because faithfulness to the gospel requires more than doctrinal purity in our churches.  It also requires relational beauty in our churches.  But it is possible sincerely to preach true doctrine while, at the same time, utterly deny that doctrine by an ugly anti-gospel culture.” (Ibid)

This Sunday, Kenny Clark will be preaching on our seventh statement of faith, The Church, Part 1 and Walt Harrah will lead our sung worship. Would you pray for each as they prepare this week? And Ephesians 4:1–3 is a great prompt for prayer in anticipation of our morning together.

May the Holy Spirit help us to excel still more and more in… “walking in a manner worthy of the calling to which we have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

See you Sunday, Grace. Come hungry!