[Biblemat] Good News for Norwalk: Volume II, Number 15: April 15, 2007

[Ethan R. Longhenry]

Good News for Norwalk

For I am not ashamed of the good news, for it is the power of God for 
salvation to everyone who believes. (Romans 1:16)

A publication of the church of Christ in Norwalk, Ohio
Volume II, Number 15: April 15, 2007

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The Nature of the Church: The Church is Holy and Spotless

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave 
himself up for it; that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the 
washing of water with the word, that he might present the church to himself 
a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it 
should be holy and without blemish (Ephesians 5:25-27).

Ephesians 5:22-33 is a wonderful passage that we use often to describe God's 
intentions for a married couple. Paul establishes in Ephesians 5:32, 
nevertheless, that he is also referring to "Christ and the church." As Paul 
says above, Christ has given Himself for the church so as to set it apart, 
cleansing it, so that He can present to Himself a church that is holy and 
spotless.

The purity of Christ's church is critical if it indeed represents a 
sanctified, or "set apart," body. Jesus in Matthew 5:13-16 talks about how 
important it is for Christians to maintain their savor, so to speak, and not 
to be made ordinary. On what basis are we "sanctified" people? What is 
supposed to make us different from all others? The difference, as 
established in Ephesians 5:25-27, is that the church represents those whom 
Christ has cleansed. We are only going to be different if we represent the 
cleansed people that comprise the church! How is it that the church is 
cleansed?

We must recognize that the church universal, as spoken of by Paul in 
Ephesians 5:22-33, represents the collective of all who will be saved in 
Christ Jesus. One is not saved by virtue of being in the church; one is in 
the church by virtue of being one of the saved (Acts 2:47). Whatever 
cleansing that Christ provides will come to the individuals that comprise 
the church.

Paul says that the cleansing comes as "the washing of water by the word" 
(Ephesians 5:26). The word represents the Word of God, which must be heard 
if anyone will come to God (Romans 10:17). The "washing of water" represents 
an image of baptism, being immersion in water for the remission of sin (Acts 
2:38), described as how one "washes away sin" (Acts 22:16). The church, 
then, will be comprised of those who have believed the Word of God and have 
been baptized.

Sanctification, however, is not just something that happens at one moment 
and ends. We must constantly be striving to obey God and complete the work 
that God has begun in us (Romans 6:16-23). John establishes this well in 1 
John 1:6-7:

If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie, 
and do not practice the truth: but if we walk in the light, as he is in the 
light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son 
cleanseth us from all sin.

It is clear that we must walk in the light and walk with Jesus if we desire 
to be the ones cleansed in His blood. If we begin to walk in the darkness 
and do not repent of sin, we have become part of the darkness!

What happens, however, if one is no longer walking in the light but walks in 
darkness? Perhaps there are some who will be able to be in the darkness and 
hide it from their brethren; they ought to know that nothing is hidden to 
God, and they will receive the due recompense for their deeds (Ecclesiastes 
12:14, Hebrews 4:12). If, however, the sin is made known, then it is 
something that must be dealt with, for God has established that a local 
church has the responsibility to remain as an unleavened loaf (cf. 1 
Corinthians 5:6-7, Galatians 5:9). Any brother or sister in unrepentant sin 
represents a stain on the church, and we know that Jesus is preparing a 
church for Himself that will be without
stain or spot (Ephesians 5:25-27). Christ will purge such a person from His 
church!

Our concern is not to stand in judgment on any soul (James 4:12), but 
instead to seek and save the lost (cf. Luke 19:10). A soul that is in 
unrepentant sin is currently in a lost state, and we have the responsibility 
to disassociate from such a one until he repents (cf. 1 Corinthians 5, 
Matthew 18:15-17). This is to be done out of love, not in anger or judgment, 
hoping that the shock of being without association of the saints will force 
such a one to realize that their association with God has been severed and 
needs to be restored (Isaiah 59:1-2). It worked in Corinth with the one who 
had his father's wife (1 Corinthians 5, 2 Corinthians 2:1-10); it can work 
today!

There are great consequences if people in open sin are allowed to remain in 
the local congregation without being confronted. Just as a little leaven 
spreads and causes a whole loaf to rise, so the example of one sinning or 
teaching falsely can lead to others thinking that sinning is not a 
difficulty or that a false teaching must not be avoided, and then others 
follow in the same paths of dissipation and error. This ought not be named 
among us, brothers (Ephesians 5:3)! We should know in truth that Christ will 
present Himself a holy and spotless church, and the only way that we will be 
a part of that group is if we have been cleansed and sanctified in Christ. 
If we will be part of His body, we must be cleansed and made whole in Him, 
walking in the light. Let us persevere in our faith!

Ethan R. Longhenry
evangelist at norwalkchurch.org

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The church of Christ in Norwalk, Ohio

Thank you for reading the electronic version of our bulletin, Good News for 
Norwalk. If you live in Norwalk or happen to be traveling in the Norwalk 
area, we would certainly love to have you visit one of our assemblies!

Our location:
386 North Edgewood Drive (just off US 250 just north of Norwalk's city 
limits)
Norwalk, Ohio 44857

Our assemblies:
Sunday morning assembly: 10:30am
Sunday evening assembly: 6:00pm

Our Bible studies:
Sunday morning Bible study: 9:30am
Wednesday evening Bible study: 7:00pm

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For More Information

If you have any questions or comments about anything you have read here, or 
desire more information, please contact our evangelist, Ethan Longhenry, at 
evangelist at norwalkchurch.org.

Good News for Norwalk is a publication of the church of Christ in Norwalk, 
Ohio, for the promotion of God's truth in our world. For more information 
about the church of Christ in Norwalk, please visit our website at 
norwalkchurch.org.

Ethan R. Longhenry/ disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com
Evangelist, church of Christ in Norwalk, Ohio
 (http://www.norwalkchurch.org)
Website: http://www.deusvitae.com
AIM: Deus Vitae / ICQ#: 28317056
MSN Messenger ID: deusvitae at hotmail.com
Yahoo! Messenger ID: discipuliiesus

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