Step Ten: Church (One)
Finding a church to nurture your spiritual growth is very important. A good church is characterized by accurate Bible teaching. And, the church should have a warm love God and for their neighbors (Matthew 22:37-39).
By identifying with a local church you are making a public statement of your commitment to Jesus Christ. When you were saved the Holy Spirit placed you into the Body of Christ by means of a spiritual baptism (1 Corinthians 12:13). That experience of spiritual baptism was internal. No one could observe was happening inside of you.
The Bible teaches that it is necessary that born again people be water baptized (Acts 2:41). What baptism provides is an external, observable, physical illustration of what happened to you internally when you believed and were saved. Your baptism by water identifies you with the Lord and His death, burial and resurrection (Romans 6:3-5).
Step Ten: Church (Two)
Attendance at a good church identifies you with other believers. If you ever built a charcoal fire you remember that when you piled the coals together the fire burned the hottest. But, when it was time to extinguish the fire you simply spread out the embers and the fire quickly died out. The same is true for you and me. Your desire to be with other Christians will help your personal spiritual fire to keep burning brightly for the glory of God. You must spend qualitative and quantitative time with other Christians (Hebrews 10:25). If you do not spend time with other believers you will eventually abandon the faith and your fate will consequently be miserable.
Remember, that when we spend time with other believers we must realize that our fellow believers will not be perfect. Be as forgiving of them as Christ was forgiving of you (Ephesians 4:31-32). Make a commitment to help your fellow believers grow to maturity in their faith and practice.
Step Ten: Church (Three)
The church makes available the privilege and joy of remembering what the Lord Jesus Christ did for us at the cross of Calvary when He sacrificed His body and allowed His blood to be poured out for our sins. As we eat the bread and drink the juice during the communion feast, doing this until Jesus Christ returns, we have brought back to our memories the body of Christ and the blood of Christ that have been offered for us (Acts 2:42; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26).
Finally, the following words need our attention: “God’s work, done in God’s way will not lack God’s supply.” Be available to use the time, talents and gifts that God has given you to support His great program. God ordained that His work should be underwritten by His beloved people. Who can imagine the price paid for our souls? May we give what we can to the Lord’s cause with a liberal heart (2 Corinthians 9:7), as an appropriate response to the gift of God’s Son.