The Nature of the Church

As a company of regenerated persons, not degenerate folks looking for a hope of Heaven without changing from immoral to moral.  In reference to this fact, only persons giving evidence of regeneration are proper subjects for baptism.  However, baptism cannot be the means of regeneration alone.  It is the appointed sign, but is never the only condition for the forgiveness of sins.  This also involves obtaining a mind that is willing to accept change as the word of God is being taught.

We must be willing to begin the process of conforming to His image, which began at the nature of Christ’s intercession.  Intercession is the way Christ is formed in us and developed through intimacy, love and time spent with Him.  There exists a nexus in terms of Christ’s intercession to that of the Holy Spirit, which is very difficult without one being filled with the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is an advocate within us teaching us how to pray as we ought.  Christ is an advocate in Heaven securing from the Father the answer to our prayers. Thus, the work of Christ and the Holy Spirit complement each other as parts of the Godhead. 

The kingly office of Christ is to be distinguished from the sovereignty which Christ originally possessed in virtue of His divine nature.  The human aspect of this nature made us kinsman to Him by divine appointment.  He made us to be seated with Him in heavenly places.  This was initiated from the moment of His birth, and fully exercised only from the time of His entrance upon the state of exaltation.  By virtue of this office, Christ rules all things in Heaven and Earth for the glory of God and the execution of God’s purpose in us by the Holy Spirit.

With respect to His image in the Church, we are triumphant.  The Church is representative of His kingdom of glory.  He rewards his redeemed people with the full revelation of Himself upon the completion of His kingdom in the resurrection and the judgment.  Likeness to God in mere personality Satan also possesses, but his nature comes far short of answering the demands of the scriptures, in which the ethical conception of the divine nature so overshadows the mere natural.  The image of God is simply not an ability to be like God, but His actual likeness means possessing His nature and holiness. 

With that said, the issue for the Church is holiness.  Holiness is sometimes furnished with needs of virtue.  First, let me emphasize that it is God made, and not man made.  It is not jewelry, clothes, hair, places, aesthetics,…etc.  It is the image of God.  It is original righteousness being developed as we desire to have a relationship in Him.  Second, holiness can be viewed as an immersion of being that one enters into and desires not to return. 

A preacher who took for his text “Adam Where Art Thou?” developed three headings as follows:

It is every man’s business to be somewhere!

Some of you are where you ought not to be!

Get where you ought to be, as soon as possible!

This means in the things of God.
 

Thank you for reading!

Pastor James P. Norman Jr.