It is a daunting challenge to be “Church” with regard to how we behave:
Our church needs men and women “who are hospitable; who love what is good; and who are self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined” (Titus 1) – Christian Integrity.
Our church needs men and women to live in such a way that “they make the teaching about God our Saviour attractive” (Titus 2 - Christian Teaching.
Our church needs men and women to “be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no-one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility towards all men” (Titus 3 – Sunday 20th January – Christian Living).
Our church needs men and women to live in truth and love (2 John – Sunday 27th January – Truth and Love) It is also a daunting challenge to be “Church” with regard to being faithful to what is revealed in the Bible.
Our church needs men and women whose words and actions are faithful to those of Jesus as recorded in the Gospels (Thursday 10th January: Bible Part 4: The Gospels).
Our church needs men and women whose words and actions are faithful to the understanding of Jesus revealed in the rest of the New Testament (Thursday 17th January – Bible Part 5: The Church and the End.
Our church needs men and women whose words and actions are faithful to the message of the whole of scripture (Thursday 31st January – Bible Part 6: Summary) However, we have all that we need to rise to this challenge. What was true for John 2000 years ago, is true for us: “Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love” (2 John 3). We will, therefore, be of good courage, for the gates of Hell will not prevail against the Church of God (Matthew 16:18).