Who Should be a Church Member?

 Excepted from God's Design for the Church by Conrad Mbewe

Just as it was so important for a clan or tribe to ensure that only those who qualify to be inheritors should be considered for the inheritance, it is even more important for the church. The church is the household of God - 1Timothy 3:15 It is wrong to have in church membership individuals who are not children of God.

Nonbelievers cannot be Church Members. 

According to Ephesians 2:1-3 we can get at least five truths from this passage:

1. They are spiritually dead. 
2. They are enslaved by the world.
3. They are enslaved by the devil.
4. They are enslaved by their sinful nature.
5. They are under the wrath of God.

Only Believers Should be Church Members

Church leaders should jealously guard the door into membership into the local church. Only those who have received the Gospel and have been baptised are to be added to the church - Acts 2:37-41
There are at least two basic tests: 

1. They should understand and respond to the gospel message. 
   No one becomes a Christian and still thinks that God accepts them on the basis of their own moral and religious efforts
2. They should testify of a morally changed life
   They should be repentant. It is God who morally and spiritually changes their hearts. 
   1 Corinthians 6:9-11 - Is there evidence of changed life in you? Has God washed you, sanctified you and justified you in the name of the LORD Jesus Christ? 

There are a lot of people who have a mental knowledge of the gospel because they have heard it over and over again but who are never experienced in a moral transformation. They know the truth intellectually, but they betray what they know by the wicked lives they live.  Most of them conclude that the sermons calling for sinners to repent are for those who are visiting the church and not those already who are church members. They continue to live in sin, and the church gets more and more corrupted and scandalized.

 

The Hyena Among the Cattle

 

Doeg the Edomite Character 

The Hyena Among the Cattle 

Throughout East Africa among the Maasai, Samburu, Turkana traditions the hyena is portrayed as: 

A scavenger who lurks on the edges 

Waiting for weakness or opportunity 

Striking not to defend, but to exploit 

Attacking vulnerable livestock when the shepherd is away 

In I Samuel 21 and 22 the name of one Doeg the Edomite is mentioned. King Saul purported that there was a conspiracy against him (1Samuel 22:13).  And as a consequence, he murdered the priests (1 Samuel 22:16-23). 

Even the King in the making – David lamented (1 Samuel 22:22) “I knew that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul.” Doeg is a Snitch looking for favors and recognition even if others will be hurt!!! The type of person who tramples on others on his way up! 

Back to our African analogy, Doeg is like a hyena watching quietly at the edge of the herd. He sees an opening—not to protect, but to take advantage—and his attack causes the death of many innocent animals. 

Doeg lingered at Nob “detained by the LORD” (1 Sam 21:7), watching silently, waiting for the moment to pounce. “7 Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the Lord. And his name was (I)Doeg, an Edomite, the chief of the herdsmen who belonged to Saul.” 

They used to say that “walls have ears” – who is in your surrounding who could be a Doeg in your life and that of the fellowship of brethren.  

Meditate on Proverbs 6:12-19. 

The Sign Of the Covenant

 Genesis 17:9-14; Exodus 4:24-26

The gravity of entering into a covenant and then breaking that covenant is seen in these two passages. Notice that God refers this as His Covenant in verses 9, 10, 13 and 14. The covenant was to be kept - v9,10. It was to be in the their flesh - v13. A person shall be cut off from his people who does not bear the mark - 14. 

The LORD sought to kill Moses (Exodus 4:24). Zipporah took a sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of her son and [a]cast it at [b]Moses’ feet - v25.  Zipporah exclaimed to Moses, "You are a husband of blood to me!" 
I am seeing the gravity of breaking God's covenant - God could have killed Moses were it not for his wife doing the needful Genesis 17:10 "This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised". It was a command NOT a suggestion from the LORD. It could have costed his life on earth!!! 

Let us not procrastinate on God's command! 
LORD keep us faithful on this narrow path-way!!

Genesis 17:9-14

New King James Version

9 And God said to Abraham: “As for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. 10 This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised; 11 and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you. 12 He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised, every male child in your generations, he who is born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not your descendant. 13 He who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money must be circumcised, and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. 14 And the uncircumcised male child, who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.”

Exodus 4:24-26

New King James Version

24 And it came to pass on the way, at the encampment, that the Lord met him and sought to kill him. 25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of her son and [a]cast it at [b]Moses’ feet, and said, “Surely you are a husband of blood to me!” 26 So He let him go. Then she said, “You are a [c]husband of blood!”—because of the circumcision.

Daniel 2

 So what happened to Daniel as a result of his interpretation of King Neb's dream?  

Daniel 2:48 says that He was given many gifts.  He was appointed chief prefect of the wisemen.  He was elevated in the Kingdom.  He was also considerate of his fellow Hebrew young men. He negotiated for them - Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego to lead along with him. 

God exalted Daniel and the Hebrew young men in a strange and far country of exile. It was a strange land that worshipped idols.  Daniel kept good company.  He was always humble.  The company you keep shows the values you espouse.  Daniel relied on them when the heat was on (Daniel 2:16-18).  Do you have such a network? They say your network is your net-worth! 

In the dream the stone made without the hands of man broke the statue and became a mountain that filled the whole earth.  This stone is Precious, it is a cornerstone - it has no human element.  Our Savior Jesus Christ was born of the Holy Spirit by a virgin! The chief cornerstone is Him - Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:4-8). A stone that was rejected  the builders (Psalm 118:22). However, this Stone was firmly laid by God! A costly cornerstone - He who believes in it will not be disturbed (Isaiah 28:16).

Believe on the LORD Jesus Christ! 
God is good and faithful.

Now that Curfew is Lifted

Recently the on Kenya's Mashujaa Day our President Uhuru Kenyatta announced the lifting of the Dusk to Dawn Curfew. This was a measure that was arrived at when the Pandemic was detrimental to the lives of Kenyan citizens - its was necessary for the government to put measures to control the spread of the virus in county. 

The lifting of curfew is not a license to ignore the Ministry of Health protocols that include social distance, sanitising and putting on mask in public places.  Getting vaccinated also. 

Elsewhere there are discussions whether a local church must follow the MoH protocols in particular wearing of face masks. Here is a good read for church members and leaders, underpinning these and other matters surrounding compliance or defiance to laws/rules that the Christians may find themselves in. 

 Must Churches Follow Mask Mandates? : 9Marks

Robert Robinson 1735-1790

I got this short Biography of Robert Robinson.  He lived between 1735 to 1790.  I was looking for the words of a hymn we sing from time to time. 

Read it to find what Bruce Hindmarsh, Professor - Regent College said about this ancient person. 

---

https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/was-he-too-prone-to-wander

For this Reason...

 

So many Christians walk this life without a clear understanding of their identity in Christ.  Neil T Anderson says that "You need to see yourself for who you really are." You must see yourself (if you have trusted in Jesus Christ, God's only son) - that you are indeed a child of God!" You must see yourself as a child of God in order to live like a child of God.  Your blessed hope as a believer under the sun is "Christ in you, the hope of glory" - Colossians 1:27.

The Apostle Paul writing to the Ephesians said, "For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles (Ephesians 3:1)".

What reason is the Apostle Paul talking about? 

• That we who believe in Jesus Christ have been make alive from trespasses and sin (Ephesians 2:1) which we once conducted ourselves in the lust of our flesh (Ephesians 2:2).
  
• We were disobedient, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind (2:3).
• But God, who is rich in mercy, 
• loved us and made us alive together with Christ 4,
• raised us up v5,6,
  
• made us sit together ... in Christ Jesus v5,6,
  
• saved us by grace through faith v.8,
  
• created us for good works v.9,
  
•  We are no longer:
•  strangers v12,
• aliens v12,
  
• without hope and without God v12,
• We are now in Christ, we have been brought near by the blood of Jesus Christ!

Are you struggling with an identity crisis? Are you finding yourself living in your past order of life without regrets? Probably you have not received the grace and love of God that saves those who believe. 

Are you unsettled about the current status of your spiritual walk.  Yes! You know you are born again! You are not a stranger or alien - you have hope in God.  However there is a lingering lack of peace in the spirit inside you!  One way to address this is by trusting in the Word about who you really are according to Ephesians chapter 2. 

Simply believe who you are: a child of God! Accept who God says you are and commit yourself to God's great aim for your life - to be conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29).

When your basic faith system  about God and yourself is not stable, your daily behavioral system will be unstable.  Make your relationship with God based on the truth of and you will have little trouble  working out the practical aspects of your daily Christianity.