DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- FELLOWSHIP OF BELIEVERS

PILGRIM'S PROGRESS – FELLOWSHIP OF BELIEVERS

"….that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unrighteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation" (Romans 10:9-10).

"The porter stated, 'Well, I will call out one of the virgins of this place who will, if she approves of your testimony, bring you in to the rest of the family, according to the rules of the house. Then Watchful, the porter, rang a bell, at the sound of which a serious-looking, beautiful maiden came out of the door of the house. Here name was Discretion, and she immediately asked why she had been called."

Receiving people into the family is not a light thing. Watchful would not let just anyone into the house without vetting the person who wants to enter. Discretion (which might be akin to discernment of spirits – I Corinthians 12:10) begins by asking him questions about where had come from and where he was traveling to, and about experiences he had encountered along the way. She then called for three more members of the family to hear his testimony – Prudence, Piety, and Charity. Together, they listened to his witness. He explained how he had left his native country because of the coming destruction, how he had met Evangelist, about the narrow gate, and about coming to the hill of the cross where his burdens rolled away. This testimony convinced them that his conversion was real and they invited him to partake of a meal with the rest of the family.

Everyone is welcome to attend our church. But in order to be enrolled into the fellowship as a member, a person must give a testimony of their conversion and their faith to ensure that their salvation is a genuine experience. Not everyone who says, "Lord, Lord," will enter into the kingdom (Matthew 7:21). God has placed elders as guardians of the membership, charged with guarding against those who would come into our midst in sheep's clothing (Matthew 7:15). It takes diligence and discretion, along with prudence, piety, and charity, to protect the integrity of the flock. One way to tell if a person's conversion is genuine is a clear testimony of the grace of God in a his or her life. Without that, we become only a social club filled with people who are not saved. This does not mean that everyone is perfect, but it helps ensure that the Gospel is the focus of our fellowship.

May God help the Church to remain steadfast in the Gospel of the Lord Jesus.

Love, Dad