2Co 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity and the purity that is toward Christ. [asv]

Mat 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Ephesians 5:25-29 (nkjv)

25 . . . just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. . . . 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. 30 For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.

Throughout the world are disciples of Jesus Christ, and congregations of these disciples, both large and small, who have striven to obey the commands of the Lord Jesus as revealed in the New Testament, and seek to do the Will of God in the hope of being among the saved ones of the human race. These disciples of Jesus Christ meet on the first day of the week for common worship of their God, for participation in the Lord's Supper memorial of the sacrificial death of the cross (Acts 2; 1 Cor. 11; etc.), and for mutual edification of one another (Heb. 10:24,25). These seek to love God with all heart, soul, mind and strength, and to love their neighbor as themselves. (Matt. 22:37; Mark 12:3,31; Luke 10:25-28).

The people comprising these groups, congregations, or "local churches" are neither "Catholic" or "Protestant," and belong to no religious "denomination," as the world tends to divide and classify. They have no human central government or earthly headquarters. Each congregation is but a collection of saints who have voluntarily agreed to come together as fellow members of the One Body of Christ, and as individual Christians each worships the same God, submits to the same Lord, is unified with all others in the same Holy Spirit, takes the same New Covenant Scriptures as the revealed Word of God, and shares a common bond with all others attempting to do likewise. Each Christian insists that if we all believe the same things the first century Christians believed, and do the same things the first century Christians did, we today will become and be essentially the same thing the first century Christians became.

The church that Jesus said He was going to build (Matt. 16:18) began to be build on the first Pentecost after His resurrection, A.D. 33, as recorded in Acts Chapter 2. Every saved person then was "added together" as the Lord's church, each having received forgiveness of past sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38,47; etc.). The church of the New Covenant is exactly those who have come to Him as Savior and Lord, beginning with those of the first century and continuing until the end of time. Inspired writers referred to these who were saved from their sins then as disciples, saints, and children of God, and were called Christians (Acts 11:26). Being exactly the same today, they are called by exactly the same terms today; depending upon the context, what they were called by the inspired apostles -- nothing more, less or besides.

Jesus said that the "Word of God is the seed of the Kingdom" (Luke 8:11). This seed produced citizens of the Kingdom when first planted, and when it is planted today it will produce the same results as in the first century. The life and continuity of Christianity is in this seed. If there should ever be because of some catastrophe not one single Christian in any particular area of the world today, a person can become such by reading the Word and submitting to its demands. He would then receive all the promises God provided for his children. For example, it is said, "Many of the Corinthians hearing, believed, and were baptized" (Acts 18:8). Paul later addressed them as the "church of God" and the "body of Christ" (1 Cor. 1:2;12:27; etc.). Any person can do today what these did then, and become today what they became then.

Nearly two thousand years have passed since the beginning of the collection of saved souls -- the church that Jesus said He was going to build. We have the same truth, we have the same Lord and Savior, and we claim as individual Christians to be parts of that same collection, that body, that church He promised to build, and did begin to build, beginning in A.D. 33. We dare not believe another Gospel; we dare not submit to another Lord; we dare not add to nor take from the instructions as to salvation, name, worship, or morality. We plead for unity among all believers on the sole basis of New Covenant doctrine: "one body, one spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father" (Eph. 4:4-6).

We plead no merit of our own, but call upon the merit of Christ's shed blood, and the grace promised in the New Covenant. (Eph. 2:8-10.) We strive to be a separated and holy people according to his commands:

"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light" (1 Pet. 2:9).

We have no desire to be like the world, or to conform to low standards of conduct in order to be popular. We dare to be different as the Lord has asked:

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God" (Rom. 12:1,2).

We plead with each one, as a fellow-laborer with God, to join with us in this high and noble calling.

Surely there can be no doubt that there’s a lot of confusion in the religious world today. And, it is obvious that this is mainly because people are getting away from the laws of God. It happened a long time ago in antiquity. God even repented that he had made man, and he destroyed all mankind except Noah and his family. We read about that in the old Testament.

It is happening in modern times, and we read of its effects daily in newspapers, and see it on TV. We've seen it the last few years in the sadistic attacks against personal enemies, and neighboring nations, and even against the innocent, even little children. We often experience the evil results of sin in our own lives. This hurt and harm is caused because people are still getting away from what the Lord God Almighty has to say to His people in His Book.

The people of the world collectively seem to be going downhill, and at a rapid rate. A few years back Billy Graham said that if the world gets much worse God should apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah. Surely we are not that bad, yet we are bad enough, to be sure. After the shooting of our president a few years back, there was much talk about the degraded condition of our nation. One article read:

"America the violent? No. Not any more than America the drunk, or America the drug addict, or America the playboy/playgirl; or America the greedy."

It is difficult to see very little concern about a spiritually better world by our world leaders of government and education. It is easier to see business as being the number one interest in life; earning a living the highest priority. I can understand how easily this can happen in our highly materialistic age. Earning a living is very important. It's easy for many of us to tell the down and out, "Everything's going to work out O.K. for you," but, try it from the other side some time!

What's good for the economy seems to be the greatest concern of our government -- not what will make us a better people, but what will give us a better standard of living. I see the emphasis of sports and entertainment as pre-eminent among an awful lot of people. Some seem almost fanatic at times. In a Peanuts comic strip Snoopy says: "It doesn't matter whether you win or lose -- until you lose." Very often I covet the same enthusiasm for Christ that I see some of those claiming to be God's own people showing for sports and entertainment. During professional sports championship times especially, it is apparent that more time and attention is given to sports than will be given to religion in a comparable period -- except at the judgment, of course. I read of a survey conducted to find out who our young people hold up as present-day heroes, and all but one of the top ten were either sports or entertainment figures.

The Scriptures tell us that we were created by God. (Gen. 1:26,27.) David confirmed this in Psalms 100:3, "It is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves." God did it. He did it by Himself. No one who was himself a part of the creation had anything to do with it.

One of the hardest lessons that mankind has wrestled with is, "Why were we created." Sometimes this is expressed in words such as, "Why am I here," "What am I living for," "Is this all there is," and so forth.

It is easy to lose sight of a higher purpose of a creator, and dwell on just the self-centered purpose of the created. Most of us remember the statement by John F. Kennedy in his Presidential inaugural address, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." In a similar thought, we ought "not to ask what kind of a God we want," but, "what kind of a people does He wants."

But we must always remember that we are created beings -- we did not evolve -- and the Creator had and has a plan for His creation. This was not a game that he was playing. It was not an experiment to see what might come out. As James says, "Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world" (Acts 15:18). Paul, in Romans 9 speaks of obstinate mankind,

"Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. . . . O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?" (Rom. 9:19,20).

We need to grasp and appreciate the idea behind the word "create." This literally means "to make from nothing." No one but God can make something from nothing. Man can alter matter, or manufacture something from elements that are already made and available, but only God can create.

Furthermore, and most significantly, He did this through His Word. Imagine this! He literally spoke the world into existence. We read nine times in the very first chapter of the Bible that God "said," and it was done! Hebrews tells us,

"Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, so that things that are seen were not made of things that do appear" (11:3).

This is an accurate statement which shows the clear use of the word "made" as used in the sense of "create" from nothing.

The same writer says that God "upholds all things by the Word of His power" (1:3). This phrase "word of His power" means, "according to his effective command." That is, he commanded, and it happened! He was the author of all things. He "authorizes" all things. He has authority over all things. He now upholds all things by this power behind his word, and this is called "the word of his power."

Probably it is difficult for most of us to comprehend this truth -- that God upholds all things by the word of His power. But it is true! All things literally are subject to His word. His power is behind His word. This is true -- literally -- for all things, including the earth with its mountains and seas and animals and most important, its mankind. David by inspiration clearly recognized this tremendous truth when he said:

"By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. . . . Let all the earth fear the Lord: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast" (Ps. 33:6,8,9).

We read that in the course of time the very word of God once became flesh and dwelt among men. Jesus, born of a virgin girl, fathered by the Holy Spirit. (Mat. 1:20.) We read that this word-become-flesh commanded the waves and the wind, and they were obedient. (Mat. 8:26,27.) We read that he spoke to diseases and they departed; to the dead and they arose from the grave; to the blind and they began to see; to the lame and they began to walk; to the deaf and they began to hear. How marvelous!

What would happen to a condemned sinner if he believed on this word-made-flesh, and according to his Word, was baptized into Him? What does the "word" say?

What would happen if this disciple of Jesus sought "first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness?" What does the "word" say?

What would happen if this "child of God" lived faithfully until death? What does the "word" say?

And we ask, would this happen occasionally? Or, every time? Isaiah quotes God as saying,

"So shall my Word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it" (Is. 55:11).

What is this good purpose? Why were we created? This is a major consideration. We were created first for his glory, and then for his pleasure. So says the Scriptures.

"But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. . . . Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him" (Is. 43:1,5-7).

Here we have a strong affirmation that these belong to God; he has "created" and "formed" and "made" them. They were created for His glory. He literally commands the land to give them up for they belong to Him.

In John's vision we have the declaration of the twenty-four elders who bowed down and worshipped the everlasting Lord: "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created" (Rev. 4:11).

For His glory? For His pleasure? Created by Him, to bring Him glory and pleasure? What does this mean?

1. This means that the created one should reflect favorably upon the creator. We must "glorify" him by being a complimentary creation, and to the contrary, we bring reproach upon the Creator by being uncomplimentary children.

In describing the character of those who will constitute the kingdom of God, Jesus tells his disciples of his day under the law of Moses: "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven" (Matt. 5:14-16). The same surely applies to His disciples under the New Law today.

Peter tells the redeemed ones to whom he wrote that: "Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, a people for God's own possession; that you might declare the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light"(1 Peter 2:9, McCord). (Other translations read "show forth the excellencies;" and "virtues" or "praises" instead of excellencies).

2. Can the created thing actually be "profitable" to the Creator? On one occasion Eliphaz poses this question to Job: "Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself? Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?" (Job. 22:2,3).

How would you have answered Eliphaz? In the sense of God being dependent upon man, I think not, but in the sense of man fulfilling what God intended for man, and giving God pleasure and glory and honour, yes. Furthermore, since we are his creation, he has a right to expect whatsoever he desires, and he has a right to desire whatsoever he chooses. The Scriptures clearly tell us that he desires righteousness:

Solomon says in 1 Chron. 29:17, "I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness."

David says in Psalms 5:4-6, "For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee. The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity. Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man."

David also says: "Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure" (Psa. 103:21); "The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy" (147:11); "For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation" (149:4).

Solomon says of those that please God, "When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him" (Pro. 16:7).

Paul says of those that please God, "So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God" (Rom. 8:8). He prays for the Colossians, "That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God" (Col. 1:10). And to the Philippians he says: "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure" (Phil. 2:13). And to the Thessalonians, "Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:" (1 Thess. 4:1-3).

And so, man was created for a good and noble purpose -- to glorify God, and to give God pleasure.

1. First, God desires his creatures, yea, He demands that His people respect Him for who He is. Near the very beginning he gave commandment through Moses that:

"Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments" (Exo. 20:3-6).

2. Secondly, God demands that his people love him. When Jesus was asked as to the greatest commandment he replied:

"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind" (Matt. 22:37). Mark and Luke add "strength" to the above, making it "heart, soul, mind and strength," the whole of man. (See Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27).

Paul actually states that the "law" is "fulfilled" by love. (Rom. 13:8,10; Gal. 5:14.) This helps us to understand the thought behind the statement, "Love God and then do whatsoever you choose." The person who loves God will choose to do what would please the Lord. A story that has come down through the times concerns the Jewish teacher who was told by a mocker, "I will listen to your teaching about your God if you will teach me while standing on one leg." The idea, apparently, was that one could only stand for a short time while on one leg. But the teacher raised one leg and said, "Thou shalt love the Lord God with all thy heart, soul, mind and strength. All the rest is but commentary on this one law."

3. Thirdly, God desires his creatures to worship him. Worship naturally follows love. We worship that which we love, and God desires his creature to worship him. Jesus told the Samaritan woman that the time would come when true worshipers would worship the Father in spirit and in truth -- "for the Father seeketh such to worship him" (John 4:23). God loves -- and has a right to expect -- the worship of the sincere heart.

4. Fourthly, God desires his creatures to serve him. Respect, love, worship and service go together. They are inseparably joined. and, necessarily in that order -- respect, love, worship, service.

As Jesus began his preaching ministry that was to save the world, he was baptized of John. John did not want to do it. He was intimidated by the greatness of Jesus, and did not want to do it. But Jesus insisted, by saying: "Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness" (Mat. 3:15). Now millions of words have been written and spoken in explanation of this phrase, "fulfill all righteousness." Perhaps we still do not understand all that was intended. But Jesus did say "us" -- speaking of himself and of John. They were to do something that would "fulfill all righteousness." John was soon to literally give his life preparing a people for the Lord. Jesus was soon to literally give his life upon the cross for the sins of mankind. Now upon this baptism -- not for remission of sins, of course -- but upon the beginning of the great ministry of Jesus, the heavens were opened and the Father acknowledged him. What did he say? "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
Why was the Father pleased? It was -- it must have been -- because of the spirit of service that characterized our Lord all the days of his life here. When hostility arose from the Jews Jesus tells them: "When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. And he that sent me is with me: The Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him" (John 8:28,29). Why was the Father always with him? "For I do always those things that please him." How could the Father not love a Son who lived always under the desire not to do his own will but the Father's will. "I did not come to do mine own will," said Jesus, "but the will of the Father who sent me" (John 6:38).

After the recognition of the Father at his baptism, Jesus was tempted of the devil. Taken to an exceeding high mountain, shown all the kingdoms of the world, and the "glory of them," Jesus was told: "All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me." Jesus refused, saying, "Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve" (Matt. 4:8-10).

We must conclude that, once one loves God with all his heart, soul, mind and strength, worship and service will naturally follow. Jesus is our example.

Being a good God, He cannot but desire the well-being of His children. He hates that which causes us to be destroyed.

1. God has always loved us. The true meaning of love demands not just talk, not just a claim, but positive, unbounded, benevolence. He loved mankind in the beginning. The garden scene shows that all things were provided. He loved man even as he was separated; as he was meandering in sin all down through the ages. Consider the times that he experienced rejection, contempt, disobedience. But he continued to love. And then in the course of time He did not just love, but He so loved, that as John says, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). John has much to say about love, not the least of which is that love began with God. John says,

"Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren" (1 John 3:16), and, "We love him, because he first loved us" (1 John 4:19).

2. He cares for us. The Old Testament abounds in references to God's concern for his people. He "hath been mindful of us; he will bless us" (Psa. 115:12). He "delights in the welfare of his servants" (Psa. 35:27), and "the Lord taketh pleasure in his people" (Psa. 149:4).

3. He hates those things that would harm us. David speaks to God and says of Him,

"For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee. The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity. Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man" (Psa. 5:4-6).

"Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live? But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye" (18:32). And again, "Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?" (Eze. 33:11). [See also 18:25-32; 33:10ff.]

It is apparent that God has created mankind, and for a good purpose. He desires for us all that is good, both for his sake and for ours. He rejoices in our well-being, and is sorrowful in our troubles. Furthermore, his purposes for us can only be fulfilled when we learn of his will through the Scriptures and give ourselves the doing of it. "Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is" (Eph. 5:17).

** All brothers and sisters in Christ to recognize the individual responsibility and accountability to Christ, and to be faithful until death. (Rev. 2:10).

** Each brother and sister in Christ to rejoice in the potential of mutual ministry in Christ. Five talent members, yes; two talent members, yes, even one talent members, but no NO Talent members of the body of Christ. Every single brother and sister in Christ to recognize his or her gift role in the One Body of Christ. (Eph. 4:16).

**A competent eldership (loving shepherds) among every congregation of saints, to assure soundness of faith, and ability to serve. (Mat. 25; Eph. 4:16; 1Pet. 4:10; etc.)

**A School of Biblical Studies, for the specially talented, for our area to begin as soon as possible.