THE MEASURE OF MINISTRY or MILITANT CHURCH
Dr. Miles Seaborn
Matt. 16:18
INTRO. Jesus promised to build a church against which
"the gates of hell shall not prevail." (Matt. 16:18)
By this promise of prevailing power in spiritual
warfare, the Scriptures offer a simple measuring
device. Jesus' true church is that body of people
before whom hell must, and does yield.
THE TEST: Moreover we can put this test itself to the
test - "test the test," so to speak. We merely place
it against another of Jesus' promises so that "in the
mouth of two or three witnesses, every word may be
established." (Matt. 18:16) "But ye shall receive
power," Jesus said, "after that the Holy Ghost is come
upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me...unto the
uttermost part of the earth." (Acts 1:8). Notice how
this Scripture confirms the measure of the true
church. If there is anything hell does not want, it
is that the message of the living Christ go to all
parts of the earth! Thus, the fact that Jesus
promised certain people would take the Gospel to all
the earth in spite of hell's opposition confirms the
scriptural rule - Jesus' true church is that body of
people before whom hell must yield!
The true church will preach the pure Gospel no matter
what hell says. The gates of hell shall not prevail!
Buy this scriptural rule we have a means of separating
Christianity from churianity! Claims and
counterclaims mean little. The presence of an
organizational structure, beautiful liturgy, or
political power means even less!
The test is passed only when hell turns tail and runs!
Much of what marches beneath the banner called
Christian is not Christian at all. We are pro-gospel!
With all else we do, we preach Christ!
In his book, Heraclitean Fire, Scientist Erwin
Chargaff (emeritus professor of Columbia University
and older of the National Medal of Science) warns that
the mass media serves as an instrument b ...
Dr. Miles Seaborn
Matt. 16:18
INTRO. Jesus promised to build a church against which
"the gates of hell shall not prevail." (Matt. 16:18)
By this promise of prevailing power in spiritual
warfare, the Scriptures offer a simple measuring
device. Jesus' true church is that body of people
before whom hell must, and does yield.
THE TEST: Moreover we can put this test itself to the
test - "test the test," so to speak. We merely place
it against another of Jesus' promises so that "in the
mouth of two or three witnesses, every word may be
established." (Matt. 18:16) "But ye shall receive
power," Jesus said, "after that the Holy Ghost is come
upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me...unto the
uttermost part of the earth." (Acts 1:8). Notice how
this Scripture confirms the measure of the true
church. If there is anything hell does not want, it
is that the message of the living Christ go to all
parts of the earth! Thus, the fact that Jesus
promised certain people would take the Gospel to all
the earth in spite of hell's opposition confirms the
scriptural rule - Jesus' true church is that body of
people before whom hell must yield!
The true church will preach the pure Gospel no matter
what hell says. The gates of hell shall not prevail!
Buy this scriptural rule we have a means of separating
Christianity from churianity! Claims and
counterclaims mean little. The presence of an
organizational structure, beautiful liturgy, or
political power means even less!
The test is passed only when hell turns tail and runs!
Much of what marches beneath the banner called
Christian is not Christian at all. We are pro-gospel!
With all else we do, we preach Christ!
In his book, Heraclitean Fire, Scientist Erwin
Chargaff (emeritus professor of Columbia University
and older of the National Medal of Science) warns that
the mass media serves as an instrument b ...
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