Membership Means
Identification
Central Bible Truth
As members of First Baptist Church of Killeen, there are
some commonly agreed upon beliefs which identify us and unite us as believers.
Focal Passage:
Ephesians 4:1-16
Additional Passages
John 17:1-26; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Colossians 1:18; 1 Timothy 3:1, 8; 1 Peter 2:5; Matthew 28:19; 1 Corinthians
11:26; Romans 3:23-24; John 5:24;
Galatians 4:6
Lesson Aim for Week 3: (Informational, How Come?)
Week 1, 3, and 5 are to be informational, or “how come”.
Weeks 2, 4, and 6 are to be instructional, or “how to”.
Weeks 2, 4, and 6 are to be instructional, or “how to”.
The Bible in Context
As
Christians, there are more things we have in common than we have that divide
us. That is especially true within the context of a local church, where we can
unite to work for God’s kingdom. Ephesians 3:21 ends a great theological
passage with
“To Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to
all generations forever and ever. Amen.”
Chapter 4
continues that prayer by explaining how we can practically give glory to Christ
in the church for all generations -- in unity. By identifying core doctrines
and beliefs as a local church, we are able unify and specifically
target our ministry and mission.
In Jesus’s
High Priestly Prayer, recorded in John 17, He requested three things:
·
Glory to God
"Glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You"
"Glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You"
·
Unity in the Church
"the glory You gave Me I have given to them that they may be one, just as We are one."
"the glory You gave Me I have given to them that they may be one, just as We are one."
·
Sanctification
through His Word (Sanctification
means to be set apart from the world)
"Sanctify them by Your truth. Your Word is truth."
"Sanctify them by Your truth. Your Word is truth."
Paul also lists in Ephesians that the church is to bring glory to God (Eph. 3:21), walk in unity (Eph. 4:3-6, 13) and be sanctified through the word of God (Eph. 5:26).
The elements which unite the church, not just in theology, but in practice. In order to bring glory to Christ in the church, we must walk in the good works which God has prepared for us (Ephesians 2:10), not like we used to walk “when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient” (Ephesians 2:2).
The elements which unite the church, not just in theology, but in practice. In order to bring glory to Christ in the church, we must walk in the good works which God has prepared for us (Ephesians 2:10), not like we used to walk “when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient” (Ephesians 2:2).
Now we are to
WALK
1.
in unity of the
Spirit (Ephesians 4:1-3),
2.
to stop walking in
the futility of worldly thinking (4:17),
3.
in love (5:2),
4.
as children of
the light (5:8), and
5.
not as unwise,
but as wise (5:15).
The lesson
this week, Identification, and next week, Individuality, can be like two sides
of the same coin. We are united by certain beliefs which identify us as a
Christian body. But we are also diversified by certain gifts, desire, talents,
and experiences which involve our different ministries as members of that body.
Our differences should never eclipse our common identity in Christ.
Our differences should never eclipse our common identity in Christ.
The focal
passage of this week (Ephesians 4:1-16) reminds us that the source of our identifying
unity is the ascended Christ Jesus and the seal of our unity is the Holy Spirit
(4:30).
While we do not all believe exactly the same, this week’s lesson describes what we mostly believe as members of First Baptist Church of Killeen. Our identification is “descriptive” more than “prescriptive”.
While we do not all believe exactly the same, this week’s lesson describes what we mostly believe as members of First Baptist Church of Killeen. Our identification is “descriptive” more than “prescriptive”.
Our sole
authority for our faith and practice is Christ as revealed in the Bible, but we do follow by association
with the Baptist Faith and Message, used by both our state convention (1963
BF&M) and our National convention (2000 BF&M).
The outline on Week 3 explains who we are as a Baptist
church:
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