Reasons Why I Choose to Belong to the Christian Church
Introduction
(A) Review of reasons (B) Many allow their love to grow cold -Matthew 24:12 (C) Maturing the saved -Colossians 1:28-29
Dominant Thought
Today we will examine how the Lord's church is to be constantly pursuing becoming more and more like Christ.
PT I
Philippians 3:20-21 NIV
But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
(C)
What does that mean? 1) PERFECT -Matt. 5:48. 2) HOLY -1 Peter 1:15. 3) BLAMELESS -Eph. 5:25-27.
PT II
1 Timothy 4:15-16 NIV
Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.
Further Study
Colossians 3:8-16; 1 Corinthians 9:24-27; 2 Thessalonians 1:3; James 3:13-18; 2 Peter 3:14-18
PT III
Hebrews 12:1-4 NIV
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
PT IV
1 John 3:1-3 NIV
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.
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