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The church isn’t meant to be just another human organization. It’s meant by God to be the living spiritual Body of Christ. Every Christian is commanded by Christ and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, to regularly meet with other followers of Christ.

1 Corinthians 12:12, 27 “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.…Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.”

Romans 12:4-5 “For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.”

Even Jesus was devoted to participating in a weekly gathering of believers.

Luke 4:16 “And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.” Christ is the head of the spiritual church body.

Colossians 1:18 “And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.”

Living in local church community

While the Body of Christ is everyone who is a follower of Christ worldwide, in practical terms it needs to be lived out in a local church as active members, in a Bible teaching and following church.

Colossians 3:15-16 “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

For believers Baptism

This is not to be confused with infant dedication by parents to raise their child in a Christ-centered home. Rather, it is being baptized after a personal turning from sin and confession of Christ as Lord and Savior. It is an important outward public confession of doing so, commanded by Christ himself:

Matthew 28:19-20 “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

For the Lord’s Supper, Communion

Luke 22:19 “And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.” While churches vary in frequency in sharing this mandate by Christ together, its importance includes personal reflection on demonstrating our devotion to Christ by forgiving others and making amends for wrongs we have done others before sharing in the Lord’s Supper.

1 Corinthians 11:28 “But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.”

1 John 4:19-21 “We love him, because he first loved us. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.”

To practice unity with love and patience

Read the book of Ephesians chapter 4 and think about all it says about doing life together.

Ephesians 4:2-3 “With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

Ephesians 4:12 “For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.”

Hebrews 10:24-25 “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

1 Corinthians 12:26 “And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.”

For sacrificial giving

Matthew 6:21,24 “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also...No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

2 Corinthians 9:7 “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”

Most importantly: to avoid self deception

Matthew 7:21 “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”

Philippians 2:3-4 “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.”

How to know you’re going to Heaven

Romans 3:23-24 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

1 Peter 3:18a “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God.” Surrender your life to Christ by following Him.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”

Turning from sin

When you come to the conviction that you have sinned against God and ask him to forgive and cleanse you from your sins, he will do so. Your faith is in the power and right of Christ to do it. The Holy Spirit then lives within you, seals your salvation, and starts the sanctification (purification) of your life to make you more like Christ as you submit to Him.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.”

Matthew 16:24-26 “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”

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