Two
    Reasons
                        Why
[2reasons.jpg]

. . . I've just
invited you
to Church

YOU MAY FIND IT UNUSUAL that anyone would invite you to his/her church in this day and age of "to each his own."   Religion, after all, is one of those subjects most people treat as a private matter, and you may already have a church you regularly attend.   However, there are two good reasons for extending this invitation.

Let me explain . . .
If someone asked you why most people go to church, what would you say?
Would "worshiping God" be your first answer?
Many will attend church on a given Sunday morning with the intent of worshiping God.   But is merely attending enough?   What else does it take to worship God?

Jesus Christ said worshiping God requires TWO THINGS.   He said: "True worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.   God is a Spirit: and they that worship him MUST WORSHIP HIM IN SPIRIT and IN TRUTH."   John 4:23-24

Reason number one:
      Worship in truth . . .

If someone attends a church to worship God, doesn't it make sense to have the truth presented during that service?   Jesus,

while praying to His heavenly Father, mentioned the source of all truth.   Jesus said: "THY WORD is truth" (John 17:17).
Of course, Jesus was referring to God's Word--the Bible.

The Bible is God's specific revelation to us,
"For whatsoever things were written aforetime were WRITTEN FOR OUR LEARNING, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope" (Rom. 15:4).
   Learning what God has to say is a vital part of worshiping Him.   For one thing, you can't worship God if you don't know how to please Him; and you can't please Him until you learn from Him what it truly takes to please Him.

Furthermore, the truth will keep us out of trouble.   King David was well aware of this fact.   He prayed to God: "Order my steps IN THY WORD: and let not any iniquity [SIN] have dominion over me" (Psalm 119:133).   David wanted a life steered by the truth found in God's Word.

We all need our Creator's divine guidance, otherwise sin will enslave us, destroying us in the end.   Mentioning sin may not be considered "loving", but the truth is, sin is at the root of all of our problems; one has to only look at all the pain, heartache, and misery in this sin-ridden world.

"There are two good
reasons for extending
this invitation"

THERE IS NO DENYING that our natural tendency to consistently break God's laws gets us into trouble.   Our tendency to sin is a curse, denying us the peace and contentment we constantly seek.
   The Bible testifies to this truth: "Cursed is every one THAT CONTINUETH NOT in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them."   Gal. 3:10

My friend, we can't go an entire lifetime without breaking at least one commandment.   And according to God's perfect standard, breaking just one commandment violates His whole set of laws: "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, HE IS GUILTY OF ALL."   James 2:10

The sad truth is, "There is none righteous, NO, NOT ONE....For ALL HAVE SINNED, and come short of the glory of God."   Rom. 3:10,23

You may feel that all this talk about sin is negative and unkind.   But confessing the truth of our sinfulness is vital if we are to truly worship God.   We must approach God with a truthful assessment of ourselves.
Furthermore, we must admit our need of His saving grace.

As sinners we can't save ourselves; we need a Saviour, which is why Jesus Christ died on the cross in our place.   "But God

commendeth his love toward us, in that, WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS, CHRIST DIED FOR US.   Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be SAVED from wrath through him."   Rom. 5:8-9

Does this mean everyone is automatically saved?   No.   Christ's sacrificial payment is offered to us as a gift; we still have to accept it.   As with any gift, it must be received.   (Eph. 2:8,9; John 1:12)

We must call upon Christ, and ask Him to save us.   The Bible says: "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus [i.e. REPENT], and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead [i.e. FAITH], THOU SHALT BE SAVED" (Rom. 10:9).   "For WHOSOEVER SHALL CALL upon the name of the Lord SHALL BE SAVED."   Rom. 10:13

There are many other truths found in the Bible--truths about ourselves and our Creator.   Learning these truths is just one reason for inviting you to church.

Reason number two:
      Worship in Spirit . . .

Jesus said that a true worshiper of God must worship in truth and IN SPIRIT.   The Bible often makes a distinction between a person's spirit and their physical body.
Furthermore, the Bible teaches that, due to our sinful condition, we are born spiritually

"One is not truly alive
until he/she has the
spiritual awareness that
God is interacting in
his/her life"

dead; we are born, "dead in trespasses and sins" (Eph. 2:1).   One is not truly alive until he/she has the spiritual awareness that God is interacting in his/her life.   And it takes salvation to spiritually revive us.

That is why Jesus said, "ye must be born again" (John 3:7).   He said: "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be BORN AGAIN, he cannot see the kingdom of God."   John 3:3

Jesus was referring to the spiritual birth, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and THAT WHICH IS BORN OF THE SPIRIT IS SPIRIT.   Marvel not that I said unto thee, YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN."   John 3:6-7

Have you been born again?   You would surely know it if you had.   A spiritual birth results in, "A new creature: old things are passed away; behold, ALL THINGS ARE BECOME NEW."   2 Cor. 5:17

We become born again by getting saved.
That means changing our minds, acknow- ledging the truth about ourselves as revealed in God's Word, and calling upon Christ, in repentance and faith, to save us.
   We must repent and admit the truth:
that we are hell-deserving sinners in need of salvation.   We must put all our trust in

Jesus Christ to save us.   My friend, have you ever done that?   The person who has been born again is better able to understand the Bible; the Bible becomes alive to him/her.
   The Bible says that, having been born again, "We have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might KNOW the things that are freely given to us of God."   1 Cor. 2:12

Trying to worship God without the spiritual discernment that comes from being born again is impossible.   For one thing, a person will not be able to relate to, much less apply, what the Bible teaches.
   Going to church will not have the life- changing effect that God intends.

While spiritually dead, none of us will ever get the victory over sin, nor will we get to Heaven; God won't even be real to us.
Are you beginning to see why I've invited you to a church that yearns to worship "in spirit and in truth"?

You may still feel that your church has a lot to offer, and therefore, why change now?   But, with all due respect, ask yourself: Has my church ever taught me, from the Bible, what I've learned during these last few moments?

Calvary Baptist Church
2030 West Main Street
Valley City, North Dakota 58072

701.845.9220

Speaking the truth in love
Ephesians 4:15

 

Schedule of Services


Sunday Morning Worship . . . . 10:30 A.M.
Sunday Evening Service . . . . . . 6:00 P.M.
Wednesday Bible Study . . . . . . 7:00 P.M.

SEND THE LIGHT
P.O. Box 815   Fargo, ND 58107

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