The church is not a group of people that merely thinks up ideas; the church is to be a declarative statement of what God has revealed through the teachings of Jesus Christ and the apostles as recorded in the Bible. What is true about God's nature and our nature, and that sin is a moral issue that stands between us and God, are established by God himself. The church as a group of people joining together across every conceivable social divide represents the supernaturally restored human race in reality when we conduct ourselves as the family of forgiven and adopted children we are meant to be. So as I am living individually in a supernatural universe there will be individual results and an individual display. But equally, as we are living as a collective body made up of many people in the light the supernatural, there will be results and a display of them as well. It is not only that the individual should so think and live, but the whole group as a community should be attuned to living consciously, moment by moment, in the reality of the supernatural. Then there is the witness, the display that should occur. The church should be that which encourages its members in the living out the Christian life. It should encourage them to walk in freedom in the present life from the chains sin wraps around a person. It should encourage substantial healing in their separation from themselves and a substantial healing in their separation from their neighbor, especially fellow Christians. To do these things, the church must first teach the truth, and second, the church should teach what it is to practice the reality and of an exhibition of God's character; that of holiness and love. The church cannot merely teach these things in words; we must see the practice of these things in the church as a corporate body. Can faith be taught? Yes, but the teaching should focus on what it is to exhibit what is ultimately true. You cannot teach faith only as an abstraction or merely a set of belief propositions. There must be a demonstration of the Christian life in word and action if it is to be learned and then lived out. We are called, individually and as the church, to function moment by moment on the basis of the work of Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit, by faith. We must also teach in words the duty to exhibit that God exists and that he is personal, and practice as a corporate body what Jesus and the apostles taught and exemplified. We must also, in words and practice, show that the church takes holiness and love expressed toward our fellow man seriously. And how can we do this unless consciously, intentionally, and diligently extending love and compassion toward fellow believers as well as those outside the church? This is the Christian life. This is true spirituality.

Attributions:

Schaeffer, Francis A. (1971). True Spirituality: How to Live for Jesus Moment by Moment. Tyndale House.

"Hope" and "Enough Time" by Kazukii.

https://soundcloud.com/ohthatkazuki

https://ohthatkazuki.bandcamp.com

"Enghave Lys" from the album "Leken," and "Sondermarken" by Henrik Lindstrand.

https://soundcloud.com/henriklindstrandofficial

https://henriklindstrand.bandcamp.com

"Chasing the Present," "Flow," and "Bliss" from the album "Chasing the Present (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)" by Snorri Hallgrimsson. https://soundcloud.com/snorrihallgrimsson

https://modernarecords.bandcamp.com/album/chasing-the-present-original-soundtrack

For more resources from and information on how to contact Pastor Johnny, please visit the following sites:

https://www.invictusmaneopress.com

https://www.thoughtoutfaith.com

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