Becoming Part of a Local Church
To become part of a local church, seek a fellowship of disciples who obey God's Word and follow Jesus' footsteps, while keeping an open heart and avoiding doctrine over love and sincerity.
Zac Poonen emphasizes the importance for new converts to seek fellowship with disciples eager to obey God's Word and follow Jesus. He warns against the confusion caused by the multitude of groups and denominations in Christendom, each claiming to be the only true representatives of Christ. Poonen cautions against falling into the trap of Pharisaism and cultism prevalent in many Christian circles today, urging believers to keep their hearts open to those who sincerely love the Lord, even if they differ in doctrinal details.
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As soon as you're converted, you need to seek out and join a fellowship of disciples who are eager to obey God's Word and to follow in Jesus' footsteps.
This is where the new convert can be bewildered by the numerous groups and denominations that he sees in Christendom. From one end of the doctrinal spectrum to the other, there are unfortunately, many, many groups that lay claim to be the only true representatives of Christ on earth!!
Many of these groups would thump their Bibles and prove to you that you cannot be a part of the Body of Christ unless you join them!
It would be almost impossible to convince most of them that God has many children who are not in their `group' and who don't hold exactly to their peculiar forms of doctrine! Such is the power of prejudice! You must be careful that you don't get entangled in this web of Pharisaism and cultism, that plagues much of Christendom today.
Keep your heart open to all who love the Lord and who seek to follow Him in sincerity. They may not dot their doctrinal `i's or cross their doctrinal `t's in exactly the same way as you do. But that's not serious, if they're walking in the light that God has given them. We cannot demand that they should walk in the light that God has given us.
Sermon Outline
- The Importance of Joining a Local Church
- The Dangers of Doctrinal Prejudice
- Keeping an Open Heart
- Love and sincerity are more important than doctrine
- We cannot demand others to walk in our light
Key Quotes
“You must be careful that you don't get entangled in this web of Pharisaism and cultism, that plagues much of Christendom today.” — Zac Poonen
“We cannot demand that they should walk in the light that God has given us.” — Zac Poonen
“Keep your heart open to all who love the Lord and who seek to follow Him in sincerity.” — Zac Poonen
Application Points
- Seek a local church that prioritizes obedience to God's Word and following Jesus' footsteps.
- Avoid churches that promote Pharisaism and cultism, and instead focus on love and sincerity.
- Don't demand that others walk in your light, but rather seek to understand and respect their walk with God.