So I've been thinking quite a bit about this post. It's something that is sincerely on my heart all the time now. If we're not building the church, then what are we doing? As I have looked at Scripture, I can only see that the answer is, "we're wasting our time." To put it into one of my favorite pastor's words, we're "wasting our lives".
I'll probably spend a few posts looking at different passages that deal with this. So I think the best starting point is 1 Peter 2:9:
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
This is a wonderful passage. I mean really think about what the first half is saying. We are chosen by the God of the universe! How wonderful is that?!? But that's not all (read that like an infomercial host)! We are a holy nation. We are a people set apart by God and for God! How amazing. Remember, we're talking about the God of the universe, who dwells in unapproachable light.
Wait, there's more! We are a royal priesthood. The priests were those who could approach God. We can do that through Christ. And we are a people for His own possession.
We ought to be incredibly grateful as we read those truths about ourselves. So grateful that we would do anything for Him, right?
I have good news. He tells us what to do. The second half of the verse tells us why he chose us and set us apart. Why? So that we will proclaim the excellencies of him who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light.
Proclaiming is something that isn't easily contained and is noticeable to those in close proximity.
We are chosen and set apart for God so that we will build the church! Proclaim Him. He is good and He is worthy. Build the church. Spend your life doing what you know God is doing. He's building the church.
