Enough Christians?

How many churches turn away visitors, saying: we have enough Christians for now? Not many, that would be to deny the salvation Christ won for the world. Forgiveness is based on Christ’s accomplished work—not the particular person or their past or their attitude. God’s family is never full. Heaven does not run out of room. In my Father’s house are many rooms. We long to be with Jesus and for others to enjoy the grace we do not deserve, but have received without cost to us.

But in physical families is it the same? Some speak of children in the abstract as good, but declare “not in my family; not right now; this is not a good time—the timing is bad.” Many churches think of people already existing, not considering that every believer must be born and raised. So often churches dream of big attendance numbers and ever-expanding church membership, but do not want to do the hard work of cultivating life and faith—within the smaller family God creates through marriage. But there is no short-cut to life. The church is a family—a more lasting one.

Under God the Father we are called into Christ, to partake of His holiness. We are brothers and sisters—which is relational. This is a reality despite feelings and personalities and problems. And family is to be together. We worship and live together—not virtually, at arm’s length, but truly and actually. Families are meant to be united—a member cannot do whatever he wants, but must consider the impact on all the members. To welcome a new member is also to receive a sinner in need of care and forgiveness.

Of course, it is obvious why a child is not always welcomed, as Jesus invited the little ones to Him. It requires work and sacrifice and sweat—and we lack God’s love for life. Parenthood done well is death to the self—and our sin will not allow life to be a pure divine gift. Earthly freedom is limited by other people—our will must be denied in caring for another. For the Christian this is a blessing—it is healthy discipline for the flesh and its unruly passions. The outward burden is truly light—considering the Lord’s care, blessings, and promises. I will never leave you nor forsake you—knowing God takes care of all His children. We are to cling to the Lord alone—and not what we imagine or think in our sinful thoughts.

Besides the dangers and pains of pregnancy, birth, and the worldly troubles to provide for the helpless, it takes great effort to raise up a child in the fear of the Lord. It is not enough to just multiply—that the unbeliever can do well enough. Wisdom and strength is requited to lead properly—it is not easy or natural for sinners. Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him. Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will give delight to your heart. So repent and accept divine discipline—learn from the Lord as a little child is corrected.

As sinners, born into a cursed and fallen world—it is not natural to repent and believe. It impossible—without the Holy Spirit. Even continuing as a Christian requires true effort and divine assistance—meaning a denial of oneself each day. Every added family member adds more suffering, sin, and death. So also every church member means more sin to forgive and bear with. Both are good practice in being Christian—to actually use the Gospel, not letting it sit dusty on the shelf. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

The church is to know and care for one another. That requires interacting. Sinners, even God’s forgiven children, will kindle more sin. It is not much different than the added responsibility of a child.    To be a parent is quite easy, from man’s point of view—it just happens it seems. But God uses male and female to do His will. Life is a holy blessing that entails a holy obligation. God lays the burden to care and guide life to Him—who is true life.

A child is not its own reward—the sinner must be baptized into Christ, to be part of God’s family. The church, led by the Word of Christ, is the safe place for us—in this world doomed to destruction. It is an evil attitude to think we choose or create our family—then it would be a human plaything, and a flimsy, flaky, fleshly decision. If it is of God’s will, it is not up to us, to increase, reduce or think life could a mistake. God’s creative will is greater than our thoughts, feelings, and pessimistic outlooks. The family is God’s creation—He is the author and true Father.

Christ works through the Gospel to create the church family. But many alter the public service and preached message please certain people—to cultivate a certain type of person. It is not enough for them to preach Christ crucified—it is assumed He must be neatly packaged to attract a demographic. Christ becomes a consumer item to be shopped and advertised.

Mega-churches are run like a business targeting picky customers. But life is born into the church, like the family—not by our choice or decision—but God’s. Jesus must give birth to every believer by the Gospel, just like the mother must endure the curse of Eve to receive a life. There no short-cuts to life—it requires a real birth. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. The Gospel births us new to Christ by faith, and we must daily rise new to God.

Yet despite all the sinful problems people cause, we confess life is good in Christ. Not because of what people do; no person is righteous or pleases God—not even you. We all deserve death—to never have seen the light of day for our iniquity. That is how guilty we are. But Christ, our God, was born of woman, under mankind’s curse, to redeem all humanity.

The Lord started as small as we did in the womb. This gift of life is true life for all the world. So baptism is an application of Christ’s death and the promise of true life. But it is not enough just to be born—we must continue in the path of life, being joined to Christ. We have no life apart from Him.

So the largest group of sinners joining together is not life. Being young is not life—Christ is life. So there cannot be too much life—don’t have a limited definition of life. Jesus who died is greater than all death and sin and suffering. That is the value of life—the lens and promise through which we judge temporary human life—which grants immortality with our God. The Father loves His children.

People so often rob God of proper credit, thinking they make, create, and number their family. But we do not choose children like getting servings at a meal. God must create—and that is His domain, not ours. We can only receive the blessing—to see God’s work through Jesus’ Word.

Life is full and complete in Christ, and we called to trust that His will is eternally good. Our will must submit to God’s. “Thy will be done—not my selfish one,” must be the continual prayer of the Christian.

So we do not choose church members, but care for whom God’s places in our midst. Some will disown themselves and not have joy in the Word we receive together. But breaking away from a family does not get of sin—we do not determine our family and role in it. Father, mother, son, daughter, brother, sister are divine offices given to exercise Christian love. Your family is the one God places you in—for holy service on earth. And the congregation is God’s holy arrangement for our good—a divine family raising us for heaven.

Christ came as your brother, clothed in human flesh like you. The sinless Son of God died to bring you life. His death is the payment for all sin—the sin you willed against God; for stealing the credit from Him. Jesus took all the filth of the world and carried it away. Jesus is our justice and life.

So if the church is to receive newly created spiritual life, in Christ’s name, shouldn’t the family? The family, though, needs order and a pastor-like figure to speak with God’s authority, just as the church does. The husband who believes has a calling to lead—and not to accept sin and disorder, but resist it and forgive it. The wife is to be protected—led to God and her earthly duty in love. The family is to be knit and united under God the Father as one. This is only possible in Christ—having the same eternal purpose.

Even children can comfort and console with hope—that heaven is not far off, it comes in the Word. This family bond is forged by the blood of Jesus—and is more powerful than all sin and division.

God watches over His family, the Church, which is one. You are born of holy faith to live. But to truly live, you must not stay an infant, who understands and does very little. You are to be exercised in love and service—thinking about others, not yourself.

In marriage, God makes us to be fruitful, blessing with child. We can confess life as good—despite the earthly prospects and what our reason thinks. Life is spiritual and unseen in the righteousness of Christ. This unites all believers as one in the mystical body of Christ, a spiritual family. I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.

We have family obligations in the church. We are not to tolerate sin or sexual immorality, but we gently correct and bear with weakness. Not every family member will be pleased with every gathering. Likewise in the church—but Christ rules here, so His Word is to be honored more than human opinion and ideas. Christ and His holiness for us is the standard through which all life is to be viewed. Don’t limit and restrict the Gospel. It is for your and your family, as we are adopted into God’s holy family.

But the fear of God will not come naturally. So called gentle, passive parenting easily becomes permissive—giving a wide berth to the devil and sin. The church also must have discipline and not accept sin as ok, but condemn the sin itself and forgive the sinner. Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Order is necessary outwardly—but the Gospel is to reign in our hearts moving us to love. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. In Christ, animated by His Spirit, we have the opportunity to exercise true love. This is not to a quick fix or overnight success strategy, but requires true patience—of the heavenly Father.

This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide. God places us in a family with one another—to confessing the same doctrine of Christ. This family even death does not separate, but remains bound in God’s eternal love. Amen.