June 5, 2019

Acceptable sin? by Gary Rose



Jesus never sinned; the rest of us – well, yes. Intentional or not, sin is sin. In and of ourselves, we are eternally lost and have absolutely no hope. That little thought is both depressing and discouraging to daily living. But, I thank God for Jesus who provides a way out of this situation and gives us an eternal hope.

Some today, will fellowship almost anyone, regardless of how they lead their lives; but, this is Biblically wrong. In the passage below, we have a Biblical standard as to what is unacceptable. Take a moment to reflect on this message of the Scriptures and how it affects your life. And if you are caught up in any of these activities- STOP!


1 Corinthians 6 ( World English Bible )
1Co 6:9, Or don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexuals,
1Co 6:10, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor slanderers, nor extortioners, will inherit the Kingdom of God. (see also Galatians 5:19-21)
1Co 6:11, Such were some of you, but you were washed. But you were sanctified. But you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and in the Spirit of our God.


The Biblical for stopping is repentance, which basically means to stop what you are doing that is sinful and act as God would have you to do. You can’t do that old sinful practice any longer; not even a little bit. But what if you should do it again, only once? Then ask God for forgiveness and change your life – again. At this point, I think it would be appropriate to consider the following passage from the first letter of the apostle John...


1 John 1 (WEB)
1Jo 1:6, If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie, and don’t tell the truth.
1Jo 1:7, But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.
1Jo 1:8, If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1Jo 1:9, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jo 1:10, If we say that we haven’t sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.


No one is perfect in the absolute sense; we all fall short in thought, word or attitude at some time or another. In the relative sense, we are perfect, if we daily endeavor to be the very best we can possibly be and go before God’s throne of Grace and ask for forgiveness for what we have done wrong.

I like to think of all this using an old illustration about a teacher trying to teach perfection. The teacher draws a long line on a blackboard and invites a student to come up and quickly write a line over the one just drawn. When the student does this, there will be some errors. But the student TRIED and that’s the point. Jesus takes care of those errors (sin) and makes things right on his part. We have to continually try on ours.

Let God’s standard of living be your standard, do not willingly tolerate anything you know to be sinful. Take another look at the picture at the top of the post, think about it and do what the Bible tells you to do!

Bible Reading June 5, 6 by Gary Rose


Bible Reading  June 5, 6

World  English  Bible

June 5
1 Samuel 3, 4

1Sa 3:1 The child Samuel ministered to Yahweh before Eli. The word of Yahweh was precious in those days; there was no frequent vision.
1Sa 3:2 It happened at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place (now his eyes had begun to grow dim, so that he could not see),
1Sa 3:3 and the lamp of God hadn't yet gone out, and Samuel had laid down to sleep, in the temple of Yahweh, where the ark of God was;
1Sa 3:4 that Yahweh called Samuel; and he said, Here am I.
1Sa 3:5 He ran to Eli, and said, Here am I; for you called me. He said, I didn't call; lie down again. He went and lay down.
1Sa 3:6 Yahweh called yet again, Samuel. Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for you called me. He answered, I didn't call, my son; lie down again.
1Sa 3:7 Now Samuel didn't yet know Yahweh, neither was the word of Yahweh yet revealed to him.
1Sa 3:8 Yahweh called Samuel again the third time. He arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for you called me. Eli perceived that Yahweh had called the child.
1Sa 3:9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he calls you, that you shall say, Speak, Yahweh; for your servant hears. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
1Sa 3:10 Yahweh came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel said, Speak; for your servant hears.
1Sa 3:11 Yahweh said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of everyone who hears it shall tingle.
1Sa 3:12 In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from the beginning even to the end.
1Sa 3:13 For I have told him that I will judge his house forever, for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons did bring a curse on themselves, and he didn't restrain them.
1Sa 3:14 Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be expiated with sacrifice nor offering forever.
1Sa 3:15 Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of Yahweh. Samuel feared to show Eli the vision.
1Sa 3:16 Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. He said, Here am I.
1Sa 3:17 He said, "What is the thing that Yahweh has spoken to you? Please don't hide it from me. God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the things that he spoke to you."
1Sa 3:18 Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. He said, It is Yahweh: let him do what seems him good.
1Sa 3:19 Samuel grew, and Yahweh was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.
1Sa 3:20 All Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of Yahweh.
1Sa 3:21 Yahweh appeared again in Shiloh; for Yahweh revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of Yahweh.

1Sa 4:1 The word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and encamped beside Ebenezer: and the Philistines encamped in Aphek.
1Sa 4:2 The Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they joined battle, Israel was struck before the Philistines; and they killed of the army in the field about four thousand men.
1Sa 4:3 When the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Why has Yahweh struck us today before the Philistines? Let us get the ark of the covenant of Yahweh out of Shiloh to us, that it may come among us, and save us out of the hand of our enemies.
1Sa 4:4 So the people sent to Shiloh; and they brought from there the ark of the covenant of Yahweh of Armies, who sits above the cherubim: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
1Sa 4:5 When the ark of the covenant of Yahweh came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again.
1Sa 4:6 When the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What means the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? They understood that the ark of Yahweh was come into the camp.
1Sa 4:7 The Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. They said, Woe to us! for there has not been such a thing heretofore.
1Sa 4:8 Woe to us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty gods? these are the gods that struck the Egyptians with all manner of plagues in the wilderness.
1Sa 4:9 Be strong, and behave like men, O you Philistines, that you not be servants to the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Strengthen yourselves like men, and fight!
1Sa 4:10 The Philistines fought, and Israel was struck, and they fled every man to his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.
1Sa 4:11 The ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.
1Sa 4:12 There ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day, with his clothes torn, and with earth on his head.
1Sa 4:13 When he came, behold, Eli was sitting on his seat by the road watching; for his heart trembled for the ark of God. When the man came into the city, and told it, all the city cried out.
1Sa 4:14 When Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What means the noise of this tumult? The man hurried, and came and told Eli.
1Sa 4:15 Now Eli was ninety-eight years old; and his eyes were set, so that he could not see.
1Sa 4:16 The man said to Eli, I am he who came out of the army, and I fled today out of the army. He said, How went the matter, my son?
1Sa 4:17 He who brought the news answered, Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there has been also a great slaughter among the people, and your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken.
1Sa 4:18 It happened, when he made mention of the ark of God, that Eli fell from off his seat backward by the side of the gate; and his neck broke, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. He had judged Israel forty years.
1Sa 4:19 His daughter-in-law, Phinehas' wife, was with child, near to be delivered: and when she heard the news that the ark of God was taken, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and brought forth; for her pains came on her.
1Sa 4:20 About the time of her death the women who stood by her said to her, Don't be afraid; for you have brought forth a son. But she didn't answer, neither did she regard it.
1Sa 4:21 She named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel; because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father-in-law and her husband.
1Sa 4:22 She said, The glory is departed from Israel; for the ark of God is taken.

June 6
1 Samuel 5, 6

1Sa 5:1 Now the Philistines had taken the ark of God, and they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.
1Sa 5:2 The Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.
1Sa 5:3 When they of Ashdod arose early on the next day, behold, Dagon was fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of Yahweh. They took Dagon, and set him in his place again.
1Sa 5:4 When they arose early on the next day morning, behold, Dagon was fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of Yahweh; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands lay cut off on the threshold; only the stump of Dagon was left to him.
1Sa 5:5 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any who come into Dagon's house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod, to this day.
1Sa 5:6 But the hand of Yahweh was heavy on them of Ashdod, and he destroyed them, and struck them with tumors, even Ashdod and its borders.
1Sa 5:7 When the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, The ark of the God of Israel shall not abide with us; for his hand is sore on us, and on Dagon our god.
1Sa 5:8 They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistines to them, and said, What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel? They answered, Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried about to Gath. They carried the ark of the God of Israel there.
1Sa 5:9 It was so, that after they had carried it about, the hand of Yahweh was against the city with a very great confusion: and he struck the men of the city, both small and great; and tumors broke out on them.
1Sa 5:10 So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. It happened, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to kill us and our people.
1Sa 5:11 They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and they said, Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go again to its own place, that it not kill us and our people. For there was a deadly confusion throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there.
1Sa 5:12 The men who didn't die were struck with the tumors; and the cry of the city went up to heaven.

1Sa 6:1 The ark of Yahweh was in the country of the Philistines seven months.
1Sa 6:2 The Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, "What shall we do with the ark of Yahweh? Show us with which we shall send it to its place."
1Sa 6:3 They said, "If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, don't send it empty; but by all means return him a trespass offering: then you shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you."
1Sa 6:4 Then they said, "What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to him?" They said, "Five golden tumors, and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines; for one plague was on you all, and on your lords.
1Sa 6:5 Therefore you shall make images of your tumors, and images of your mice that mar the land; and you shall give glory to the God of Israel: peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land.
1Sa 6:6 Why then do you harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When he had worked wonderfully among them, didn't they let the people go, and they departed?
1Sa 6:7 Now therefore take and prepare yourselves a new cart, and two milk cows, on which there has come no yoke; and tie the cows to the cart, and bring their calves home from them;
1Sa 6:8 and take the ark of Yahweh, and lay it on the cart; and put the jewels of gold, which you return him for a trespass offering, in a coffer by its side; and send it away, that it may go.
1Sa 6:9 Behold; if it goes up by the way of its own border to Beth Shemesh, then he has done us this great evil: but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that struck us; it was a chance that happened to us."
1Sa 6:10 The men did so, and took two milk cows, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home;
1Sa 6:11 and they put the ark of Yahweh on the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their tumors.
1Sa 6:12 The cows took the straight way by the way to Beth Shemesh; they went along the highway, lowing as they went, and didn't turn aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them to the border of Beth Shemesh.
1Sa 6:13 They of Beth Shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley; and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it.
1Sa 6:14 The cart came into the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh, and stood there, where there was a great stone: and they split the wood of the cart, and offered up the cows for a burnt offering to Yahweh.
1Sa 6:15 The Levites took down the ark of Yahweh, and the coffer that was with it, in which the jewels of gold were, and put them on the great stone: and the men of Beth Shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day to Yahweh.
1Sa 6:16 When the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day.
1Sa 6:17 These are the golden tumors which the Philistines returned for a trespass offering to Yahweh: for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Ashkelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one;
1Sa 6:18 and the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fortified cities and of country villages, even to the great stone, whereon they set down the ark of Yahweh, which stone remains to this day in the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh.
1Sa 6:19 He struck of the men of Beth Shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of Yahweh, he struck of the people fifty thousand seventy men; and the people mourned, because Yahweh had struck the people with a great slaughter.
1Sa 6:20 The men of Beth Shemesh said, Who is able to stand before Yahweh, this holy God? and to whom shall he go up from us?

1Sa 6:21 They sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath Jearim, saying, The Philistines have brought back the ark of Yahweh; come down, and bring it up to yourselves.

Jun. 5, 6
John 11

Joh 11:1 Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus from Bethany, of the village of Mary and her sister, Martha.
Joh 11:2 It was that Mary who had anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother, Lazarus, was sick.
Joh 11:3 The sisters therefore sent to him, saying, "Lord, behold, he for whom you have great affection is sick."
Joh 11:4 But when Jesus heard it, he said, "This sickness is not to death, but for the glory of God, that God's Son may be glorified by it."
Joh 11:5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.
Joh 11:6 When therefore he heard that he was sick, he stayed two days in the place where he was.
Joh 11:7 Then after this he said to the disciples, "Let's go into Judea again."
Joh 11:8 The disciples told him, "Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you, and are you going there again?"
Joh 11:9 Jesus answered, "Aren't there twelve hours of daylight? If a man walks in the day, he doesn't stumble, because he sees the light of this world.
Joh 11:10 But if a man walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light isn't in him."
Joh 11:11 He said these things, and after that, he said to them, "Our friend, Lazarus, has fallen asleep, but I am going so that I may awake him out of sleep."
Joh 11:12 The disciples therefore said, "Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover."
Joh 11:13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he spoke of taking rest in sleep.
Joh 11:14 So Jesus said to them plainly then, "Lazarus is dead.
Joh 11:15 I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe. Nevertheless, let's go to him."
Joh 11:16 Thomas therefore, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, "Let's go also, that we may die with him."
Joh 11:17 So when Jesus came, he found that he had been in the tomb four days already.
Joh 11:18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about fifteen stadia away.
Joh 11:19 Many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to console them concerning their brother.
Joh 11:20 Then when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary stayed in the house.
Joh 11:21 Therefore Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you would have been here, my brother wouldn't have died.
Joh 11:22 Even now I know that, whatever you ask of God, God will give you."
Joh 11:23 Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."
Joh 11:24 Martha said to him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day."
Joh 11:25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will still live, even if he dies.
Joh 11:26 Whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
Joh 11:27 She said to him, "Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, God's Son, he who comes into the world."
Joh 11:28 When she had said this, she went away, and called Mary, her sister, secretly, saying, "The Teacher is here, and is calling you."
Joh 11:29 When she heard this, she arose quickly, and went to him.
Joh 11:30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was in the place where Martha met him.
Joh 11:31 Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and were consoling her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, "She is going to the tomb to weep there."
Joh 11:32 Therefore when Mary came to where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying to him, "Lord, if you would have been here, my brother wouldn't have died."
Joh 11:33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews weeping who came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,
Joh 11:34 and said, "Where have you laid him?" They told him, "Lord, come and see."
Joh 11:35 Jesus wept.
Joh 11:36 The Jews therefore said, "See how much affection he had for him!"
Joh 11:37 Some of them said, "Couldn't this man, who opened the eyes of him who was blind, have also kept this man from dying?"
Joh 11:38 Jesus therefore, again groaning in himself, came to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone lay against it.
Joh 11:39 Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to him, "Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days."
Joh 11:40 Jesus said to her, "Didn't I tell you that if you believed, you would see God's glory?"
Joh 11:41 So they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, "Father, I thank you that you listened to me.
Joh 11:42 I know that you always listen to me, but because of the multitude that stands around I said this, that they may believe that you sent me."
Joh 11:43 When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!"
Joh 11:44 He who was dead came out, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Free him, and let him go."
Joh 11:45 Therefore many of the Jews, who came to Mary and saw what Jesus did, believed in him.
Joh 11:46 But some of them went away to the Pharisees, and told them the things which Jesus had done.
Joh 11:47 The chief priests therefore and the Pharisees gathered a council, and said, "What are we doing? For this man does many signs.
Joh 11:48 If we leave him alone like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation."
Joh 11:49 But a certain one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, "You know nothing at all,
Joh 11:50 nor do you consider that it is advantageous for us that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish."
Joh 11:51 Now he didn't say this of himself, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation,
Joh 11:52 and not for the nation only, but that he might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.
Joh 11:53 So from that day forward they took counsel that they might put him to death.
Joh 11:54 Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews, but departed from there into the country near the wilderness, to a city called Ephraim. He stayed there with his disciples.
Joh 11:55 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand. Many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves.
Joh 11:56 Then they sought for Jesus and spoke one with another, as they stood in the temple, "What do you think-that he isn't coming to the feast at all?"
Joh 11:57 Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had commanded that if anyone knew where he was, he should report it, that they might seize him.

What is the work of the church? by Roy Davison

http://www.oldpaths.com/Archive/Davison/Roy/Allen/1940/workofch.html


What is the work of the church?

In Revelation Jesus says to each of the seven churches: “I know your works”1.
He is not satisfied when the works of a congregation are inadequate. To the church at Ephesus He says: “I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works” (Revelation 2:4, 5). To the church at Sardis, He says: “I have found no works of yours perfected before my God” (Revelation 3:2 WEB). He commended the church at Thyatira: “As for your works, the last are more than the first” (Revelation 2:19).
We must be “always abounding in the work of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58).

The work of the church is prescribed in Scripture.
Paul told Timothy: “I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God” (1 Timothy 3:15).

The work of the church is done by its members.
The church is the body of Christ.2 “For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another” (Romans 12:4, 5).
Christians are always members of the body of Christ. We are to do everything in the name of the Lord (Colossians 3:17) and to present our bodies as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1).
In a sense, then, all that Christians do, is done by the church. But some things are done by individual members and some things are done at the congregational level.3
Because all the work of the church is done by its members (either in their own name or as a congregation) New Testament letters addressed to churches deal both with congregational and with personal matters. A sharp distinction is seldom made because many things apply to congregations and to members.

Various tasks are entrusted to believers and to congregations.
Individual Christians earn money to support their families.4 Believers are to care for their own relatives (1 Timothy 5:4, 8, 16). “If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10). Lydia was a seller of purple.5 Aquila and Priscilla were tentmakers.6 
A church of Christ, however, has not been authorized to operate a business. Jesus condemned those who conducted business in the temple: “Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He said to them, ‘It is written, “My house shall be called a house of prayer,” but you have made it a “den of thieves”’” (Matthew 21:12, 13).
Jesus condemned dishonest gain, but also using the temple for something other than its intended purpose! This also applies to the church. It may not be used for wrongful purposes.
Congregational resources result from free-will offerings on the first day of the week (1 Corinthians 16:1, 2)7 and from special gifts (Acts 4:34, 35). These resources may be used for all assignments God has given the church.
Christians administer their own resources. Referring to the land Ananias had sold, Peter said: “While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control?” (Acts 5:4).
Congregational funds are administered by the elders: “Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea. This they also did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul” (Acts 11:29, 30).8

What are tasks of a local congregation?
One must read the entire New Testament to get a complete picture of the tasks of the church. Here are some examples.

1. The church is to assemble. 
Christians come together to “stir up love and good works” (Hebrews 10:24, 25).9
About the Jerusalem congregation we read: “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42).
This fellowship included friendly association, eating together and helping one another: “Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart” (Acts 2:44-46).
The believers came together both as a large group (in the temple) and in smaller groups (in homes). The expression ‘ate their food with gladness’ refers to ordinary meals, not to the Lord’s supper as in verse 42. They enjoyed being together and they enjoyed eating together.
Where a congregation is to meet is not specified. Meetings were held in the temple at Jerusalem,10 in an upper room,11 in homes,12 and in their own synagogues: “For if there come into your synagogue a man with a gold ring,” etc. (James 2:2). Some translations have ‘assembly’ for ‘synagogue’, but it is synagogue in Greek.13
The command to assemble authorizes a congregation to make arrangements for a place to meet.14

2. The church assembles to eat the Lord’s supper.
The church assembles on the first day of the week to break bread (Acts 20:7).15 The Jerusalem church continued steadfastly in the breaking of bread16. “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?” (1 Corinthians 10:16).17

3. The church prays and sings to God.
The Jerusalem church continued steadfastly in prayers.18 In the assembly, Christians sing with the spirit and with the understanding (1 Corinthians 14:15), “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody” in their heart to the Lord (Ephesians 5:19).
Singing is melodious speaking. Unspiritual songs are excluded, of course, but the general command to sing includes all types of singing whether in unison or with harmony, whether in the chromatic scale or some other scale, whether in a major or minor key. It is all singing.
If the command had been “to make music” instrumental music would be included. But the command to sing excludes non-vocal music.

4. The church preaches the gospel.
“And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature’” (Mark 16:15). No single congregation or individual can preach to everyone in the world. All Christians and congregations work together to carry out this assignment.
Exactly how the gospel is to be preached, is not said. Thus Christians and congregations may decide the best way to go (on foot, by boat, by train, or by airplane) because they have been given the general command19 to “go.” They also make use of available means of proclamation (sermons, tracts, newspapers, radio, TV, Internet) because they have been given the general command to “preach.” 
Christians preach both in their own vicinity and in other parts of the world. Some go and others support those who go20 (Romans 10:11-15).

5. The church teaches disciples to obey Christ.
“Then Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you’” (Matthew 28:18-20).
God gave apostles and prophets in the first century to found the church (Ephesians 2:20) and evangelists, elders and teachers for all times to build up the church21 (Ephesians 4:11-16). 
To teach disciples to observe all that Christ has commanded, each congregation provides instruction according to its needs, abilities and opportunities.
Exactly how the instruction is organized is not prescribed. Such details may be decided by each congregation according to their own circumstances. Many congregations, for example, have special classes for children of various ages, for women, for people with various levels of knowledge,22 and to train men for leadership.23

6. The church is financed by gifts from its members.
A collection is taken on the first day of the week. “Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also: On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside,24 storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come” (1 Corinthians 16:1, 2).
This example authorizes a congregation to have a collection on the first day of the week and to form a treasury from which needs can be met.25 Special contributions may also be given (Acts 4:34, 35).

7. The church does good works.
Paul prayed that the church at Colosse might be “fruitful in every good work” (Colossians 1:10). Pure religion includes helping orphans and widows (James 1:27).
In connection with the gifts collected by the church at Corinth,26 Paul says that they shared with the saints and with all men. “For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men” (2 Corinthians 9:12, 13).27 By doing good, the church brings glory to God. 
In the letter “to the churches of Galatia” (Galatians 1:2) Paul wrote: “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:9, 10).
Since the church cannot alleviate all needs, fellow Christians have priority.
In the second letter “to the church of the Thessalonians”28 Paul wrote: “But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good” (2 Thessalonians 3:13).
Jesus is our example: “He went about doing good”29 (Acts 10:38). One of His distinctive teachings is that we should do good to all, not just to brethren (Matthew 5:46, 47).
The church at Jerusalem (with more than 5000 members30) distributed food daily to the widows (Acts 6:1-4). The church is to support older, godly widows, who have insufficient help from their family (1 Timothy 5:3-16).
Congregations helped brethren in other places who were in need because of famine.31 This help was extended “to all” (2 Corinthians 9:12, 13).

8. The church appoints elders and deacons.
After seven men had been “sought out” by the church at Jerusalem, they were appointed by the apostles to take care of the widows (Acts 6:3).
The appointment of elders and deacons who meet the Biblical qualifications, may be done with the help of an evangelist. Paul told Titus: “For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you” (Titus 1:5).32 

9. The church withdraws from Christians who persist in sin.
A congregation may not allow its members to bring reproach on the church by their conduct or by false teaching. After a loving attempt to bring the person to repentance, if he refuses to repent, he must be excluded from the fellowship (1 Corinthians 5:11-13).33 
A congregation can give letters of recommendation to traveling Christians to confirm that they may be accepted as fellow believers (2 Corinthians 3:1).

May our works be acceptable to God!
We have examined several tasks God has given the church. The church is to assemble for worship and for other suitable purposes. A collection is taken on the first day of the week and special contributions may also be given. With these resources the gospel is preached and believers are edified. The church does good, especially to believers. The church appoints qualified men as elders and deacons, and withdraws fellowship from those who persist in sin. These are some examples of works of the church.
Both in our daily lives and as a church, let us be “always abounding in the work of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58). “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Amen.
Roy Davison
The Scripture quotations in this article are from The New King James Version. ©1979,1980,1982, Thomas Nelson Inc., Publishers unless indicated otherwise. Permission for reference use has been granted.
Published in The Old Paths Archive
http://www.oldpaths.com
Endnotes:

1 Revelation 2:2, 9, 13, 19; 3:1, 8, 15. This is according to the Textus Receptus and the Majority Text. A few manuscripts lack this statement for Smyrna and Pergamos.

2 Ephesians 1:22, 23.

3 A Christian, for example, may place an ad offering to study the Scriptures with people. He does not have to ask anyone’s permission to do this if he uses his own name and address, and pays for it himself. He may not do something in the name of a congregation, however, without asking permission. This also applies to preachers. They may preach whenever and wherever they wish. But they may not do something in the name of a congregation without permission.

4 Christians may not burden the church with their personal responsibilities. Believers are commanded to work with their own hands so they will lack nothing (1 Thessalonians 4:11, 12). Christians are to work in quietness and eat their own bread (2 Thessalonians 3:11, 12). They must work with their hands so they will have something to give to those who are in need (Ephesians 4:28). Children and grandchildren ought to help their needy mother or grandmother (1 Timothy 4:4, 16). The church has a back-up responsibility with regard to such needs (1 Timothy 5:16).

5 Acts 16:14.

6 Acts 18:2.

7 See also 2 Corinthians 9:7.

8 This proves that one congregation may send funds to another congregation. Division has been caused by some who condemn churches that send funds to another congregation for mission work. Although this instance relates to benevolent work, the principle, like the Sunday collection, applies to all works a congregation is authorized to do.

9 Christians assembled to pray for Peter when he was in prison (Acts 12:5, 12) and to hear a report given by missionaries (Acts 14:27). Everything must be done decently and in order (1 Corinthians 14:40).

10 Acts 2:26; 5:12.

11 Acts 20:8.

12 Romans 16:5; 1 Corinthians 16:19; Colossians 4:15; Philemon 2.

13 In the New Testament, the word usually refers to a meeting house. The statement ‘come into your synagogue’ suggests a building, as does the reference to seating arrangements. Compare with Mark 1:21; Luke 4:16; Acts 18:19; 19:8.

14 The meeting place has no special meaning for Christians because under the New Covenant the believers themselves are the temple of God (1 Peter 2:4, 5). Thus special rules about what may or may not be done in ‘the church building’ have no Scriptural foundation because a congregation can just as easily meet in a field, under a tree, in a cave, or in someone’s home. What one may do in the assembly or with congregational resources are Scriptural questions.
Discord is sometimes sown by people claiming that Christians may not eat in a building that belongs to the church. To support this they usually appeal to Paul’s statement: “What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in?” (1 Corinthians 11:22). In that context, however, Paul is discussing a situation where the Lord’s table was being degraded to a regular meal. In the assembly it is indeed true that one may not have a regular meal rather than the Lord’s supper! The Lord’s supper is not intended to satisfy hunger.
Paul ate in the meeting place at Troas. In Acts 20:7 the believers came together in an upper room on the first day of the week to break bread, which refers to the Lord’s supper. Paul preached until midnight. After he raised Eutychus from the dead, he went back upstairs. Then we read: “Now when he had come up, had broken bread and eaten, and talked a long while, even till daybreak, he departed” (Acts 20:11). This refers to a regular meal since it says only that ‘he’ ... ‘had broken bread and eaten’. If it referred to the Lord’s supper, it would have said when ‘they’ had broken bread and eaten. The informality of the situation makes it clear that this was not a part of the regular assembly “and talked a long while, even till daybreak.”

15 See also 1 Corinthians 11:18, 26, 33; 14:23; Hebrews 10:25.

16 Acts 2:42.

17 See also 1 Corinthians 11:23-26.

18 Acts 2:42.

19 Sometimes discord is caused by people who insist that an example must be found in the Bible for every application of a general principle or command in the New Testament. But a general command authorizes all ways of obeying that command that do not conflict with other principles or commands.

20 Churches have an obligation to support preachers and missionaries (1 Corinthians 9:6-14; Philippians 4:15-18). When Paul preached at Corinth, he received support from churches in Macedonia (2 Corinthians 11:8, 9), and he suggested that the church at Corinth might “help him on his way” at a later time (2 Corinthians 1:16). Churches also sent men to serve Paul on their behalf (Acts 19:22; Philippians 2:25; Philemon 12-14).

21 There can be several brethren in one congregation who are teachers (Acts 13:1). Not everyone is a teacher in this sense (James 3:1). Elders and teachers can be supported (1 Timothy 5:17, 18; Galatians 6:6).
Teaching disciples to observe all that Christ has commanded includes combating false doctrine (Ephesians 4:14; Titus 1:9). When false teachers from Judea came to Antioch, the church sent Paul and Barnabas and a few others to Jerusalem to discuss the problem (Acts 15:1-4).
A congregation can send someone to help build up a congregation in another place (Acts 11:22).
Although each congregation has its own responsibility, evangelists sometimes give instruction in more than one congregation. Titus taught several congregations on Crete (Titus 1:12-14; 2:6, 8, 15; 3:1, 2, 8). This does not mean that Titus exercised authority over these congregations, as is sometimes claimed, but simply that he provided instruction.

22 A new Christian must be fed with ‘milk’ until he is able to digest ‘solid food’. “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able” (1 Corinthians 3:1, 2). “However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age” (1 Corinthians 2:6).
In time, Christians are to advance in knowledge. The Hebrews were reprimanded because they had not grown: “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:12-14).

23 To fill the need for advanced instruction, some congregations set up a program of concentrated or even full-time Bible study with teachers from their own congregation and from other congregations. The instruction is given to people in the area, some of whom may have moved there to study. A congregation is authorized to do this by the commission of Christ: “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20) and the brethren who teach are authorized by Paul’s command to Timothy: “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2).

24 Some translations have “at home” although the original has “by himself,” corresponding with “as he purposes in his heart” (2 Corinthians 9:7). That “at home” is not intended is clear from the context because Paul wanted to avoid a collection being taken after he arrived. Also, why would it have to be on the first day of the week if it were not in the weekly assembly?

25 A congregation may agree to give something in the future (2 Corinthians 9:5). A congregation may appoint a brother to take a gift to its destination (1 Corinthians 16:3). One brother may be chosen for this by several congregations, and accountability should be maintained (2 Corinthians 8:18-23). Paul made these arrangements so no one could question his integrity in financial matters. In church finances, high accounting standards should be maintained, providing for what is honorable “not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men” (2 Corinthians 8:21).

26 1 Corinthians 16:1, 2.

27 Since “them” in verse 13 refers back to “saints” in verse 12, “all” includes non-Christians. Some condemn churches that help needy non-Christians. They say individual Christians may help them, but that the church may not. They claim that “all men” means “all Christians” and they deny that “Let us do good to all” (Galatians 6:10) applies to the church. Considering the subjectivity of their opinion, ought they not to at least admit that “all” possibly refers to “all men” and that Galatians 6:10 possibly applies to the church? Then they could be less judgmental.

28 2 Thessalonians 1:1.

29 Once when Jesus was criticized for healing on the Sabbath, He replied: “What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath” (Matthew 12:11, 12).

30 Acts 4:4.

31 Acts 11:28-30; 1 Corinthians 8:1-4, 12-15; 9:12, 13; Romans 15:25-28; Acts 24:17.

32 See 1 Timothy 3:1-15; Titus 1:5-9.

33 See also Matthew 18:15-18; 2 Thessalonians 3:6; 1 Corinthians 5:4, 5, 13; Romans 16:17; 2 Corinthians 2:6.