Making Your Ecclesia What It Should Be (Galatians 3:28)

The Christian ecclesia is a fellowship of believers who are united in a common belief and understanding of God’s word. Love is the binding force of fellowship and the expression of all it believes. Without the dynamism of love, no organisation can exist that calls itself a church, and it cannot fulfil its function as part of the body of Christ. An ecclesia that lacks love is easily recognisable. It may have trappings of feverish activity but it no longer cares for people.

While the ecclesia of Christ is a divinely appointed organisation, it is composed of very ordinary men and women. Yet these people are, according to the master, “The salt of the earth.” The living Christ inspects those who are, by his grace, living in him, living within this ecclesia. Their loyalty to him must exceed their allegiance to any other organisation yet, within boundaries, they manifest such love that those who come into contact with it may be drawn memorably to the Lord of the church. Through the love manifested by local ecclesias, many other men and women may wish to come to fellowship with Jesus.

Make your ecclesia a place where the warmth of Christ’s love is felt. This can only be possible when each ecclesia member radiates Christ’s care through all their actions.

I want to thank the Almighty who gave me this opportunity of sharing the word of love with you all. How are you, brothers and sisters, including your Sunday Schools?

“The Lord is near all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.” One day He will fulfil the desire of those who fear Him. He will also hear their cry and save them, that is if we remain faithful to Him like Abraham, Noah, David and others in the Bible who remained humble before Him. These were His good faithful friends who feared Him. So let us be like them. Read Psalm 18:18-21.

We are naturally sinful, brothers and sisters. Why do we break God’s law? Breaking the law means we are living in sin. If we can shun sin, then we can keep God’s law of love and we will have grace and mercy so as to live as Jesus Christ did. Jesus was tempted and yet did not sin, so he kept God’s law. He then received grace and is now living in God’s presence. Why not us? Although we are of sinful nature, let us conquer it by keeping God’s law and praying for strength to do so, and for forgiveness when we fail.

May God guide us not into temptation. Amen.

Bro Farai Makandeni (Chipinge, Zimbabwe)