Why Does the Structure of the Church Matter, Aren't we all Equals?
4 years ago
This is a very deep question Christians ask. "I'm not certain if I'm saved," and while it's very tempting for pastors and even fellow believers to give assurance of salvation, "Oh, I know you're saved," the fact is, is that I don't have the power to do that, nor do I have the right to do that. Instead, what we're to do is to examine ourselves. The Apostle Paul told the Corinthian leadership in 2 Corinthians 13, "Examine yourselves, "test yourselves to see if you're in the faith." And so how do we pass that test? Well, there are many different ways, but I want to give you two simple tests. The first one is fruit. Jesus said that good trees bear good fruit, that your life is changed, you're doing things differently, you are not earning salvation, but you are doing things that are pleasing to the Lord, and the second test is found a couple of dozen times in the book of 1 John, and that is that you love Christians, you adore the church. Those two things will help you.
