God's Wellness Program for the Healthy Church

God's Wellness Program for the Healthy Church

Romans 12
⁹   Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
¹⁰   Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
¹¹   Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
¹²   Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
¹³   Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.

The church in Rome was a relatively healthy church as Paul writes. It is not certain exactly how the church was formed in Rome. We know as disciples spread out from Jerusalem as a result of persecution, they went everywhere preaching the word (Acts 8:4). The church in Rome seems to be a result of that preaching. As far as can be told from Scripture an apostle had never been to Rome prior to Paul’s writing. Thus they would be relatively devoid of miraculous Spiritual gifts. I believe that this is why Paul writes "For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established;" (Romans 1:11). Paul had desire to impart the miraculous gifts, which as an apostle he could do (Acts 8:15-17ff.), to the end of establishing the church. In spite of not having these miraculous gifts, however, the church in Rome seems relatively healthy. Paul says not too much in his letter by way of rebuke, rather he seems to be more targeted at edifying and exhorting them to continue in the faith. This is in sharp contrast to the letters that Paul writes to the church in Corinth. That was a church abounding in miraculous gifts, yet that church had some very severe problems Spiritually. Much of what Paul writes to Corinth is in the nature of rebuke and correction. The lesson here is that the health of the church is not dependent on miracles, but is absolutely dependent on obedience to God’s word and the right relationship to Christ. That’s substantially different than what is being preached out there in the denominational world today. The church that focuses on obedience to God’s Word and the right relationship to Christ is by definition a healthy church.

So then if Rome is a healthy church, why does Paul write? I believe that Paul states a large part of the reason in:

Romans 16
¹⁷   Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
¹⁸   For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
¹⁹   For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.

The church’s obedience had come abroad unto all men. The church in Rome had become famous for their obedience. Paul knew that this would attract false teaching. There is nothing more attractive to the destructive forces of the devil than a healthy church. He has no need to oppose a church that is going the wrong direction. I believe that fact to be important to us here in Palmdale. I worshipped here in the long ago, and visited on occasion while my membership was with Quartz Hill congregation. Brethren, I don’t believe that I’ve ever seen the church here any healthier than it is today. That is simply due to the willingness of the members here to be obedient to God’s word, and maintain the right relationship to the head of the body which is Christ. As a result God is and has been sending increase, both Spiritually, and in numbers. It occurs to me that in the same way that a healthy body needs to continue in proper diet and exercise ( a wellness program ) so a wellness program is needed for the body of Christ, His church. In Romans chapter 12, Paul presents to us what the behavior of believers toward each other and collectively should be. He makes that presentation in almost a "bullet point" format. It’s a passage that I like to call "God’s Wellness Program for the Healthy Church".

In verse 9 Paul says Let love be without dissimulation; in verse 10 he writes Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in verse 13 we’re instructed to be given to hospitality. In these three statements Paul uses four different Greek words to describe love. First he uses agape which is an unconditional, self sacrificing love. Then he uses Philostorgos, kindly affectioned usually as relates to close members of family. This is the type of love that parent has for child. He moves on in the same sentence to Philadelphia, brotherly love or the kind of love associated with close friends. He finishes with Philonexia, given to hospitality, or literally, loving strangers, or guests. Promoting love in all of it’s various forms is essential to the health and well being of the body of Christ. Jesus Himself said that love was the identifying mark of his disciples to the rest of the world.

John 13
³⁵ By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Paul says that love should be without dissimulation, or without hypocrisy (NASB). Simply said, we shouldn’t be faking it. Our love for each other should be genuine. We should desire the company of other believers. After all we share the same common love, which is Christ, and the same common ultimate goal which is eternal life with Him in heaven. The love that believers are to have for each other is such that there should be nowhere in this world that we would rather be than in the company of believers. We here in Palmdale have many meetings during the week. Sometimes it is impossible to make them all. One should not feel guilty if unable to attend one or more of the meetings. However, one should feel disappointed that they have missed the opportunity to be together. If you have no disappointment, perhaps you should examine the love that you have for the brethren. If you don’t desire to spend a few hours a week on earth with the brethren, then why are you desirous to spend eternity with them? In truth, if you’re not desirous of both, you run the risk of not obtaining the latter. The meetings of the body of Christ are necessary in that they promote the love between the brethren, and thus the wellness of the church.

Paul, after addressing that love is to be genuine, moves on to what the healthy church’s attitude toward good and evil should be. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good is the command. This must be the policy of the church as well as the individual. If it is evil, it is detestable to the Christian as well as the church. It must be put out of our lives, and out of the church as well. We as individuals and as a church must always be watching for evil. Each congregation should indeed have among their ranks "watchdogs" that are watchful unto the purity of the doctrine preached. Let me qualify that by saying that we need "good watchdogs". A good watchdog barks to alert the family to a threat. I have a dog at home that is a lousy watchdog. She barks when there’s a threat, she also barks at the neighbors, she barks at cats, she barks at other dogs, she’s even been known to bark at me on occasion, sometimes she just barks for no apparent reason. This can sometimes be the problem with watchdogs in the church. Sometimes they can be barking for no apparent reason. I believe that sometimes this is brought about because they are only watching for evil. In fact we should put equal effort in watching for good as well.

Paul writes that we are to be in honour preferring one another. Literally, this means that we are to outdo one another in bestowing honor. Christians should not seek honor for themselves, but should seek to honor the other brethren. While it is true that we should be on the alert for evil doing, we should be just as alert in trying to "catch" the brethren in doing good. When we find a brother or a sister doing good, we should note that and honor it , thus encouraging well doing throughout the congregation. Cleaving to good in our text is just as much commanded as abhorring evil. If we do one without the other, we’re incomplete in our service as individuals, and as a church.

In verse 11 Paul states that the Christian is to be "Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;". There is a business end to being a Christian.

Ephesians 2
¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

God has work for us to do, and we are not to be slothful in doing it. In order to maintain the quality and quantity of the work that God has for us, we need to maintain a fervent spirit. We do this through maintaining right relationship to Christ.

John 15
⁵ I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

Our Spiritual health depends in being attached to the "true vine", Christ. We do this through obedience, which includes regular attendance to meetings of the body, regular prayer and regular study, as this is how we communicate with God. Prayer without study, or study without prayer is only one way communication. Finally in the business of being a Christian we are to keep in mind always the we are serving the Lord. All to often in the church we can become self-serving. We have our "own" agenda. We want to see our "own" programs carried out. Sometimes I believe, (in fact most of the time ) the church would be better off if they got rid of all of their "programs" and simply look to the New Testament pattern of how the church was organized, and the Gospel was spread. We need to be very careful with programs as they can bring about factions. And we know how the Lord feels about factions. In a nutshell

1 Corinthians 10
³¹ Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

We are to serve God only, not self nor program. That service is to extend into whatsoever ye do. That means as we leave the assembly we are to carry that service into the world abroad. In truth, there is nothing more damaging to the body than members who are self serving.

Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer is the command of Paul in verse 12. As we approach the end of our text we can see that there is a great deal of overlap in the areas of service touched by the individual portions of the passage. As we consider this threefold portion I find all of these points to be inseparable. It is joy itself that enables me to endure tribulation.

Hebrews 12
² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

I would never be patient in tribulation if I did not have joy in the hope of eternal life. I can’t have that hope, without being steadfast in prayer. In fact prayer gives me hope in many other things as well. The hope and joy of being able to cast my cares upon Him makes those same cares endurable.

Finally we’re told that we are to be "Distributing to the necessity of saints". It is the duty of every Christian "Upon the first day of the week" to "lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him". ( Rom 16: 2 ) This is to provide for the needs of the saints. I believe that often the needs of the saints can be overlooked in other areas. Paul also writes " Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." ( Gal 6:2 ) Our brothers and sisters in Christ can have emotional and physical needs beyond simple finances. We cannot throw a few dollars in the collection plate and then say "There, I’ve ministered to the needs of the saints." We are to give also of ourselves. When a brother or sister is in need of the comfort that only a kindly ear, and a gentle shoulder on which to shed tears can solve, that is more valuable to them and the church than any amount of money. This is where I believe that Distributing to the necessity of saints ties to being given to hospitality. We may even from time to time have open our homes and give of our time to effectively provide what the brethren need. When we ask a brother " How are you doing?" we should truly be willing to hear the answer. If the brother is not doing well, we shouldn’t be sorry that we asked.

Another way that we distribute to the needs of the saints is in teaching. We are to let all things be done unto edifying, (1 Corinthians 14: 26 ) That includes equipping the saints for every good work. It’s the fulfillment of a very important part of the Great Commission, "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:20). That means that we must be here to be taught. We must also be studying at home to the end of perhaps becoming teachers ourselves. Teaching is not to stop at baptism but to continue until we have learned to observe all things whatsoever have been commanded. As far as I can tell from my studies, that means that we have continue in teaching and study as long as we live. I believe that it’s important to note that attached to the commandment of the great commission is a promise. The commandment of Matthew 28: 19 & 20 reads " Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." Jesus’ promise that follows is ‘and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." Isn’t the promise why we’re all here. To have Him with us even until the end of the world. The promise is that as long as we are spreading His Gospel, and as long as we are continuing in His doctrine, He will be with us. And as long as He is with us we will have a healthy church.

As I said earlier, teaching and learning do not stop at baptism. Yet we see from the Great Commission that baptism is something that we are to teach. In Mark 16: 15 &16 we find this rendition of the Great Commission. "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." Jesus says that baptism is essential to being saved. If you were not baptized in order to be saved you were taught wrongly. In Acts 2:38 Peter says:

Acts 2
³⁸ Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

If you were not baptized for remission or forgiveness of sins, you were baptized for the wrong reason, and taught wrongly. If you’ve never been baptized or have been baptized for the wrong reason, you have never obtained salvation or forgiveness of sins. Won’t you please do that today. It’s not the end of your Christian walk, but it is the beginning.

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