On Becoming the Church

I spent several hours today praying and  meditating on the idea of the church, the one that is supposed to be serving God and not man's agenda.  This is a troubling trend I have been watching in the American church.  Yet what is one to do when the Western Church so strongly insists upon theological suicide?

Sanctification: You becoming the Church.

Meditations on John 17:6-19

You are set apart for God.
In verse 6, God gave Jesus the people, the followers, the believers, the faithful - as the basis of the Church.
In verses 6,7,8,16 - we learn that these people are the ones whom "kept my word", "know the truth", "are not of the world".

In John 15:14, these would be called the true friends of Jesus.

Each of us has a future in Jesus, none of us has a past which obstructs us.....  Think about that for a while.....

You are set apart from the world.
Did you notice that the word, "world" was used 18 times in this passage we are discussing?  Since, this is a prayer of Jesus recorded here, it must have some relevance.

In verses, 13-16, Jesus is praying for those given to him, not for the "world".
In verse, 17:15, we are to be kept from evil.

We live in the world but are to be witnesses to the world.
We must be in, yet remain apart.
Romans 12:2, "Do not be conformed to the world, discern what is good"

You are set apart to God's service.
God's truth is supposed to be our motivation in our service to Him.
Do not limit God!
We are set apart to be the light and the salt to the world. Providers of truth, what makes life worth living!
We are to bear His witness, of whom God is.  Others are supposed to see God lived through our lives....