Love for Christ should be love for the church; our heart's desire should embrace the interests of the universal church and the glory of Christ, rather than our own personal salvation. Duty requires we serve not ourselves but Christ.
That the church is invisible is completely foreign to experience and the truth of the Scriptures. To claim allegiance to the church is to admit its visibility. The presenting of ourselves as a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God as a reasonable service, is a visible act, for the bodies of the saints are visible.
The Church is one body - as there is one Head and one Spirit - so there is one body. To say there is an invisible church is to assert a divided unity. The Church of God is distinguished from all other groups by the same character and attributes that belong to Christ. It is not the historical dating of the church that counts but its basis upon the teaching of the Word of the early Church that gives it its right to be the Church.
The Church is not perfect but we must learn to love the Church with all her faults; so long as we love and adore the Master we will bear with the inconsistencies and faults of our fellow members. If men only loved Christ, were not diverted away from him and things belonging to his name and his kingdom by disputes over doctrines, which are often side issues, I do not think it difficult for all who sincerely love Christ to unite with one heart and mind in all the work of faith and labour of love. If you are waiting to find a church of perfect men and if you do find it, and unite with it, it will no longer be perfect after you join it.
Our churches rely too much upon gifted preachers who actually make the brethren cower and retire into the shade. Too many overrate the sermon and do not accept that it is but an "addenda" to the worship of the saints when we meet together. That the sermon should stand above the worship of our God and Saviour is an idea born of apostasy. From worship can come the example for others to feel and commit themselves to devotion to God. The Word is what should be fed to young Christians for growth.
We must get back to the good old customs of primitive times when the brethren encouraged one another, not only in the meetings of the church but daily as opportunity offered. It is likely that we in this age of refinement make things too fine to be useful; there is a great danger of shoving our religion into a corner or thinking that we become religious when we put on our Sunday clothes.
I am against forming churches indiscriminately and too close together for the sake of convenience, that is, not having to travel any distance to worship. Let us follow the Scriptural injunctive, "From whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every joint with which it is supplied, when each part is working properly, makes bodily growth and upbuilds itself in love." (Ephesians 4:16). Here we see the church is so united, so effectively served by the extent of the various gifts of the members, that the result is an increase in the church and greater opportunities of encouraging the church, and I ask how this can be done if the churches divide themselves for their own convenience necessitating such a dispersion of gifts as to make them almost ineffective.
Also the church should not divide over differences - this never solves the real problem and always leaves ill-feeling. Wherever it is possible let us have very large churches. Those who like to belong to a small church so that they can conveniently shake hands with all the members at each meeting, and consider this the highest form of church fellowship, I am afraid will not feel very much at home when they get amongst the hosts of heaven.
Let the strong churches help the weak. Let us follow the joint action of the churches in Asia, choosing a brother to bear the gifts to the poor saints at Jerusalem. But let us get the action in order. The evangelist's work is to preach the Gospel to the unconverted and to build up the church. Some of the small churches are demanding their time for selfish interests - only to fill the pulpit. We should not rely upon evangelists but should use all brethren who have these gifts. The weak churches, if they feel they are weak in gifts, should meet together often and agree to ask the Lord for all the gifts they need. Let it be understood that a congregation should not be expected to suffer while a speaker learns to acquire the abilities of public speaking.
The churches need to co-operate to employ more evangelists for the , whole church. These men need great abilities and gifts from the Lord, they are to be "mighty in the Scriptures". If no man is available pray to God that he will raise someone up. When the right man is found I have no fear that the means for his support will be provided.
Care must be taken here not to accept the error of a system of clergy.
What also is needed in South Australia is a superior man to itinerate among the churches to discipline and encourage them. Church discipline is essential and should be carried out by an elder. If the church has no elders, someone of experience should be appointed to act on behalf of the church so that cases of discipline are not brought before the whole church and so disrupt its peace and good order. Afterwards, all judgments should be conveyed to the whole church for its concurrence.
There are those who threaten to leave the church or not attend the Lord's Table if there arise any disagreeable circumstances. The table is the Lord's: It is foolish for someone to withdraw from the Table because of some fancied misconduct in others.
It should be realised that those who come from a long, sinful life may have a hard time just living for Christ. If they do fall they should be helped. They should be carefully watched over and tenderly and affectionately admonished, and it would be cruel to harshly and hurriedly expel them from the church. Not every failing should come under Church discipline but only offences of a flagrant kind.
It is flagrant sins that bring on the church public reproach and damage the good name of the church in the world. The church, therefore, must exercise the disciplining of those committing grave sins of the flesh. They are to be cut off from the church in order that they may realise their waywardness and repent. On repenting, they can be restored to the fellowship of God's people.
There are those who depart from the faith and make strife and cause divisions in the church. Cut them off: For Paul says, "I appeal to you, brethren, to take note of those who create dissensions and difficulties, in opposition to the doctrine which you have been taught; avoid them". (Romans 16:17)
It is right to provide for the social needs of others. It is evident that if churches were faithful to Christ and to each other we should care for our sick, support our own needy ones; care in any way for one another as we care for ourselves. While certain brethren will not accept aid from strangers in support of evangelists and building chapels, they don't see the inconsistency in abdicating their responsibility to sick brethren by hurrying them off to hospitals or friendly societies.