By Common Confession

As I continue to ponder the statement "We exist for non-members" which describes many church's today. I ran across this sermon by John MacArthur that addresses this statement head-on as he clearly explains the purpose for that assembly.

Matthew 16:16 "And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God."

This is the confession that establishes the church, a church is made up of people who make this confession. Can we get real basic here, the church is not designed for non-believers it is an assembly of people who make this great confession. And when unbelievers come one thing ought to be profoundly clear that everybody assembled there is assembled there for the purpose of affirming this great confession. The church is not a place for non-Christians who need a motivational speech, it's not a place for non-Christians who need help for their addictions, or who want to some how feel spiritual. It is the assembly of those who make the great confession.

The church is a gathering of people who make a common confession, and what is that confession? That great and awesome is the mystery of godliness, it is the confession that God came in human flesh. To be a Christian you must confess Jesus as Lord (Romans 10:9-10) and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, these things are written says John that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ and that believing you might have life in His name. The church is the gathering of those who make this common confession, their not there trying to make sure they don't offend anybody by overdoing the confession their there for the purpose of affirming that confession.

Excerpt taken from a sermon preached by John MacArthur delivered at Omaha Bible Church on 11/25/05 at a Leadership meeting and can be downloaded here.