A Living Church by Francis Gould

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 28, 1871

A Living Church.

By Francis Gould

The church of God is a living church. God does not recognize any church on earth but a living church. He will not accept any person who professes to be a member of his church but living members, and those who live lives of consecration, devotion, and faith. God has manifested great love for us. In return, we should love him supremely. We are to love God because he first loved us. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16. Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it, with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish. Eph. 5:25-27.

But we ask, What constitutes the living church, or such a one as God will accept? For we read, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven.” Matt. 7:21. Christ also explains the process by a figure. He says, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away; and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.” John 15:1, 2. For instance, the farmer goes forth into his nursery or orchard and examines his fruit trees. He finds some dead branches, and some which show but little signs of life. He takes his pruning-knife and separates them from the living tree and from among the living branches, and casts them forth as good for nothing. It becomes very necessary and important that he do this, from the fact that they are an encumbrance to the tree, and retard the growth of the living branches, and are detrimental to them. The remaining branches are healthy, full of life, and the sap flows freely through all, and they bear much fruit.

In a similar manner, God deals with his professed people. The wise man in referring to the church and God’s care for it, says, “Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners? I went down into the garden of nuts to see the fruits of the valley, and to see whether the vine flourished, and the pomegranates budded.” Solomon’s Song 6:10, 11. The great examination is now taking place. Our state and standing before God are being investigated. Soon the decree will go forth: “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still.” It is of the utmost importance that we who profess to be connected with the body of Christ should awake to righteousness, and to spiritual life, and to activity, ere the message closes, and we take up the sad lamentation, The summer is past, the harvest ended, and my soul is not saved. The dead branches will be severed from the living ones. The Son of Man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Matt. 13:41-43. May the Lord fit us to be numbered among the shining ones in glory. FRANCIS GOULD.

Stone, Vt.