February 25 - Reasons of My Worship Practice - Reason Three

“To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours.” 

I Corinthians 1: 2

This entry is taken from Daily Readings - John Bunyan a 366 day devotional edited by (and posted with permission from) Roger D. Duke, Scholar-in-Residence at Stage & Story, and published by Christian Heritage Press.

Each month focuses on a different book or writing by Bunyan. For February: My Confession of Faith (or A Confession of My Faith and a Reason of My Practice, or, With Who, and Who Not, I can Hold Church-fellowship, or the Communion of Saints)

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Reason Three

Thirdly, I dare not have communion with them [who are not practicing saints]. Because the example of New Testament churches before us have been a community of visible saints. Paul writes to the Roman church thus: To all that are at Rome, beloved of God, called to be Saints, and to the rest of the Churches: Unto the Church of God which is at Corinth; to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints. To the saints that are at Ephesus, and . . . [called to be] faithful in Christ Jesus; to all the saints that are at Philippi with the Bishops and Deacons. To the saints and faithful brethren which are at Colosse. To the Church of the Thessalonians, which is in God the Father and in our Lord Jesus Christ. Thus, you see under what denomination [or name] those persons went of old who were counted worthy to be members of a visible Church of Christ. Besides this, the members of such Churches go under such character[istics] as these:

1. The called of Christ Jesus (Romans 1: 6).

2. Men that have drank into the spirit of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 12: 13).

3. Persons in whom was God the Father (Ephesians 4: 6).

4. They were all made partakers of the joy of the Gospel (Philippians 1: 7).

5. Persons that were circumcised inwardly (Colossians 2: 11).

6. Persons that turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God (1 Thessalonians 1: 4).

7. Those that were the body of Christ and members in particulars [and] . . . these attributes could be visibly seen; . . . [then] they made profession of faith, of holiness, of repentance, of love to Christ, and of self-denial at their receiving into [church] fellowship.

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John Bunyan was a preacher, theologian and author, whose best-known work, The Pilgrim's Progress, has challenged and influenced readers for almost 350 years.

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