According to Hebrews 7, Jesus Christ has entered into the heavenly sanctuary - there to appear before the very "face of God" in behalf of His church. His appearance there is "as a Lamb, without spot or blemish".
    In his great prophecy concerning the "suffering servant", Isaiah wrote of the suffering One as being "brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb", (Isa. 53:7). With prophetic foresight, and a grateful heart, he declared: "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wound for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all!" (53:4-6).
      In New Testament times, John the Baptist introduced Jesus as the "Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world", (Jn. 1:29,

    The very essence of a New Testament church involves the functioning TOGETHER (and in harmony) of the many and varied body-members whom the Lord has placed in the church upon the profession of their faith in Jesus as Saviour and the pledge of faithful, loving and loyal service to Him as LORD. Properly understood, this is the very essence of that to which we committed ourselves in Christian baptism - wherein we declared ourselves DEAD to the old life (devoted to self and sin) and ALIVE with Christ, to walk in the newness of His risen life, and for the glory of His worthy name.
    Like the ancient Israelites, who readily pledged: "ALL that the Lord hath spoken WE WILL DO!" (Ex. 19:8), but then failed to follow through on their commitment; so, an alarming number of church members (throughout the land) have utterly abandoned all effort to fulfil the role to which they once pledged themselves - to be FUNCTIONING PARTS of the LIVING BODY to which they pledged their loyalty in Christian baptism.
    To function as members of the Lord's body requires such a spirit

as JOYFULLY and regularly ASSEMBLES with one's fellow body members for worship, praise, prayer, mutual encouragement and the implementation of the Great Commission that our Lord gave to His church. It requires such a PURITY OF LIFE, before God and man, as is truly exemplary. Where love for Christ and His church is REAL, there will be a genuine concern for one's fellow body members. Loving obedience to Christ will be a first principle of one's life, instead of exercising one's SELF-WILL, and considering one's carnal SELF-INTEREST, each member will place the welfare of THE BODY, and of the brethren, above the enjoyment of private desires and pleasures.
    It is only TOGETHER that church members may grow up so as to manifest the "fulness of Christ" among men, (Eph. 4:15-16). And this absolutely necessitates the proper, voluntary, persistent and faithful functioning of EVERY body member!

    Our Lord clearly desires that every person saved by His grace should be a faithfully functioning member of a New Testament church. However, because the role of a properly functioning church is SO VITAL to His plan for the redemption of mankind, He has wisely made provision for the SEVERANCE FROM THE BODY of its diseased, disorderly, half-hearted and malfunctioning parts. This involves those who violate, and walk contrary to, "the spirit of Christ". Though churches may still claim such people as members, our Lord has ALREADY REJECTED THEM! He sometimes moves far ahead of His churches. They too often give far too much consideration to the "feelings" of rebel sinners who, presumptuously, consider themselves "saints".
    The apostle Paul explicitly declared: "If ANY MAN have not the spirit (attitude) of Christ he is NONE OF HIS!" (Rom. 8:9). And again "They that are Christ's HAVE CRUCIFIED THE FLESH with the affections and lusts", (Gal. 4:24). These no longer live for themselves, but permit the life of Christ to be manifested through their joyfully yielded wills and holy lives, (Gal. 2:20).
    When church members deliberately listen to the voice of Satan (who, from ancient Eden, has urged the creature made in God's own image to "stand up for his rights"), instead of hearkening to the Spirit of God; the Word of God commands that they be "delivered unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh", (I Cor. 5:5) This means that, after a church has , by loving

instruction and patient counsel, endeavored to bring about a proper attitude and walk, it must responsibly and officially (in the love and fear of God) WITHDRAW from ALL who WILL NOT WALK in the way that God has commanded.
    Church discipline, as child training, is designed to be educational. Some lessons are learned ONLY by hard experience! Outside the sphere of covenant fellowship, one places himself beyond the guiding, protecting and sustaining influence of the Holy Spirit - as He works within the body. Thus, disorderly and rebellious church members, when properly disciplined, will learn the hard truth about the "master" they have DELIBERATELY CHOSEN (Satan) in the place of the Christ - who bought them with His own precious blood! Nor should one ever be restored to the fellowship of the body until he has learned how desperately he NEEDS his brethren and the protective influence of the body! This is essential if "the spirit of Christ" is to be preserved within the body.
    0, that the people of God, to the ends of the earth, might learn to function together in a SPIRIT OF UNITY - in heart, mind and desire! Then it would be possible for the "body of Christ" in each, local community to MOVE FORWARD - holding forth the Word of Life in such a manner as the Lord may bless "according to the riches of His grace"!
    Woe to the pastor and church that tends to ignore or minimize the importance of God's "order" and to make a mockery of His holy commandments! E.G.

    It was my privilege to spend July 19-27 with Pastor and Mrs. Leonard C. Ford and the First MBC, of Anchorage, Alaska. The fellowship was great. And it was a real JOY to preach the word to a group of people who seemed to take such delight in the spiritual riches of divine truth. When one sees such an attitude, he may be confident that the "seed sown" will bring forth fruit to the glory of God. Their liberality, toward this unworthy servant, far surpassed anything in my previous experience. THANK YOU, Brethren!
    This people are to be highly commended in that they have remained "brethren" after two major building programs. It actually appears that they LOVE EACH OTHER! just as the Word of our Lord commands.
    Sometime this month a small number (from First MBC) expect to organize a new work - Faith MBC - and begin to meet, at Dimond and Vernon, in the beautifully renovated building that was once occupied by First MBC at Dimond & C.
    May the Lord continue His blessings upon these beloved brethren as they endeavor to honor Him in their lives and witness. E.G.


    On August 5, the editor and wife received word that they had a new granddaughter. Bethany Rachel was born to Derek and Maria (now in Hawaii) and arrived in good shape. Even Jeri Jean appears to be happy

with her little sister.
     Should anyone wish to contact Derek, he is now working with Pastor David Torres in the Hanepepe MBC. You may address him:

that he was the very "Passover-Lamb that has been slain" for us sinners (I Cor. 5:7).
    Apart from these four New Testament references, the only other mention of Christ as a sacrificial lamb (in the N.T.) are found in the book of Revelation, (5:6, 8, 12-13; 6:16; 7:9-17; 12:10-12; 13:8; 14:1, 4-5, 10; 15:3-4; 17:14; 19:7-9; 21:9, 14, 22-23, 27; 22:1:
    In these passages our Lord is set forth as:
    1) A Lamb whose sacrifice has been accepted.
    2) A lamb worthy of praise, worship, honor, glory, riches and blessing.
    3) A Lamb Who has received His believing people.
    4) A Lamb, seated at God's right hand.
    5) A Lamb Who will one day execute righteous judgment upon those who have despised and rejected the provision made for their redemption through His own shed blood.
    6. A Lamb Who will be the eternal light of His covenant people.
"Not all the blood of beasts
   On Jewish altars slain,
Could give the guilty conscience
      peace,
   Or wash away the stain.

But Christ, the heavenly Lamb
   Takes all our sins away;
A sacrifice of nobler name,
   And richer blood than thy.
Believing, we rejoice
   To see the curse remove,
We bless the Lamb with cheerful
      voice,
    And sing His bleeding love."