Church Membership Part Four "Ten Biblical Reasons

Church Membership and the First Seven Biblical Reasons

Church membership part four and we're gonna look at ten biblical reasons for church membership now over the last three Sundays. We've looked at the first seven. But to start our time and really thinking about this topic Church membership and ten biblical reasons for church membership.

We want to start with the Word of God. Looking really at the local church the local church and we've looked at this passage in the past. We're gonna look at it again this morning. Turn to your Bibles to Acts chapter 2.

We'll be starting in Acts chapter 2 and you can start in verse 36. So we want to read this passage in context really we're looking at verses 41 and 47, but Acts chapter 2 starting back in verse 36 thinking about the local church a Local gathering a local congregation that God has drawn together and placed redeemed sinners in.

And so this is what we find in this really historical eyewitness account Acts chapter 2 starting in verse 36. We find this therefore. Let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ this Jesus whom you crucified.

Now when they heard this They were pierced to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles men brothers, what should we do. And Peter said to them repent and each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off as many as the Lord our God will call to himself and With many other words he solemnly bore witness and kept on exhorting them saying Be saved from this crooked generation.

So then.

Those who had received his word were baptized and That day there were added about 3 ,000 souls and they were continually devoting themselves to the Apostles teaching and to the fellowship and to the breaking of bread and to the prayers and fear came upon every soul and many wonders and signs were taking place through the Apostles and.

All those who had believed were together and had all things in common and they began selling their property and possessions and were dividing them up with all as anyone might have need. And Daily devoting themselves with one accord in the temple and breaking bread from house to house.

They were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart. Praising God and having favor with all the people and the Lord was adding to their number daily those who were being saved praise God.

As we continue our Sermon series on church membership. We'll look at the final three biblical reasons for formal membership in a local church. But before we do that, we need to review the really the first seven reasons and so we'll put these before us here.

These are the seven biblical reasons for formal church membership that we have thus gone through. Number one the one another in commands of Scripture. The commands of practicing the one another's are not optional for you.

Because they are breathed out along with all of Scripture by God. Number two implications of the one another commands. God's Word gives you really the foundation for living out your life. Right for living out your lives with a very important implication in how you are to live in fellowship with one another.

Number three clarification. Clarification helps to serve the body of Christ in your local church in distinguishing from believers and unbelievers. Number four. Orderliness in the church requires it. Orderliness in the church is not possible If you are doing your own thing and unwilling to make a formal commitment to the elders or pastors.

Number five making it public. Making it public. Making a public proclamation for the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Cannot be divorced from your same public commitment to the local congregation or the local body of believers in which God has placed you.

Number six. Ministry responsibilities. Ministry responsibilities. It is not possible to practice and carry out your God-given spiritual gifts in serving other believers in the local body if you're not a member of that local body.

And. Number seven. Ministry privileges. Ministry privileges. Ministry in the local church is a privilege. Given to you by God and reserved for those who are committed to that local body in which God has placed you.

Accountability and Mutual Exhortation in the Local Church

This morning, we'll look at the next three biblical reasons for formal church membership and. There's three areas for local church membership based on accountability. Decisions about time and resources.

And we'll look at several biblical passages and. So when we started this this topic we pointed you to a book. The what why and how of church membership by Wayne Mack. And Mack opens the book and he starts asking some questions.

These are practical questions that really we have all probably thought through at some point in our Christian life. Should I join a church or should I not join a church. Is church membership an essential or optional matter for Christians?

Is it the main option for Christian growth and service or just one of many options is church membership? Important or unimportant. Is it a matter of obedience to the Lord or a matter of choice personal preference for the individual Christian and.

This is what Matt commented on. He said how would you answer these questions? And why would you answer them the way that you do and if you have an answer to these questions? What is your authority for answering as you do?

Is it your own opinion? Is it the opinion of others or?

Is it the.

Bible that's an important point that he makes because the Bible has much to say About the critical importance of formally committing yourself to a local body of believers. It's for your spiritual health and growth.

Formal membership in the local church is both a gift and a command and so we'll look at the next three reasons number eight reason number eight for formal church membership. Accountability. Accountability, this is so important for us.

Accountability has an important implication very simply. Every professing believer should be a member of a local church. The Bible teaches us that we are members of one another and we are members of the body of Christ.

Leaders in the church and fellow members can hold us accountable according to the process clearly outlined in Scripture. It is an oxymoron to say that you are a follower of Christ, but you refuse to join his body.

His body the church the gathering of redeemed sinners saved by the grace of God. I'm a follower of Christ, but I don't really want to be in the church. That's an oxymoron that logically does not make sense at the time of your salvation.

You were placed in the church the universal body of believers globally, but God Wants us to be accountable not only to the pastor, but to each other that would be subject to one another. Accountability and we'll look at a few a few proof passages.

Hebrews chapter 3 it says see to it brothers that there are not that there not be any of you of an evil unbelieving heart that falls away from the Living God, but Encourage one another day after day as long as it is still called today.

So that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Formal church membership is Helpful in its outward display of commitment to the body of Christ. In other words Where there's mutual commitment there is a God ordained Means for keeping you from wandering into the really dangerous pathways of sin that you would be free from stumbling.

According to this passage all professing Christians need other brothers and sisters to Regularly encourage them and exhort them. This is pericle. Oh, it means to exhort to encourage. He says do this daily.

That they will not fall away from the Living God so that they will not be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Church membership is a protection our Relationships with fellow brothers and sisters in Christ is a protection given to us by God and we can stay in Hebrews for the next the next point here Hebrews chapter 10 and Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds.

Not forsaking our own assembling together as is the habit of some. But encouraging one another and all the more as you see the day drawing near. Every professing Christian needs godly people who will get to know them to know them so well.

That they know how to motivate them to good to good works and to love. That that's an intimacy where you know, your friendship, you know your brother in Christ, you know how to encourage that person. How can you do those things if you're not in regular fellowship with one another?

And Wayne Mack makes this point really on this this particular passage. He says Christians need someone to watch over their souls. How much plainer could God have made our need for the accountability than that formal church membership provides than he did in these verses in Hebrews.

In addition the book of Proverbs makes the point that the person who separates himself from other godly people is seeking his own desire not God's desire and Quarreling against all sound wisdom and he's referring to Proverbs 18 1 he who separates himself Seeks his own desire.

He breaks out in dispute against all sound wisdom. The plain unvarnished truth is this. Every one of us needs the accountability that comes from formal regular intimate relationships with other godly people and this is the point that he makes God knows and has Told us clearly that every one of us needs the accountability that formal church membership provides.

That's a very important statement a very truthful statement considering accountability. The truth is that refusing to join a local church is the same thing as saying that we're not interested in divine accountability.

We don't want divine accountability in our lives as Christians. What would be the point of not wanting to subject yourself to the encouragement and exhortation of a fellow brother and sister in Christ.

You just get to do your own thing and that's not what the Bible teaches for us. The Bible is very clear the cook. This is a command. Do not forsake meeting together. This was a foundational passage in the time of kovat when churches were being closed.

It's not up to the government to tell the body of Christ how to worship. Because Christ is not the head of the church. Jesus Christ is the head of the church. So we can't obey the state if it means violating God's Word.

This is a command accountability. The author of a book called members of one another Eric Lane Said said it like this. He said Christians who refuse church membership are like a man and a woman who merely declare themselves Married and move in without ever submitting to a legal ceremony.

They they have only one thought of themselves and not of the society of which they are apart. Marriage is a public affair because however private a matter individuals may think it to be other. Members of the community have a right to know who belongs to whom and who is whose wife or husband just think about that in society and if we think about that in the church a Society in which everyone behaved as this couple would be in sheer chaos.

Moreover their selfish rebound, you know selfishness rebounds on their own heads because by refusing registration They preclude themselves from certain benefits the state grants to married people or to married folk.

Accountability with formal commitment and intimate relationships with fellow brothers and sisters in Christ is Not possible if you are not a member of a local congregation a local member of believers local membership.

Decisions About Time and Resources in the Household of Faith

Reason number eight for formal church membership accountability and Then reason number nine. There we go reason number nine for formal church membership decisions about time and resources. I mean, let's just think practically about our lives.

Time and resources are a very important part of life and Often when we make decisions in the course of life We decide on which which course to go or which way to go based on our time and resources. If we think about this practically we can understand that every believer should be a member of a local body a local church.

Because membership helps the church. It helps the church when making difficult decisions about how to use its time and resources. Those are God-given provisions. Well, we need to make decisions and part of that is we need to know who's in the in the body of Christ think about it like this.

A Committed member of a local church as a committed member of a local church. We know exactly who is in our family and who is not in our family and we can look at a couple passages here Galatians chapter 6.

So then while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people and Especially to those who are of the household of the faith. Well in order to do good to the household of the faith, you need to know who's a part of that household.

I mean, it's just really logical an Important biblical principle is displayed in this passage while we have opportunity while we have Opportunity the reality is is that we do not have the time or resources to help everyone in need.

We don't. Let's just be real. We don't have the time and resources to help every single person. Sometimes difficult decisions must be made with respect to whom the church will minister to of course. We're gonna desire and strive to serve everyone in the community.

But there's decisions that have to be made because we don't have endless resources. I'd love to help everybody in the community, but I don't have uncle, you know, a great uncle's bank account. I could just tap into there's no trust fund out there.

That's just cash growing on a tree. We're gonna have to decide who we are. Who are we gonna serve? How are we gonna help this community out and that means making difficult decisions about our time and resources?

We can look at first Timothy first. Timothy chapter 5. Let's just think about this and taking care of our families. How do we take care of people first Timothy 5? It says. But if anyone does not provide for his own and Especially for those of his household.

He has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. Just think about it. If if a man is to help to take care of those in the church as he does his family. The biblical principle here says that we must intimately know those.

He is he is supposed to take care of he has to know who he's. Who is he? Responsible to take care of and so making decisions about time and resources is really important. That person is to know he would care for or who he would care for just as much as his own family and this goes back to the principle that according to scripture our first responsibility is to the family.

As Members of a local church and part of that spiritual family it is critical to know who exactly is in our family and who is not an. Implication here is that people who are members of the church and those who attend regularly have top priority.

They have top priority that means that we must be committed to never turning away anyone who has identified with our church and who looks on us as fellow members. Ready to give counsel and aid. That's a priority that is given to your family.

Your who's part of this family? Donald Whitney in his book the spiritual disciplines within the church. Makes a statement that the person who attends church and enjoys some of the benefits of the church.

But refuses to join is like a spiritual hitchhiker. Listen to what he says. He says a hitchhiker who wants a free ride. He assumes no responsibility for the money needed to buy the car the gas to run it or the cost of maintenance.

He expects a comfortable ride and adequate safety. He assumes the driver has insurance covering him in case of any accident. He thinks little of asking the driver to take him to certain places, even though it may involve extra miles or inconveniences.

You just decisions about your time and resources. Must be placed in the proper priority of taking care of fellow believers. Fellow believers in the church just like you would your own family. Get help all people.

But especially those in the household of the faith. Reason number nine for formal church membership decisions about time and Resources and on this point Wayne Mack has a good point. He says in the church We have a God-given responsibility to take care of our brothers and sisters in Christ.

For example, there are many people in the world with financial needs. I cannot help everyone that needs money, but if my children experience financial need it's my responsibility as their father to do what I can to help them.

Likewise if someone in our local church Experiences financial need it's our responsibility as fellow church members to do what we can to help. Because that person is part of our family in Christ. Formal church membership allows us to know exactly who is in our family and who is not.

Several Biblical Passages Supporting Formal Church Membership

Reason number ten for formal church membership is several biblical passages. We've looked at so many supporting scriptures over these last three Sundays really the fourth Sunday now. But reason number ten of the biblical reasons for formal church membership is just the other additional.

Several biblical passages and we could I had to put it down to just a handful here. Otherwise, we'll just have another hour and a half sermon. I want to avoid that Torment for those that were part of that first sermon, but yeah, I mean think about it.

Let's just look at some proof passages. There are several several biblical passages. So we'll go with the writings of Paul first letter to the Corinthians. 1st Corinthians chapter 5. It says. But those who are outside God will judge.

Remove the wicked man from among yourselves. So let's think about the biblical principles we can glean from this passage. Paul makes a clear statement that a certain man who was living in sin and was unwilling to repent should be removed.

He should be removed. Logically speaking a person cannot be removed from a group of which he is not already a part. How do you remove someone from the group and they're not even part of your group? So this goes into church discipline a little bit.

It's nonsensical to put someone out who is not even in. Right. Well, let's go back to first Timothy. First Timothy chapter 1 just a nice passage here verses 18 through 20 this command. I entrust to you Timothy my child in accordance with the prophecies Previously made concerning you that by them you may fight the good fight keeping faith and a good conscience.

Which some having rejected suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith have among these are Hymenaeus and in Alexander whom I have handed over to Satan so that they will be taught not to blaspheme. This is another helpful passage that speaks about people being put out of the church or what we think of as excommunication.

Paul is making a helpful point in this passage that he had Excommunicated these two men from the church. And so we want to think about this. I want to make you sensitive to the way that he defined excommunication.

He says that they should be delivered over to Satan. They should be delivered over to Satan. So we can pause here to think about the theological implication of what Paul is saying. How is someone handed over to Satan?

Just think about that. How is someone handed over to Satan and Paul says that it's for their good so that they will stop blaspheming. So how is someone handed over to Satan? The point Paul is making is that being outside of the church Means that you are outside of the kingdom of God.

Being outside of the church is being in Satan's domain. When he removes them from the church, where are they at? They're handed over to Satan. When you're in the church, you're in the kingdom of God when you're outside the church.

You are in the domain of Satan. The Bible teaches that Satan is the lowercase g god of this world. In Terms of domains the church is the expression of God's kingdom on earth and is ruled by Christ. Not Satan.

The takeaway here is that those who are in the world or outside of Christ's body are in Satan's domain. They are not safe. He has handed them over. They are under his authority whereas those who are in the church are under Christ's authority because Christ reigns supremely in the universal and the local church.

Christ reigns supremely in the local church as much as he does the universal church. Because Christ is the one who reigns over the church. He's the one who has established it. It's his church. He is the head of the church.

It is extremely dangerous. For a believer not to be identified with a local church. Extremely dangerous because when we function on our own outside of the church, we're asking to be tossed around by Satan.

We're we're being attacked. The church is a protection it's a gift from God. And Thinking again about accountability just a little bit here with Matthew. This passage is about church discipline. Matthew 18.

These are the words of the Lord. He says now if your brother sins go and show him his fault. Between you and him alone if he listens to you you have won your brother. But if he does not listen to you take one or two more with you.

So that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed and if he refuses to listen to them Tell it to the church and if he refuses to listen even to the church Let him be to you as the Gentile and the tax collector.

So what is the final mode of authority in removing someone from the church? It's the church. It's not the individual. It's not the two or three witnesses. It's the body the collected body of believers this passage demonstrates that support in the authority of Jesus Christ is Manifested in the church, but I think it's important to point out as long as the church is preaching and teaching the Word of God.

You know, we're talking about faithful Bible preaching we're talking about faithful. An agreement on the teaching of the Apostles and prophets with Jesus as the cornerstone. All of the church's decisions and standards must come from the Word of God.

Really rejecting that means that you've got a collection of people that are I don't even know if they're really saved. How do you reject the teachings of Jesus and say you're a follower of Jesus? If a collection of people are preaching something other than the Bible guess what they're not a church.

The church is the assembled body of believers saved by the grace of God who will firmly commit to the teaching of the Apostles and Prophets with Jesus as the cornerstone to the death. We I would never we cannot deny the Bible.

So if a place is not teaching the Bible, they're not a church. With this in mind anyone who refuses to submit to Christ must be treated as an unbeliever. Because that is how she or he or she is acting.

That's what this passage teaches. This is an important biblical principle demonstrated with the authority of bringing the unrepentant sinner before the congregation as the final act of excommunication the total body of believers assembled the church body that is the highest authority before Excommunication and we can look at another passage from Timothy first.

Timothy chapter 3. Paul says this this is really the purpose statement of the first letter to Timothy he says. But in case I am delayed I Write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God.

Which is the Church of the Living God Jesus Christ the pillar and support of the truth. Notice Paul called the church the household of God the pillar and support of the truth. I mean just pause and think about those words.

What is what is the Bible claiming the church is? Just pause and reflect on those words if we truly understand the meaning of these words. We have to think what is Paul saying here the household of God, which is the gathering of redeemed sinners of the Living God?

Just put that in there. What is the church the assembly the gathering the called-out ones? So let's take the definition of the church and just put it in there. What is he referring to the household of God?

Which is the gathering of redeemed sinners saved by the grace of God in the gospel of the Living God Jesus Christ. The pillar and support of the truth. How can we think that membership in the local body is optional?

It's not optional. It's a command by God. For your protection for your spiritual growth for your sanctification for your edification. I Believe this verse strongly suggests that there are really are not any biblical Justifiable reasons for not joining a local congregation that preaches the Word of God faithfully and That functions really the the church is functioning in a God-ordained manner, right?

We're going by what the Bible says. And I believe this is the last one for this point Deuteronomy chapter 27 now I'm gonna talk about this verse a little bit. I go ahead and turn to Deuteronomy 27 because I want you guys to see it.

We're gonna see this thing in this passage. And there's a repetition here that Moses is doing Deuteronomy 27. And I think it goes all the way down to verse 30, but look at 27 starting in verse 15 cursed is the man who makes a graven image or a molten image an abomination to Yahweh the work of the hands of the craftsmen and sets it up in secret and All the people shall answer and say amen.

Yes, or we agree. Right, but look at that. Look at that greater passage the repetition there. He doesn't just call them to do this every time he's teaching and he's preaching a sermon where he's just pulling out Some of the Commandments in Exodus and really in Leviticus and he's giving this sermon to the next generation of the wilderness people he's preaching to them a new generation that have Are about to go into the promised land and he's preaching this sermon and he's calling them to say something.

He's expositing the truth found in the Word of God in Leviticus. Challenging them to accept it and he's having them make a covenant agreement to it He says and all the people shall answer. Amen. He's calling them to participate.

Moses addressed the Israelites in the book of Deuteronomy. He charged them with a number of responsibilities in this passage. We see that he called them to agreement by saying.

Amen.

Upon laying out their Responsibilities to the Lord and to each other Moses said and all the people shall say Amen, and I wanted to point this out because 16 times Moses called on the people to make a public commitment to the covenant that was being set before them.

16 times similarly when we join a church, we are making a formal commitment a Commitment on agreement on the teaching of the Apostles and the Prophets with Jesus as the cornerstone. We're making a similar covenant and we should be absolutely serious about fulfilling that covenant.

And last week we looked at an example from history and I want to use him again. Charles Spurgeon. Really a great preacher. Gifted orator and he's a very funny guy when you read his sermons. And so when we're thinking about Charles Spurgeon and church membership last week we quoted from him, but he was he has much to say about this and This is a quote that he I'll give you a little bit more than just that quote.

Charles Spurgeon said this he says that I know that there are some who say well, I've given myself to the Lord, but I don't intend to give myself to any church and I say now why not and They answer because I can be just as good a Christian without it.

I Say, are you quite clear about that? You can be as good a Christian by disobedience to your Lord's commands is by being obedient. What a what a great question. So you can be just as good a Christian by disobeying Jesus as you can by obeying him.

What kind of nonsense is that. That's worldly thinking and he makes this illustration. He says there's a brick. There's a brick. What is the brick made for? It's made to build a house. It is of no use for the brick to tell you that it's just as good a brick while it's kicking about on the ground.

By itself as it would be as part of the house. Actually, it's a good-for-nothing brick. So you rolling stone Christians? I don't believe that you're answering the purpose for which Christ saved you.

You're living contrary to the life. Which Christ would have you live and you are much to blame for the injury you do. Rejecting the church is rejecting Christ. Rejecting the church is rejecting Christ.

Let's think about a few things that Spurgeon made in really this statement. He said that there are Christians who think they can be just as good by not joining a local congregation as by joining. He stated that failure to join a local church was disobedient to God's commands.

Spurgeon believed that every Christian is saved for the purpose of being in close fellowship with other believers. I mean we have to we have to cross out or redact all 58 one another's if we think this doesn't apply to us.

He said that every Christian or professing Christian rather who refused to join a local church Was not fulfilling the purpose for which Christ had redeemed him. Finally Spurgeon believed that those who did not join a local church were blameworthy and doing injury to the cause of Christ by their disobedience.

And I wanted to give you this example because this is this is historically the view of the church such a serious Important topic. I think it's important to point out that the Reformers like Martin Luther and John Calvin Did not believe that church memberships saved anyone and I hope you understand that I am NOT saying that you're saved.

Because you join a church. I'm saying that you're saved and then God places you in a church. So if you're unwilling to join the church, you're really in rebellion against God. They believe that wholeheartedly that you don't get saved because you join a church.

Now when we look at the Reformers one can see that they proclaim the truth that there is no other name Under heaven that has been given among men by which we are to be saved. It's Jesus Christ that salvation is by grace through faith alone.

That's how you get saved and if we could sum up the Reformation in one sentence, that would be it. We're saved by faith in Christ alone. Not by works.

However.

The Reformers and men like Spurgeon who came much later Also firmly believed that once a person became a Christian It was necessary for such a person to immediately become part of the church. For his or her own good and for the good of the rest of the family of faith.

Several biblical passages. Demonstrate the amazing grace of God to provide you a local church to join. Reason number ten for formal church membership. Several biblical passages. The reasons of accountability.

Decisions about time and resources. And the several biblical passages we've looked at. Demonstrate the importance of formal church membership for this reason and for all the other reasons We've previously mentioned.

It would be an unloving thing for us not to exhort and seek to persuade every believer to make a formal commitment to identify with the true Church of Jesus Christ. A Formal commitment to the teaching of the Apostles and the prophets with Jesus as the cornerstone redeemed sinners saved by the grace of God.

Lovingly placed in fellowship with one another as members in the body of Christ. The church members of a local body in a specific geographical location. And We just want to think about this in terms of the gospel.

Let's just think about the gospel. We can't separate being a member in Christ's body without thinking about the gospel. Church membership is a reflection of the goodness of God in the gospel of grace in Jesus Christ.

Because God created everything he owns everything in the beginning. God created the heavens and the earth. He owns all of it that includes every every human being that's ever been born and the earth. Everything has been made by God.

The earth is the Lord's and all it contains the world all those who live in it. God is perfectly holy and because God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. Therefore you are to be perfect because your heavenly father is perfect.

God requires perfect obedience to his law because whoever keeps the whole yacht the whole law and breaks even one he's transgressed all the law and. So man has broken God's law. And because man is broken God's law there's none righteous not even one.

Not even one. Because everyone is sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. That's true for all of us. That's true for every person that's ever been born. Man will pay the penalty for sin. He will pay the eternal penalty for sin because the wages of sin is death.

We're lawbreakers. But the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus. It's a free gift that he gives to us that we would have faith and believe in the name of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Christ. He's the promised Savior of the world.

Man cannot save himself. You cannot save yourself by good works because it's God who saves. Not on the basis of our actions even if done with righteous intention. No, it's according to his mercy. God saves according to his good mercy by the regeneration and renewal of God's Spirit by the washing away of sin by the regeneration and washing of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus came to the earth as both God and sinless man. Truly God truly man in Jesus all the fullness of deity dwelt bodily. He's the God man.

Christ.

Demonstrated God's love by voluntarily dying for us on the cross. He laid down his life, but God demonstrates his love for us that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Because God made Jesus who knew no sin To be sin on our behalf so that we might be the become the righteousness of God.

What an amazing truth. Christ rose from the dead and is alive today. He was buried. He was raised by God on the third day according to what the scriptures had had predicted. Sinners must change their minds and turn away from all that dishonors God.

But the good news of the gospel what's proclaimed by Christ is that the wicked can forsake their ways and Unrighteous thoughts and return to Jesus and to God because he'll have compassion on them. Isaiah the prophet says that when you turn away and from sin and return to God that God will pardon.

Abundantly.

He's making this plea Isaiah 55 come back to God the wicked can forsake the unrighteous way. And God will pardon Abundantly. And he has done that through the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He will have compassion on you.