“Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.” (Acts 2:41 NIV)
The preaching of God’s Word demands a response. The people listening to Peter did not merely admire Peter’s sermon; they responded positively. Peter’s preaching was not entertainment. It was not motivational speaking. It was the truth proclaimed with urgency. Peter proclaimed the gospel with clarity, and the Spirit opened hearts. The result was the formation of a community marked by devotion, transformation, and joyful witnesses. “And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”
What this simply implies is that to be a church member, an individual must have experienced salvation, that is, been born again, regenerated, repent of their sins, confess Jesus Christ as both Saviour and Lord, and be baptized by immersion. Church membership is not by physical birth, but by Spiritual birth. Have you experienced the new birth, or are you just a churchgoer? A church formed by the Word listens; a church filled with the Spirit lives by what it hears. May our community be one where the Word is cherished, the Spirit is welcomed, and Christ is made visible through us.
Rev. Moses A. Sodeinde
