Sunday Morning, June 6, 2010,

This morning, after a time of personal sharing, we discussed the purpose and need for walls.  In the Old Testament, the city of Jerusalem was surrounded by great and strong walls. Isaiah likened these walls to salvation when he prophesied that in the gospel day, it would be sung that "We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks."

Walls have many purposes. They protect, provide safety and shelter, keep necessary things in and keep unnecessary things out. They separate and yet they unite. They can serve as both a defense and an offensive.  There are many purposes for walls.

The New Testament church has walls too. Those walls are her salvation. EVERYONE who is in the city, the church, is saved and all the saved are in the city. The only way into the church is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ (symbolically).

We all have our individual walls as well. These walls protect us from harm and provide safety. Sometimes, these walls are in the form of personal convictions. There are some areas in our lives that we must especially protect ourselves from outside influences.

Many times, people build up unnecessary walls. Some allow walls of opinion, doctrine, customs, traditions,  personal preferences, etc... to unnecessarily divide them from other good and loving people. Christians often are divided by religious walls and barriers that have been erected by men, churches or denominations. All such walls should be torn down.

Christians all should dwell together in the bonds of peace.
All the clashing of opinions, all the strife should cease.
Let divisions be forsaken (and all dividing walls), all the holy join in one,
And the will of God in all be done.

This does not mean that Christians should all come together in one particular  building or location, rather they come together in one spirit and and faith.

If a person has passed through the walls of salvation, then they are in the church, the new Jerusalem, and that is reason enough to fellowship with them.

We are thankful that we are seeing walls that have been erected by men being torn down all around us, yet Zion's walls are standing strong.