Responsibilities of a Church Member: Preserve the Gospel

Help Preserve the Gospel  

The gospel message, the good news of God about salvation, is what creates a redeemed people. If we don't have the gospel, then we don't have the people of God, the church. Paul says in Ephesians 3 that the mystery of Christ (the anointed, promised one of God who would save his people from sin) was not fully revealed, at least not in flesh and blood, until the coming of Jesus who is the Christ and creation of one body - Jew and Gentile. So the gospel message is what creates the church. 

Since the gospel is the foundation, the church, made up of its members, is responsible for guarding this central truth against error. In Galatians, Paul rebuked the entire congregation for turning away from the gospel to false teachings (Gal 1:6, 3:1. He didn't just rebuke the leaders. Why? Because we all have a responsibility to cling to and preserve the only good news of God. 

So, I take from this, that each member has a responsibility to guard and cling to the gospel. Personally guarding oneself from false teaching concerning how a person is made right with God. Also, listening to the teaching in the church and being sure it does not "go off the rails" when it comes to the gospel. If it does, there needs to a loving, humble, and bold effort to bring correction.