Our Scripture reading today is 1 John 2:18-19.
Verse 19, "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us."
The Apostle John's inspired words of Scripture are the reason the Gospel message must continually be preached. I can say with the authority of God's Word that there are lost people attending the services of Anchor Baptist Church. There have always been and there always will be unsaved people attending our services. As someone said, "They share our earthly company but not our heavenly birth."
We are consistently to pray for God's protection on the church. It is sometimes necessary for God to purge His church of poisons. A compromising and false Christian will not feel comfortable setting down roots in a healthy church — he will either get right with God or leave. It is not your job or mine to go around looking to see who might be a "bad apple" in the church. It is our duty to pray for God's people to be true to the Word of God. It is our duty to examine ourselves. 2 Corinthians 13:5, "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?"