What is "the church”?
What is a Church?
Lesson
Text(s): Matthew 16:13-18; Acts 2:47
One of the
most highly debated and thorny issues of our day is the true meaning of
"the church." Not only is it a hot topic that has caused much
discomfort, separation and confusion it also, in my belief, is the most
uncritically analyzed concept in the world.
When it
comes down to the soul saving institution known as the church or body of Christ
many individuals throw rationality, practicality, logic and intelligence out
the window and replace it with irrationality, impracticality, illogic and
unintelligence. Matters pertaining to the Bible, which is the mind of God, have
never been left up to the whims of man and woman to figure out, define or
interpret for close investigation of scripture informs us that the Bible
defines itself using itself.
When it
comes down to biblical matters, especially as they relate to the church humans
begin to believe that they can interpret the scriptures the way they want,
basing their position(s) on mere feelings and circumstances. The Bible is a
portion of Gods mind that he saw fit to share with the world for our true
benefit. Understanding this reality one can understand the irritation he or she
is caused when another individual attempts to tell them what they are thinking,
actually mean or meant to say. Every person is the expert of them and knows
exactly what they mean and feel. The Word of God is the same way. When
individuals begin to tell God what he means or meant to say about His Kingdom,
His church and His people we begin to move away from the concept of the church
as God would have it and move into the realm of a Church, as man would have it.
Before our
investigation of this matter we will look at a three passages of scripture that
strongly support the idea that the Bible is right and cannot be left up to man
and woman to superimpose their beliefs over the Word of God.
·
Proverbs 14:12 ¶There is a way which seemeth right unto a
man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
·
Matthew 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the
gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be
which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which
leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
·
2 Peter 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the
scripture is of any private interpretation.
In the
discussion between Christ and his disciples about who men believed Christ to be
we find the first ever mentioning of the word "church" in scripture.
Once Peter made the confession, by the power of God, that Jesus Christ is the
Son of God Jesus Christ responded in Matthew 16:18 "And I say also unto thee, That thou
art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall
not prevail against it."
The church
was not built upon Peter as the Catholics believe. If we look at the Greek
the word Peter means small rock or "piece of
rock" (Petros) whereas the rock Christ (Petra) means "mass
of rock.
If man or
woman decides to build a religious institution upon the rock (Petros) of Peter
it is simply a Church, contrived and designed by man. It is of the broad way
and not of the Way of Christ. But if man and or woman obeys the gospel and
doctrine of Christ from the heart (Romans 6:17)
they will be added to the church that belongs to Christ that he promised to
build and has been built for close to 2000 years.
The second
time the word church is mentioned in the Bible it has to do with church
discipline and how a Christian is to deal with a sinful brother or sister in
Christ who fails to change their sinful ways despite being corrected in unison
with the scriptures. The word church in this particular exhortation is
mentioned twice. In Matthew 18:15-17 Christ
said:
¶"Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and
tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast
gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or
two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be
established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but
if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a
publican."
In these
three passages of scripture Christ is saying that if a person continues to
habitually walk outside of His instruction, doing what they want to do despite
being corrected it should be told to the church. If it should be told to the
church it means that the church must be a distinctive group of people because
He did not say tell any and everybody who believes in God he said "Tell it
to the church."
Therefore,
before we move to our third mentioning of the word church in the Bible we must
define what the church is. We must understand that there is only one church. We
must understand that when Christ said He would build His church he meant just
that, one. We are not saying that there is only one place or building where all
Christians worship but the Bible is saying that all people who are added to the
body of Christ are all added to the same church.
The church
is the body of Christ and he purchased the church with His Blood (Acts 20:28). Christ has bought Christians for a
price and the price was His life (I Corinthians 6:20;
7:23). Paul stated in I Corinthians 12:12-14 "¶For
as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one
body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all
baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or
free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one
member, but many.
Some might
say that the body of Christ is not the church and the church of Christ is not
the body, attempting to indicate that they are two separate disjointed entities
or institutions. But the Bible connects these two words in such a fashion that
it is evident that they are interchangeable terms used throughout
scripture.
The
Bible says in Colossians 1:18 "And he is the head of the body, the
church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things
he might have the preeminence."
The Bible
says in Romans 16:16 "Salute one another
with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you." At
the time of Paul's writing there were congregations in many different
geographical locations but they all made up the one church.
The word
"church" comes from the Greek word Ekklesia, which means called out.
The church is not a building but a group of people who have been called out of
the world by God and placed in the church.
Peter, while
writing to Christians said in I Peter 2:9 "But
ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar
people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of
darkness into his marvellous light…”
Because
there are so many religious bodies claiming to be of God a person must make
their calling and election sure and critically look at if they have been truly
called out by God and added to the church which Christ promised to build or if
they have simply joined a church established by some man or woman and not God.
Only God can call an individual out of darkness and add them to the church,
making them the light.
The third
time the word church was mentioned indicated its inception and was the first
time members were added to "the church" through water baptism and
this is the same way a person is added to the church today and it will remain
this way until the end of earth’s existence.
After Peter
preached a miraculous sermon (Acts 2:14-36) that
touched the lives, pricked and stirred the hearts of thousands of Jews it
motivated them to ask the question in Acts 2:37,
"¶Now when they heard this, they were
pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles,
Men and brethren, what shall we do?" Peter's answer was
found in verse 38: “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every
one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall
receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
Read
verses 39-47 to further
understand that this is when the church was established. Any religious body
that sprung up through mans departure from the church has simply resulted in a
Church.
Acts
2:46 “And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and
breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and
singleness of heart, 47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people.
And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”
Upon baptism
the Lord adds the person(s) to the church that belongs to Christ and not simply
a Church or group of people led by a man/woman who is not willing to follow the
Bible as their complete and total guide in all spiritual matters.
A person who
wants to be added to a Church simply must:
1.
Believe
and be indoctrinated by what the so-called preacher is rendering.
2.
Let
the people vote them in.
3.
Put
money in the collection basket.
4.
Believe
and confess Christ without baptism being essential.
5.
Worship
how you want.
6.
Use
instrumental music to enhance the singing to God.
7.
Believe
and act as if you can speak in a tongue.
8.
Take
communion monthly, quarterly, twice or once a year, etc.
When the
word church is capitalized in the minds of men and women, this is when the
invention of a Church is concocted. This is when people begin to say and ask:
·
My Church
does this and my Church does that!
·
Come to my
Church because at my Church we do this and at my Church we do not do that!
·
Why is it
that at your Church you do not do what we do at my Church?
The word
“church” in the Bible is used 80 times and the word “churches” is used 35
times. On none of these occasions is the word ever capitalized. I do not have a
church to add you to but Jesus Christ stated "...And upon this rock I will
build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Jesus did
not give Christians the church he added them to it. I do not have a Church to
save anybody in but Jesus Christ died to establish His church and I am a member
of that church because I obeyed the gospel and doctrine of Christ from the
heart. There is a big difference between a Church and the church, which Christ
bought with His blood.
What must a
person do to be added to the church, which belongs to Christ and not man? We
hope you participate in the second part of this lesson for we will talk about
the necessity of a person understanding what the church and Kingdom of God is
before they can be rightfully added. If a person is baptized but do not
understand the reason why they are being baptized they will not be added to the
church but will simply be getting wet.
Heart belief of the gospel and doctrine of Christ are prerequisites to
being added to the church of Christ.
Christ died
for the remission of sins. A person is baptized to come into contact with the
blood of Christ and have their sins washed away. During this process they are
added to the church because salvation is only found in the church that belongs
to Christ. The challenge is to scripturally prove that you have been added to
the body of Christ and not some man made theoretical religious movement.
What must a
person do to be added to the church of Christ?