WHAT IS THE CHURCH?
By I.C. Veritas (c)
Matthew 16:18 – (Jesus said) …” And I also say to you that you are Peter, (Petra/little rock) and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”
Jesus is called the Cornerstone which is the center foundation for all other stones.
Matt 21:42, 1 Cor. 3:11, Psalms 18:2, 18:31, 1 Peter 1:4-6 and others.
The church did not start with Peter, it started with Jesus Himself. He is the foundation for all things. 2 Tim. 2:19…1 Peter 5:10…Eph 1:4….etc.
Peter was just the “spokesperson” an ambassador of the one Who sent him. To say otherwise would in my mind be blasphemy.
The word church in the Greek is EKKLESIA, which has two meanings….”ASSEMBLY OF BELIEVERS” and “CALLED OUT ONES”, it doesn’t refer to a building or meeting place as much as it does to a group of people. A meeting place would be described in the bible as a building, synagogue or house, etc. If we just take the meaning of “Assembly of Believers”, that could mean any group of people who have any kind of beliefs, who get together to practice their beliefs. You could be in the “church of Satan” and still be in a “church.” When the word church is used in this form in the bible it is referring to a LOCAL BODY of believers, who have been “called out”. Christians, followers of Christ. This is found in many of Paul’s writings, as he addressed the churches he founded.
When the church is referred to in the bible as a body, it is referring to those who have been “Called Out” for Himself ” like when Jesus told each of His disciples…”Come and follow me”…He had called them out to follow him. 1 Peter 2:9-10 – says “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.”
What are we called out for? He called us out to be DIFFERENT, not like the world, but like Christ. He said, “to be IN the world, but not of it” John 18:36…As we go about our daily lives, mingling with all kinds of people, we should be LIGHT IN A DARK WORLD. Too many believers think that in order to be different they must isolate themselves from the world, they become so, “heavenly minded they are of NO earthy good”…True Christianity is being able to SHOW Christ in all circumstances, whether at work, at school, among unsaved family. Not so much by legalism in the form of being judgmental and a “better than thou” attitude, but in a “What Would Jesus Do” mindset, and also with the “liberties” Paul talks about in Romans 14. The church has not been “called out” to hide their LIGHT under a bushel. But, neither has it been called out to go back to that which it came. ..EGYPT/BONDAGE.
The balance is found in the purpose of the church. I believe today more than ever, leaders are missing their true calling and true purpose of the church, besides the “GREAT COMMISSION” found in Matt 28:16-20. Jesus said it best when He said, in Luke, 5:31, “And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.” Meaning the church should be managed like a HOSPITAL, not a business, which will be further discussed in other chapters. The “CALLED OUT” ones, should gather as “ASSEMBLY OF BELIEVERS” to be equipped and strengthened enough to go out into this evil world and make a DIFFERENCE! All for the GLORY OF GOD….Amen! This “calling” should not be a fearful one, but often is.
“FOR NOT BY MIGHT, NOR BY POWER, BUT BY MY SPIRIT SAYS, THE LORD ALMIGHTY”...Zec 4:6.
BTW, The average church today is believing a fallacy, when they think the calling of the church (building/group as a whole) is to reach the lost. No, the church building and gatherings are for those who are already part of the body. EPH 4:12,
“TO EQUIP HIS PEOPLE FOR WORKS OF SERVICE, SO THAT THE BODY OF CHRIST MAY BE BUILT UP” And other verses.
Once members (by confession and baptism) are built up and mature, they will naturally win souls/the lost through their relationships outside the church.
There is nothing wrong with bringing people to church or for unsaved people to go to church, that is wonderful. Thing is, when a church is doing things God’s way, one or two things will happen to this unbeliever. Through sound preaching, and right living of others who profess Jesus as Lord, they will either get CONVICTED and become saved, (born again) or they will get CONVICTED and leave.
That is one way to deal with the “Wolves” and “Tares” among the sheep and the wheat. It is not only called, “tough love,” it is a way of keeping God’s people holy.
Jesus told His disciples that LOVE was key to making it all possible. God is concerned with how we treat those around us, especially His own. In John, 13:34-35. This isn’t accomplished easily in the flesh, and is why we need the power of the Holy Spirit in us, to do that which only God can do.
All “Religions” have their own set of DO’s and DON’TS. They all have some form of PRIDE… Isaiah 64:9 says “ALL our righteousness is as filthy rags”…(menstrual rags) meaning that many times, what we do in the flesh, that man considers “good” is usually done for selfish reasons and what our “good deeds” will get us. Many, even do so thinking that they will earn brownie points with God, or a better position, or whatever.
No, God wants us to be yielded to the Holy Spirit and allow Christ’s righteousness to shine through us and that is what will count. 1 Cor. chapter 3…So to me if one only has good works, yet does not show LOVE, MERCY and GRACE and a heart of forgiveness towards their fellow man, what makes them different than the world?
Jesus said in John 13:34-35 “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another”…He also said in Matt 22:37, “Thou shall LOVE the Lord, your God with all your heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
Meaning if one faithfully follows these two commandments, then all the others will easily fall into place. We would be seeing more people being RECONCILED, RESTORED, and HEALTHY. But sad to say, that really isn’t the case. In fact the main purpose and main goal of the church is for these 6 reasons.
1) RECONCILIATION:… (To God & Others)…..2) RESTORATION:… (To God and Others)…3)…EDIFICATION: (To God and Others)…4) …MATURATION:… (Shepherd to his Sheep)…5) REPRODUCTION:… (Sheep producing converts, NOT the pastors job, it’s ours)…6) …GLORIFICATION: (To God).
Is this the real goal of many churches today? I think not! What I actually see is that sometimes the world is nicer, less judgmental, more forgiving, accepting, non argumentative and so much more, than those who were called to do so. Sad to say, I have noticed a huge difference from 20 years ago to now and I believe I know why.
Bottom line is the “Church’s” eyes are off the GOAL…Which is to raise HEALTHY PRODUCTIVE SHEEP, that against all odds will stick together for the name of Christ, for His sake, not our own pride and prestige. All of us believers struggle with this and is the reason for the fall of Satan on down. I honestly believe it is Satan’s goal in my life to “bring me down” we all have to fight something, but we have something unbelievers do not have and that is the power of the Holy Spirit. But not only that, we should have multi-power in fellowship and building up of one another. But, if we choose to ignore those who are hurting or who are in need in the Body, we are only hurting ourselves and Christ’s name and the real goal of glorifying God, to show the World WHO HE IS!
In the following chapters I will attempt to show areas in which the church is failing and what we can do to make it healthier. I believe we are each held responsible for the truths that have been given us, but, I also feel there will NOT be real change unless church LEADERS get their focus back on God and what they can do to produce healthier sheep and not what the sheep can do for them.
