WHAT IS THE CHURCH?

With literally thousands of preachers and teachers spreading multitudes of conflicting doctrines around the world, it is necessary for us to remind ourselves from time to time that only the Bible has the facts on topics of eternal importance. The Bible speaks the truth about such important subjects as the existence and nature of God, the identity and power of Jesus, the organization and work of the church, and the state of the soul after death. Some, no doubt, will say that we are only adding to the conflict and confusion. We answer that they need only to read the Bible thoroughly and objectively to know the truth. Consider these verses on the church.

"THERE IS ONE BODY" (Ephesians 4:4). The church is compared to a physical body. Christ is the head of the body (Ephesians 1:22, 23; Colossians 1:18). A physical head has only one body, and so Christ's only body is the church of which he is the head. The different denominations that men have made are different bodies. Christ cannot be the one head over so many bodies. A physical body has only one head, and so Christ is the only head of the body which is His church (Matthew 16:18). There are no councils, committees, popes, kings or presidents on earth which can control the church which is Christ's body. That is true for each individual member of the church, also. What I think about how the church should be organized or governed is not important, because I am not the head of the church. Jesus Christ is the head of the church, and His word is the final authority in all matters concerning the church.

Just as blood supplies life to the physical body, so the blood of Christ supplies life to the spiritual body (I John 1:7, 9). By His blood our sins are washed away and we are made alive unto God (Acts 2:38; I Peter 1:18-19; Romans 6:1-11). Just as the blood of a physical body flows only in that one physical body, so the blood of Jesus Christ flows only in the body of Christ, the church. Other bodies (churches) are not made alive unto God by His blood. Medical doctors have learned how to make "blood transfusions" from one physical body to another. However, God has made no provisions for "transfusing" the blood of Christ into any other spiritual body (church). His blood (and therefore, salvation) remains only in His body (II Timothy 2:10).

The members of the church are the members of the spiritual body (Romans 12; I Corinthians 12). Just as we need each part of our physical body, all members of the spiritual body are needed. When parts of our physical body hurt we nurture them and help them. So should we do likewise to the spiritual body. Members of the body of Christ hurt from time to time and often need encouragement. Other members of that body should come to the aid of those needing attention.

We must restore to spiritual health those who leave the body (Galatians 6:1). When I lost the end of a finger I was very glad that the doctor was able to reattach it where it had formerly been. The same is true of the spiritual body. Members of the body are to be restored when they fall away.

THE CHURCH IS THE FAMILY OF GOD (I Timothy 3:15). Mankind in general is the offspring of God (Acts 17:29; Genesis 1:26, 27). However, God makes a clear distinction between those who are his spiritual children and those who are not. Members of the church are reconciled unto God (II Corinthians 5:17-19) and now they are the household of God, the church. God adopts us into his family (Galatians 4:5, 6) at our baptism (Galatians 3:27-29). God planned before He created the world (Ephesians 1:5) that if we would conform to the image of his son (Romans 8:29, 30) then he would adopt us into his family. This family is named after Christ (Ephesians 3:14,15), not after any man. In the church we have a responsibility to each other as members of the same brotherhood. We are to let brotherly love continue (Hebrews 13:1). We are to love this brotherhood (I Peter 2:17).

THE CHURCH OF CHRIST IS THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST (Matthew 16:18-19). Jesus is the King of Kings (I Timothy 6:15). As He is the chief authority in the body, the family, the kingdom and the church, obviously they are all the same institution. The disciples of Jesus are citizens in His kingdom (Revelation 1:9). Since those same disciples are also members of the church (Acts 2:47), the kingdom and the church are the same. All who are in the family of God are heirs of God (Romans 8:14-17), but those who have an inheritance of God have been conveyed into the kingdom of the Son of God, Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:12-13).

The Bible uses different descriptive words and phrases to identify the church. In addition to those discussed above, we can read of the Fold of Christ (John 10:16), the church of God (Acts 20:28), the flock of God (I Peter 5:2), God's heritage (I Peter 5:3), God's building, and God's husbandry (I Corinthians 3:9), heavenly Jerusalem (Galatians 4:26), the Israel of God (Galatians 6:16), the habitation of God (Ephesians 2:22), the House of Christ (Hebrews 3:6), the church of the Firstborn (Hebrews 12:23), the general assembly of the Firstborn (Hebrews 12:23), the holy city (Revelation 21:2), and the bride of Christ (Revelation 21:9). None of these is intended as an official name of the church, but all are terms that describe the relationship that Christians have with God and with Christ.

If you are saved you are a member of the church (Acts 2:38, 41, 47). As a member of the church, does the conduct of your life show respect for the exalted relationship which He has given to you?

If you are not saved, think about the relationship that you don't have with your Creator, but could have if you would obey His will for you. We encourage you to become a Christian today.