The Church, Part 2

     We are looking at how the New Testament defines what a church is and comparing that with what we find in our church and other churches that exist in our generation. In Part One we focused on Paul’s descriptive in Colossians 1:21–23, which emphasizes the Lord’s purpose to “reconcile to himself all things” (v. 20). God, through Christ, has reconciled a host of alienated sinners into His body, the church (see v. 18) in order to present them holy and blameless before Him. That is what a church is supposed to look like—a body of redeemed rebels, blood-bought, Spirit-filled, and spiritually growing people being sanctified to look like their head and Savior, Jesus Christ, whom they devotedly follow (Romans 8:29, 30).

     The average church in the culture looks nothing like this. Every community has several religious organizations that claim to be Christ’s church. Each asserts to represent exclusively and accurately the truth of Scripture but in his own particular denominational twist. Although, often these churches will suppress the denominational identification, opting for general nondenominational names, such as Triumphant Outreach, Agape Fellowship, Living Waters, or other similar appellations. They are, however, corporate entities (businesses) organized with officers, by-laws, and objectives and will do whatever is expedient to promote growth and revenue. These entities are, in turn, measured by humanistic standards such as attendance size, popularity of the pastoral staff and programs, and the nature and size of buildings and property. Indeed, most people identify a church with a location and building.

     The only eyes with which the church is to be occupied belong to the One described in Revelation as having eyes “like a flame of fire” in a face “like the sun shining in full strength” (Revelation 1:14, 16). He is “the first and the last, the living one” (v. 17; see Isaiah 41:4). He has the keys of Death and Hell (v. 18). It must never matter what any man thinks of a particular congregation, but only what the Sovereign One thinks.

     It is significant to notice that John, the “disciple whom Jesus loved” (John 21:7, 20), “fell at His feet as though dead” (Revelation 1:17) when He saw His Lord in this glorious vision. Is it not ironic that most church members presume that Jesus is only lovingly tolerant and indulgent with them when it comes to their distracted and half-hearted devotion and service to Him? Such people cannot endure the truth and will hop from one congregation to another in an effort to satisfy their egos with self-gratifying entertainment posing as worship.

     Before the Lord returns for His bride, Revelation 19:7 declares that “His bride has made herself ready.” If Jesus is to present His church to Himself “in splendor, without spot or wrinkle . . . holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:27), His bride needs some radical alterations.  It is time for those whom the Lord has reconciled to Himself to pursue this course of preparation through holiness and godliness by separating from the world, uniting in loving and singular devotion to Christ, obediently serving Him as a true people of God, and shining forth as His lights in the world.