The Church is for everyone though not everyone ‘fits every Church. Since the word, Church, is tossed around so much, you need to know what this means – specifically, what it looks like, and how it acts out it’s beliefs. How do you define church? Or is it that somewhat nebulous, assuming same definition by all? Is it? Is it behaviorally defined?
The kind of Church we all need is a worshipping, Bible believing, with Scripture based and relatable sermons. Scripture is our basis for judging what is happening in our world. More importantly, how does the Creator of Church define Church and how does His definition match yours?
“… let us approach [God] with a true and sincere heart in unqualified assurance of faith, having had our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us seize and hold tightly the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is reliable and trustworthy and faithful [to His word]; and let us consider [thoughtfully] how we may encourage one another to love and to do good deeds, not forsaking our meeting together [as believers for worship and instruction], as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more [faithfully] as you see the day [of Christ’s return] approaching.” (Hebrews 10:22-25, AMP)
The writer of Hebrews was helping us see the importance for the church to meet together as Church. Why? For worship and instruction. Paul speaks to this in 1 Corinthians 13:26, AMP.
“What then is the right course, believers? When you meet together, each one has a psalm, a teaching, a revelation (disclosure of special knowledge), a tongue, or an interpretation. Let everything be constructive and edifying and done for the good of all the church.”
Church is important and how the Church goes about being the Church is critical. Why? Jesus’ words:
“‘Again I say to you, that if two believers on earth agree [that is, are of one mind, in harmony] about anything that they ask [within the will of God], it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in My name [meeting together as My followers], I am there among them.” (Matthew 18:19-20, AMP)
I have written about the Church in a number of contexts and perspectives but where the essence about the church lies, in my opinion, are these three key verses. Everything we need to know and to do is outlined for us. I believe the Church exists to Praise (Worship), edify, empower the individual members …
“… to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” (Ephesians 4:12-16. ESV)
This is solid ground. This is how we should view the Church. And this is how the Church should function. And, we would never be told to do this if it wasn’t what we can do, possible. I believe that The foundation, the strength for the Church is to be, to think, to act in one accord. And one accord, in my world of definitions never means denial or compromise of your individual understandings but it does mean coming together to resolve differences so that all can have ‘the same mind’ (1 Corinthians 1:10, Philippians 2:2).
One of my favorite scriptures related to the definition and function of the church is found in
1 Peter 2: 9-10, AMP.
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a [special] people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies [the wonderful deeds and virtues and perfections] of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Once you were not a people [at all], but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”
This is the heart of the Church: who the Church is… what we are to be, this is the Church, the Bride of Christ, without spot or wrinkle.
