Creed for the Common Man: The Church

2009-11-15

Jonathan Falwell

Creed for the Common Man:  The Church

What is the church to you?  People think it is a lot of different things: the building, a steeple, a cross, church programs, music, sermons, bible studies, etc.  But the church is far different than those descriptions.

THE CHURCH DEFINED:

Let me give you a working definition of the church:

“The church is a group of baptized believers, banding together to carry out the Great Commission to Win them to Christ, Grow them in Christ and Send them out for Christ.”

Notice in the definition: the church is Believers (all believers): often called the invisible church.

AND  They are “a group, banding together:”  This is the visible church or the local congregation.

Why a local congregation?  This is God’s plan to carry out the Great Commission; through local groups.  In the NT these were mostly through house churches.  Eventually buildings became useful.

Notice BOTH of these references to the “Visible/local” & “Invisible” Church in I Cor. 1:1-3

I Corinthians 1:1-3

 1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, 2 To the church of God (INVISIBLE CHURCH) which is at Corinth (LOCAL CHURCH), to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place (LOCAL CHURCH) call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:  3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

JESUS IS THE FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH.

He is the architect, leader and left us an example.

Christ is the Architect of the Church

Meaning, God Himself is the Architect, Developer, Builder, and Sustainer of His Church.  Even in OT TIMES (i.e. Because Mt/Mk/Lk/Jn are mostly OT because Jesus had not yet died/risen again  - except for the last chapters in the books), Jesus foretold of His plan to establish this “Church” of His:

Matthew 16:13-18

13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” 14 So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 

16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

Christ is the Leader of the Church

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 may have the preeminence.

“head” (kay-FALL-ay) = “leader” and “one responsible to tend to, care for, or oversee”

“preeminence” (pro-TOO-oh) = “First Place” and “most prominent position”

IN fact, in the Greek text, this verse is contracted in an emphatic way!  

It actually reads (in the Greek) – “He HIMSELF is the head of the body the church..” to be understood as “And He ALONE is the head of the body the church…”

Note:  there is danger when you attempt to steal the praise & glory of God in His Own church!

III John verses 9-10

9 I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us. 10 Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words.

Now, what does the Bible say we should do within the Body of Christ?

Christ Gave Us the Example for the Church

We are required to Fulfill the Great Commission.  Win…Grow…Send.  We are required to Serve Within The Church

Ephesians 4:11-12 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.

We are required to Baptize Believers Within the Church.  “Baptism” is actually not unique to Christianity.  All religions in Biblical times had some type of “recognition” process that would once-and-for-all publicly testify of their association to that particular belief system.  For Christianity, we get “washed” in water as a symbol that our hearts have been washed clean by God!

Matthew 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Baptism is an “ordinance” of the church – or “an act we must perform” per the Word of God.

THE CHURCH DESCRIBED

In the Bible, sometimes the “church” is called “the Body” of Christ.

A Unified Body

The Lord is EMPHASIZING or REINFORCING His desire that…we all remain UNIFIED together under Him!

Acts points to key areas where we should be unified.

Acts 2:42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Acts 6:4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.

When God refers to us (true believers) as the “Body” of Christ, he is EMPHASIZING or REINFORCING His desire that…we all remain UNIFIED!

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 may have the preeminence.

In fact, Paul used the word “body” on purpose specifically to the church in Colossae because they were a little church – not a large church at all – just a little ‘off-the-beaten-track’ type of church that was getting attacked HARD about their theology that “Jesus Christ is the only true sufficient Savior!”

So, Paul was saying, in so many words:  “HEY, hang in their TOGETHER guys!  Because you are all One BODY & you need each other to get through this!  So, Don’t waste time arguing among yourselves about petty things because you have to all buddy-up & stay unified against this heresy!”

You are a “Body” – so, don’t fight against yourself!

A Faithful Body

The Lord is EMPHASIZING or REINFORCING His desire that…we all remain FAITHFUL to Him!

The Bride of Christ (II Cor. 11:2; Eph. 5:23-32; Rev. 21:9).  Paul was talking to a very disobedient church (the Church at Corinth) & he likened their need to be faithful to God to how a husband & wife need to remain faithful to each other.

II Corinthians 11:2-3 For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

The New Living Translation (NLT) captures well the message & call to Faithful Character in its translation:

II Corinthians 11:2-3  NLT  For I am jealous for you with the jealousy of God himself. I promised you as a pure bride to one husband—Christ. 3 But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent. 

 “A lack of faithfulness is usually a result of a lack of love & appreciation for the other.”

With believers as the “Bride of Christ” – the good thing is:  If there is to be unfaithfulness, it will NOT be because the Lord has ever lost love & affection for us!  If there is unfaithfulness, it will always be a result of us moving away from him!

Lamentations 3:22-23 Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.

My friend, you can always come back to Him & He will always accept you back!

A Dependent Body

The Lord is EMPHASIZING or REINFORCING His desire that…we all remain DEPENDENT UPON HIM!

Both Acts 20:28 & I Peter 5:2-4 were written to the leaders/pastors of the Church reminding them that the Church is like a flock that is Dependent upon God & them to lead them.

Acts 20:28  Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.

I Peter 5:2-4  Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; 3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; 4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away

5. A Pure Body

My friend, you need much more than PUBLIC ACTIVITY to produce “holiness,” it must come from your heart – your attitude – your choice – your love to desire holiness.

I Peter 2:9-10 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

…and you are going to need more than public, visible ACTIVITY within a church building or routine – for routine-sake alone – to produce “holiness.” 

Isaiah 29:13  NLT And so the Lord says, “These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.  And their worship of me is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote [memorization & routine].

…holiness ALWAYS comes from the heart – your attitude – your choice – your love & passion for holiness!

Psalm 24:3-4a“Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His holy place? 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart…”

SO, HOW DO I BECOME A MEMBER OF THIS CHURCH - ONE WAY!

…through the broken body & shed blood of Jesus Christ!