What is the Church?

This will be the first of a series on characteristics of the true church. I hope they encourage you press on into Christ Jesus.

Is the church characterized by a beautiful cathedral styled building echoing with harmonious chants and music, accented by ceremonially robed priests and ministers conducting meticulously organized liturgies? Is it an organizational business deemed necessary to pay for the purchase and maintenance of such structures as well as the other ministries that go on in the organization? Is it a collection of members, the larger the better, usually formed around charismatic leaders who are able to interest and entertain them for an hour or more a week?

Is the true church Catholic, or Lutheran, or Baptist, or Assembly of God, or Mormon, or Church of Christ, or Orthodox (Greek, Russian, etc.), or Pentecostal, Mennonite, Amish, 7^th Day Adventist, or is it one of the other hundred or so denominations claiming the title? In fact, one might ask “Is any denomination the true church? The very word means to ‘divide and name’ which is strongly opposed to the prayer of its founder, Jesus Christ.

“I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. … And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.” – John 17:9, 22, 23 KJV

One could argue that the Israelites in the desert, after their call out of Egypt, were called the church but, the church as it is revealed in the New Testament definitely began as one! Paul wrote, “For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews, or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and we have been all made to drink into one Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 12:13). It is also true that the ‘dividing process’ began early in the church’s history.

Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? – 1 Corinthians 1:10-13 KJV

In Jesus’ prayer, He revealed that ‘the world knowing He was sent by God’ was directly affected by the church’s being one. Now I know all people have preferences in music, worship and meeting styles. Some prefer large gatherings; some prefer small gatherings just as a matter of personal preference. Locality also affects the meetings. But, there should be no denominational or size pride in the local fellowship. We need to understand the believers are the church, not the building they meet in or the organization they belong to! We were ‘each placed into the body of Christ and made to drink into one Spirit’ so there should be no cause for pride on our part. We did nothing, other than to call on the name of the LORD for salvation. Disunity is the work of the devil and it robs the true church of its power to affect the world!

Another defining characteristic of the true church is its love of the truth. While there are many differences in interpretation of Biblical truth, there is one standard that is undeniable –

Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?

– 1 Corinthians 6:9

If you want to know if you are in a local church that follows the standards of the true church, ask yourself the question, “Are the concepts of holiness and righteousness being taught?” God commands, “Be ye holy for I am holy.” And there are many verses describing what righteousness is. Paul lists just a few:

Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 KJV

God is patient with us and knows that we come into salvation as spiritual babes, but He is not willing to leave us there. He will by His Spirit immediately begin a process of convicting us of sin (anything that causes us to miss God’s highest for us) and instructing us in the way of righteousness. If there is seldom a convicting message or a challenge to repent in your church, something is wrong. None of us are yet perfect and we need to know we cannot hide from God or His Holy Spirit. 

The first chapters of Revelation contain dictated letters from Jesus Christ to seven churches of Asia. To every church He begins with the statement, “I know your works …” Friend, God knows your works also. Part of the function of the true church is to encourage us to judge our works and change them until they are God’s works.