Mentoring Men for the Master

THE TREMENDOUS TRAGEDY OF TRASHING THE CHURCH

There is no doctrine more misunderstood in Christian teaching today than the doctrine of the church.  It seems to be the general consensus that the church is just another organization on the market, and that it deserves no more respect – and in many cases not as much- than any other man-made institution.

There Have Been Three False Views of The Church  which have emerged in Christian history:

  1. There is the view that salvation can be secured only through a given church. This is very false doctrine because it substitutes the church for the Savior.
  2. There is the view that the church is not really necessary because one is saved by grace and salvation is personal. This is a very false view because it fails to take into account that it is through the church that God has ordained that His work be perpetrated in the world.
  3. There is the complete trashing of the church which says, “Jesus yes” but says the church “no.”

If the church is not of supreme importance, then Jesus Christ was greatly mistaken in His ministry in the world.  Jesus spent three and one half years in calling out and in equipping His church in the world.  It was to this church that Jesus gave the Great Commission set forth in Matthew 28:18-20), and He gave it to no other organization.  In Ephesians 5:25-27, Paul speaks of the love which Jesus has for His church.  “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,  that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,  that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.”

There are two basic questions we need to raise and to answer regarding the church:

 

  1. WHAT ARE THE NATURE AND FUNCTION OF THE CHURCH? There are many metaphors used in the New Testament to describe the unique and glorious nature and function of the church.
    1. It is called God’s building in 1 Cor. 3:9. It is not a physical building, but it is a spiritual edifice which Jesus Christ Himself is building as men are saved and baptized by the Holy Spirit and water into the fellowship of the church.  Jesus said to Peter, “Upon this rock I will build My church…”(Matt. 16:18).  Notice, He is the builder and the church is His.
    2. It is called the Family of God in Ephesians 3:15. This indicates that the church has been begotten by One Father, and its members are related to one another because they share one common life in the Father through the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Therefore, the fellowship of kindred minds is like that above.
    3. It is called the Bride of Christ in Ephesians 5 and Rev. 19. This bespeaks of the holy and intimate relationship which exists  between Christ and His people.  It also assures the church of its final destiny, when it shall be gathered unto the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, to be joined forever with its great Head and Bridegroom.
    4. But the most elucidating used to describe the nature and function of the church is that of the “Body of Christ.”  Often we are content to say that the church is a body of baptized believers; but it is far more than this.  Paul would never have said it was just a congregation of baptized believers.   Uppermost in his thought was the connection of the church with its great head, Jesus Christ.  Being the body of Christ suggest the highest concepts imaginable of the church:
      1. If Christ’s body, then Christ is the head. We say that the church is autonomous.  The word autonomous means “self rule,” but the rule of the congregation is limited by the absolute lordship of the Risen Christ.   The local church is autonomous only in the sense that it is not subject to any earthly authority beyond itself.  Bu it is never to engage in self-rule.  It is under the authority and headship of Jesus Christ.
      2. If Christ’s body, then it belongs to Christ. We word church probably comes from the Greek adj. kyriokos “belonging to the Lord.”  Paul said, “Ye re not your own…”Again Paul said, “Ye are a peculiar people.”  This means, “You re a people who belong to the Lord.” (1 Cor. 6:20; Titus 2:14)
      3. If Christ’s body, then Christ’s life indwells the church. You see, too many think of the church as another organization.  It is not basically an organization, but it is an organism.  The life of Jesus Christ  has brought it together and holds it together.  When John saw Jesus, He was walking in the midst of the 7 golden candlesticks, which were of the church.  Paul declared in 2 Cor. 6:16, “For ye are the temple of the living God; s God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” (2 Cor. 6:16)
      4. If His body, it is through the Church that He ministers to the world. Illus:  Story of old deacon who always in the habit of praying, “O Lord, touch the unsaved with thy finger.”  Suddenly he stopped.  One came to his side to inquire if he was ill.  “No,” he replied, “but something seemed to say to me, “Thou art the finger.” [1]
      5. If His body, He and the church are inseparable. (Acts 9:4).

“The church, likened to a body, suggests service.  The members of a body are the instruments with which work is accomplished, all responding to the directions which go out from the head.  The head says to the hand, “Move,” and it moves.  It says to the foot, “Go” and it goes.  It is through the church, His body, that Christ does His work in the world.  Each member has his own place to fill, his own work to do, under the direction of Christ.  And Jesus promised that His church would do the same work He did and “greater” because of the soon coming Holy Spirit (John 14:12).

  1. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN IN A PRACTICAL SENSE?
    1. We should keep ourselves consecrated and holy for the Bridegroom.
    2. We should attend the church faithfully.   Woman who complained to me about remark “Your continued absence from church is your vote to close its doors.”  She admitted she had not been to church in 5 years.  I asked if she thought the doors of our church would be open if all members were like her.  She said, “I hadn’t thought of it in that way.”
    3. We should serve Christ through our church by using our spiritual gifts which belong to the body, not us.
    4. We should give our tithes and offerings through our local church. I have never had any trouble with store-house tithing since I understood the New Testament doctrine of the church. Even special offerings if possible should be given through the church.    Illus:  Deacon John McGee wanted to give a seminary student $25.00 per month.  He asked if he should give it directly or through his church.  I told him through his church.  He asked what difference it made just so the boy got the money.  I told him it was like this.  If the boy gets it from you, he says, “What a wonderful man John McGee is, but if he gets it through the church, he says, “Praise the Lord.”
    5. We should keep our membership active in the local church.

 Basic Truths About the Church – Matthew 16:13-19.

  1. Foundation of Church – “Upon this Rock I will build my church.”  – the confession that Jesus is the Messiah or the Christ.
  2. Formation of Church – “I will build My church.” Christ builds the church by adding “living stones,” one by one, into His body. (1 Peter 2:5).
  3. Function of the Church – Each member given the “keys to kingdom” (v. 19), the key is the gospel and the primary function of the church is evangelism.
  4. Future of the Church – “The Gates of Hades (Death) shall not prevail against it. The only imperishable entity on earth is the church which will live on forever. (1 Thess. 4:17-18).

 

[1] Turner, New Testament Doctrine of the Church, p. 36.