Probably all have heard people say the above, or at least something much like it. Maybe it was something like “We will present the Lord, not the church, to the community” or perhaps “I can worship God better in a boat at the lake than in some church!” The common factor in these and many more quaint sayings of “religious” folk is that all deny and belittle the church. Of course the question comes, “What would Jesus think of this idea?” It is particularly important to find what He thinks of it since it is He who will judge the world in that last day (Acts 17:30-31).

Now while many in the world think of the church to be belittled and scorned, what would Jesus think of such attitudes toward the church? In His Word he has given us several relationships which exist between the church and Himself - let’s look at them so we can seek to find His attitude toward the church and then have the same mind in us as the Lord possesses.

As we do, we find that the church of the Bible is...
• His creation (Matthew 16:26-28)
• His kingdom (Matthew 16: 16-18)
• That body purchased with the blood He shed at Calvary (Acts 20:28; Ephesians 5:25)
• Composed of those who are saved by His sacrifice (Acts 2:38-47; Ephesians 5:23)
• Composed of those called Christians (Acts 11:26)
• That body which has the right of prayer (Acts 12:5-17)
• Composed of those sanctified by Christ (1 Corinthians 1:2)
• Those authorized to worship God (1 Corinthians 11:18-30)
• That body over which Christ is head (Ephesians 1:22; 5:23; Colossians 1:18)
• The body of Christ (Ephesians 1:23; Colossians 1:24)
• The bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:22-32)
• The body eternally purposed to make known the manifold wisdom of God (Ephesians 3:8-11)
• The body in which man can glorify God (Ephesians 3:2 1)
• The pillar and ground of truth (1 Timothy 3:15)

Amazingly much more could be said, but as we examine these passages anyone can easily see that it would not be pleasing at all to the Lord for any to belittle the precious church we read of in His Word. Of course that places a burden on each of us — what are we doing in regards to His body? Have we become a member of it, you can by being baptized for the remission of your sins, the same as those on the day of Pentecost recorded in Acts 2 (cf. Verses 37-47). If you are a member, are you glorifying God with your actions (Ephesians 3:2 1)? Each of us has the blessed privilege to know of and respond properly to the body of Christ, His church. Let’s determine not to delay to speak and act properly toward her.

By Jack H. Williams Return to the General Articles page

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