Part 3
What Jesus Built

In studying what Jesus promised and built, we learn that God’s people composed the church. The people that He had so long sought through Old Testament times and arrangements were now built upon the foundation that He himself had laid. Different figures used in the New Testament teach us what Jesus built.

From the standpoint of their loyalty to God, His people were the family of God, made up of spiritual children (1 Tim. 3:15). From the viewpoint of their privileges and responsibilities under the reign of Christ, they are citizens in the spiritual kingdom (Col. 1:13). As people married to Christ and demonstrating their allegiance to Him, they are His bride (2 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 5:22-32). In their relation to Christ as master and teacher, those in the church are disciples and Christians (Acts 11:26). In their connection with each other, they sometimes are portrayed as members of a body headed by Christ (Eph. 1:23). While it is not the body of Ephesians 1:23, even in a local-church context the members are compared to a physical body (1 Cor. 12:12-27). As those empowered to serve and worship God for themselves, apart from human mediation, Christians are priests in the holy priesthood (1 Pet. 2:5). The makeup of the Lord’s church is easily learned by such a comparison with these figures, for they all convey helpful information about God’s people, built upon the foundation of Jesus Christ. In other words, we see in all such figures/illustrations the connection of the church to the very foundation laid by the Lord, for all of them depend on the acceptance of Jesus’ divine messiahship. Only when people hear God’s prophet, bow before the reigning king, and are cleansed by the high priest’s atoning work can they become part of the church or enter any of the parallel relationships mentioned in this paragraph.

What Jesus did on Pentecost in beginning the church, He continues to do by the same means of gospel preaching and obedience on the part of individuals (1 Pet. 2:5). The work of redemption, finalized in Christ’s work, must be applied to individuals through the work of preaching the gospel. As long as people are responding in faith to the gospel, living stones “are being built” into the spiritual house (NKJB rendering of Peter’s verse). The spiritual house begun on that memorable Pentecost is an unfinished work, because the Lord’s delay of His coming mean more souls can be saved (2 Pet. 3:15).

It reasonably follows the preceding line of thought that those built by Christ into His church would designated as His people. Whatever the Lord called them is what they ought to call themselves. Earlier parallel relationships teach us what the Lord sometimes called His people. No formal (proper) name is there found that must be always employed to the exclusion of the other names. Brethren insisting on one such name ought to face this reality. Brethren seeking to escape association with the teaching/practice mandated by Christ, by avoidance of some name found in the New Testament, ought also to face this reality.

Government of the Church

When Jesus spoke of the kingdom of heaven, He alluded to that which had brought Him to earth and which both He and His predecessor John had announced as being near. “Kingdom” often conveys its basic meaning of reign or dominion, but here Jesus most likely referred to the church as being interchangeable with the kingdom (an extended meaning referring to those over whom Jesus rules—that is, who have accepted His rule). Jesus began His reign upon His return to heaven and later began the church when Peter used the keys of the kingdom to open the church to human beings. The government of the Lord’s church is that of a kingdom, because Christ is king over this spiritual realm.

Lee Woodward, a close friend and fellow-teacher, frequently told his new classes at the beginning of the school year that his classroom was not a democracy, but a dictatorship. He simply meant that he was the one in charge in the classroom, not that he ruled as a tyrant. All need to understand that Jesus is in charge in the church. The church is not governed by an oligarchy, a democracy, or an aristocracy. Neither the majority nor the minority rules the church; Jesus does! He is king, raised from the dead and exalted to His position by God the Father (Acts 13:32-39). Those in His church have willingly accepted His rule. For this reason no member of any congregation should act as if he rules the church. No one has the right to usurp the kingly role of Christ, who along enjoys the approval of heaven in His role.

In the New Testament the kingship of Jesus is equated with His role as Lord (Acts 2:36) and head of the church (Eph. 5:23). In all three of these varied expressions—king, head, and Lord, the central idea is that of His authority. The idea of a king stresses His rule over His people. The image of a head emphasizes His control of the members of His body. The word “Lord” focuses on His position as master over His servants. One cannot be in the church apart from surrendering his own will to that of Christ. The same divine authority that conducts one into the church is also operative in the church for both individual and collective action. It is imperative that all belonging to Christ understand the authority of Christ over them in both connections. Whatever decisions one makes or a local church makes ought to be made in view of the teaching of Christ and His apostles. He is in charge! There is no room in the body of Christ for members who seek to control the head or other members, or for servants who seek to become masters, or for citizens who rise up in rebellion against their king to “boss” the other citizens or their king.

Inherent in Christ’s plan for His people in local churches is the role of a plurality of elders, but they must not act as lords over God’s heritage (1 Pet. 5:3). As examples and wise spiritual leaders, they “stand before” the sheep to show them the way and to teach them to follow. In their oversight there are judgment decisions that they must make, but even here they should consider the needs, wishes, and welfare of the church, not their own selfish desires. In this respect they submit first to Christ and then to their fellow-Christians. Elders are not a part of the government in the sense that Jesus is, for they share no legislative power with Him. They do, however, occupy a very important role in the functioning of a local church.

By Bobby Graham

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