THE MEANING OF CHURCH

 In the four Gospels of the New Testament, the term church is found only in (Matthew 16:18 - And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.) and in (Matthew 18:17-And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.) Why do we have four books that report on the life and ministry of Jesus but only mentions the church in two verses?

The answer is simple, the Church as the Body of Christ did not begin until the day of Pentecost, after the ascension of Jesus. Proof of this fact is (1) Christ Himself declared the church to be yet future; (2) It was founded upon the death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ, and such an accomplishment was not possible until Pentecost (Galatians 3:23-25 -- But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.); (3) There could be no Church until it was fully purchased with Christ’s blood (Ephesians 1:20-23 - Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him, from the dead, and set him at his own right and in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.)

After the apostolic times, the Greeks use the word kuriakon to designate the church building. This word means “belonging to the Lord.” The only words in the New Testament to describe buildings as places of worship are houses, Temples and Synagogues.

(Acts 5:42 - And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.)

(Mark 1:21 - And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.)

In the English New Testament the Greek word ekklesia means “an assembly of people.” In New Testament times Jesus used the word ekklesia to represent the body He would build. No doubt Jesus chose that word to translate “Church” because it had been used to designate God’s people.

When Jesus said, “.... upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it,” He was emphasizing not only the word CHURCH but also the word MY. He was telling the world that the CHURCH He was going to build would be a unique CHURCH. The Church consisted of the local assembly of believers as well as the redeemed of all the ages who follow Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. They would be an assembly of believers who belonged to Him and would constitute His Body. It would be a Universal Church that would be made up of all of true Christian believers of all ages. It would take all believers on earth and also in Paradise to make the total Body of Christ; therefore, it will not be complete until after the assembly of all the redeemed in one place. Revelation 21 and 22.

(Ephesians 3:21 - - Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.)

The local church is comprised of Christian believers who belong to a body of believers who worship in one locality. (Acts 14:23 -- And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.) The local church is the visible operation of the Universal Church in a given time and place.

When you accepted Jesus and His atoning blood, you become a member of the Universal Body of Christ; however, faithful believers should be associated and joined to a local church where they assemble for worship, fellowship, and service. (Hebrews 10:25 -- Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.) You have heard the sayings, “there is strength in numbers,” “two heads are better than one, and four heads are better than two.” Christians also need to be able to draw from the strength of other Christians. Christians should not only be believers but also disciples, brethren and members of one body.

Because there were no large church buildings, there were many groups which met in homes in an area; however, they were still considered one church in the area. These local churches were also part of the Universal Church. These churches had a lot of liberty and were allowed to select their own local leadership by a vote of the congregation. This did not mean, however, that they were free to worship as they saw fit but they acted in unity and followed the apostolic leadership. (1 Corinthians 14:33 --  For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.)

The primary mission of the church is declared in the Great Commission which Jesus gave to the apostles before His Ascension. All four Gospels and the Book of Acts each report a selective part of the total commission.

(Matthew 28:19, 20 - - Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.) Matthew emphasizes the teaching mission of the church. The word teaching is translated from the Greek word which means to disciple. We are to make disciples out of all nations. Discipling is much more than just teaching by communicating a system, it is performed by demonstrating the truth with the example. It is possible to tell others how to be victorious; but he who disciples shows them by example. Those who merely teach have pupils; those who disciple have followers.

(Mark 16:15 - And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.) This means that missionary teachings and outreach in the name of Christ was to be offered to all people everywhere. We also find that Mark points out the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit that would accompany the preaching of the gospel.

(Mark 16: 17-20 -- And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.)

(Luke 24:47-49 - And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.) Luke emphasizes that sinners are to be called to repent of sins in the name of Jesus. According to both Luke and Acts, Jesus commissioned the church’s preachers to be His witnesses. They’re not to preach the gospel as hearsay but as what they have experience.

(Acts 2:42 -- And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.) The word fellowship has a deeper meaning than games, dining, and social interaction. There’s nothing wrong with the above mentioned activities when they conform to biblical ethics but the biblical word “fellowship” has a deeper meaning.

(2 Corinthians 8:4 - - Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.)

If we followed the Early Church, we would have a sincere concern for the material needs of all our fellow man, especially our Christian family. (Acts 6:2-3 -- Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.) The church in Jerusalem maintained a food service from which they fed the needy. Peter raised Dorcas from the dead so she could continue sewing garments for the poor and widowed.

(Acts 11:29-30 - Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea: Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul) Later Paul and his co-workers took up a collection in all the Gentile churches for the poor saints at Jerusalem.

(2 Corinthians 9:7 - Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.)

(1 Timothy 5:8 - - But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.) This verse is among Paul’s instructions to Timothy concerning the care of widows. Christ’s work of redemption is for the whole person: spirit, soul and body. The church is the Lord’s instrument for distributing His provided blessings. It is up to the church as well as individual believers to reflect the compassion of Jesus. James said it best:

(James 2:15-17 -  If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.)

As members of the Body of Christ, believers are related not only to Christ, “The Head”, but they are related one to another in the Body. (Romans 12:5 - - So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.) Just as in your earthly body when one member hurts, the whole body feels the pain, being one in the body of Christ we should also feel the pain of the other members in the body of Christ.

When the whole church ministers, there must be present the force which joins it all together - LOVE. If the whole body ministers in unity and love, the results are spiritual and numerical growth. Unless total church participation is motivated by and carried out in the spirit of love, the ministry performed may be less than edifying.

(1 Peter 1:22 - - Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:)

It may be possible to convince others that our hearts are pure and our motives are only obeying the Commandments of Christ in love but know assuredly that it is not others who will be the final judge of our actions. The one who will judge us needs no convincing for He knows not only our motives but also the state of our heart. When God looks deep inside us, does He see a Pharisee standing tall and proud in the Temple or does He see someone who knows he is only a sinner who has been saved by the blood of Christ through the grace of God?