THE CHURCH FROM GOD'S PERSPECTIVE (part 3)

THE CHURCH FROM GOD'S PERSPECTIVE (part 3)

 

The word used by Jesus in (Matt 16:18) for Church, should always be used in the singular, since there can only be one, sometimes referred to as the "Church Universal". There can be many local branches or cells, called "churches" in various locations, but the two should never be confused as being the same. They both should be composed of "born again" individuals who are added to the Church after they become members of the "Family of God", and then join with other believers for fellowship in their locality. We become members of God's family the moment we repent of our sin, and trust Jesus as our Savior. The Father then adopts us into His "Forever Family", and gives us the Holy Spirit as a "Seal" of the transaction.

(Eph 4:30) NKJV. This is all based on our acceptance of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross of Calvary, where He paid in full the price of our redemption with His own blood! (Col 1:19-20).

 

The Church should never be considered as a building or an organization like a particular denomination, but always as redeemed people meeting together. That's why I like the picture of a family, to describe the Church that God has always had in mind. He has always wanted a family to represent Him on earth starting with Adam and Eve, then Abraham's descendants, and now the Body of Christ. Howard Snyder calls the Church the "Community of the King", which is a good title in my opinion, because we are part of God's great Kingdom! Not the total "Kingdom", which is much larger than the Church, but you might say we are the "agent" of the Kingdom, in the same way that a real estate agent is not the real estate company, but merely a representative of that company.

 

I like to read (Rev 21), where we see the completed Church, the New Jerusalem, coming down from its present location, to be established for eternity just over the new natural Jerusalem that at that time, will have been rebuilt after the destruction of the  Battle of Armageddon. This description of "heaven" with streets of gold etc. has always been held out as the goal for the Church to arrive at when we die or are raptured. Here what John was allowed to see in a vision was really the completed Church, the "New Jerusalem" in all her resurrected glory! This will finally be the place God the Father, and God the Son, together with His Bride/Wife, the Church, will spent eternity in the Presence of God the Holy Spirit! Hallelujah!!

Sincerely submitted.

Dave Jamer