What is the church? ............. Parables 775

January 2004

“Mom, why do we go to church and Patti doesn’t?” He was about four years old. I explained, “Patti is not a Christian. She is not interested in church.”

Now, years later, I realize that some nonchristian people do go to church — and occasionally, a few Christians, who should be there, lose interest, at least for a little while.

The church is often misunderstood and little wonder. The word can refer to several things. For some, it is the white building on the corner of Fifth and Main, a structure that people enter on Sundays and for weddings and funerals. Church is just a building.

For others, church is an activity. We knew a couple who had “church” in their living room every week. They didn’t like “organized” religion but wanted to have something spiritual in their lives, so they did their own version of “church.”

Still others think of church as just that — organized religion. They see innumerable denominations, structure, hierarchy, ceremony, acceptable rituals and behaviors, and a great deal of rules. This understanding is largely what “church” has become in today’s world, but it is not necessarily the church that Christ is building.

In the New Testament, Jesus said, “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” What church was He talking about?

The word “church” comes from a Greek word meaning “called out,” an apt name for a group of people Christ calls out from the world into His kingdom, from sin into holiness, from their old life into a new life. However, this is never a singular word; the church is a group of believers.

In the Bible “church” refers to all people called by Christ to follow Him. Scripture uses terms like the “body” and the “bride” of Christ to describe it. We are part of Him, His hands and His feet in this world. We are also joined to Him; we are His beloved. The “church universal” is everyone who believes in Jesus, no matter what denomination they adhere to, or part of the world they live in.

Scripture also refers to church as a local congregation. Believers first met in one another’s homes. A local group might be the church that “meets in Lydia’s house” or “Simon’s house.” There were no white buildings on the corner or any other special buildings, but the church was never more vibrant and effective, no matter where they assembled to pray, share, learn, and worship.

These two meanings still remain today. When the Bible talks about Jesus’ love for the church, it is talking about the people for whom He died. When the Bible talks about “not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together,” it is talking about a local church. It does not matter if it meets in the Alliance building, the Baptist building, or the Community building. What does matter is that the building is filled with people who have given their lives to Jesus.

Patti still has not considered Christ and still does not go to church. She is not drawn to Christians. They make her feel uncomfortable and guilty. Church to her appears to be an organization with a bunch of rules, and sadly, some “churches” are just that. The congregation does not have a common faith in Christ, only in their organization. What a turn-off. Yet if she ever decided to follow Jesus, He would lead her into an entirely different experience of church, a place yes, but also a group of people who are united by the Holy Spirit and their love of God, not by form and rules.

Since that child’s question years ago, I’ve realized that becoming a Christian changes a person’s view of church. Until Jesus called me out of my unbelief, I never wanted to go there either.

How to know the will of God ............. Parables 754

June 4, 2002

Most of us would flunk if our pastor quizzed us on last week’s sermon, so it amazes me that I can remember one I heard more than twenty years ago.

The topic was knowing and doing God’s will. The pastor explained God’s will is twofold: moral and incidental. The first is simple to figure out, but less easy to follow. God’s moral will is in the Bible. We can know how to be in His will through the Ten Commandments, Jesus’ commands to love God and love our neighbors, and other clear directions for living our faith.

The second aspect of God’s will is not as easy. Suppose you are faced with non-sinful choices such as which job to accept, which school to attend, which person to marry? How can you know God’s will for these? The pastor showed us five Scripture passages that clearly state the will of God, then added a sixth to show us the answer to that question.

The first passage was in 1 Timothy 2. It says, “God wants all to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. . . .” It is God’s will that a person is a Christian. We cannot expect Him to reveal His will to people who disregard His offer of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.

The second verse came from 1 Thessalonians 4. “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality.” Sanctified means to give your life to God rather than sin or selfish pursuits. It includes sexuality, as in this verse, but also all areas of life. He wants to save our souls, but also wants us to be spared from a life of sin.

The third verse is in the next chapter. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” God wants those who are saved and sanctified to also be saying thanks. A careful reading of Romans 1 shows that thankfulness is the first thing to go when a person denies or rebels against God. Saying thanks is His will.

Then, 1 Peter 2:15 says, “For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men.” Serving others is another important part of God’s will. The pastor told us when he played football he noticed what happens when a player is on the bench. First he criticizes the coach, then the other players. If he stays out of action too long, he will be secretly rooting for the other team. Serving God keeps us from resentment and taking shots at the family of God.

1 Peter 3:17 goes on: “It is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.” Sometimes Christians think if we do the right things, our lives will be peaceful and people will love us, but God says people may not like the good things we do. They may persecute us for our faith. He wants us to know that suffering for doing good is not outside His will.

Then the pastor read Psalm 37:4. “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” He explained God will not give us anything we desire, but this means if we make Him the focus of our lives we can expect Him to put right desires in our hearts.

This is an important part of decision-making for Christians. God wants us to be holy, thankful, obedient people, but He gives us the freedom to follow our hearts regarding non-sinful choices.

So, if we want to make a decision that fits into the will of God, we need to check: Am I saved, sanctified, saying thanks, serving, and perhaps even suffering, for Him? If we can say yes to those five, and have eliminated any sinful options, then as the pastor said, we can do whatever we want!