Church

For Christians, Church isn’t just the physical buildings where they gather together to worship God. Church is much more than that – it is all the people who believe; who love and obey God; who are filled with His Holy Spirit and are unified together in Jesus Christ. This belief is based on many verses in the Holy Bible which show God’s intimate connection to His people.

Firstly, the Bible tells us that the church is the body of Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:24). It also says that “we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones” (Ephesians 5:30) (1 Corinthians 6:15). Through the sacrament (ceremony) of baptism, Christians have dedicated themselves to God and have been filled with His Holy Spirit. Therefore the Bible says, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16); and “your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God”. So the Church is intrinsic with God.

The Holy Bible also says Jesus Christ “is the head of the body, the church” (Colossians 1:18) ( Ephesians 5:23). In His prayer to God the Father, Jesus prays for the church, for the believers, and says “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one.” (John 17: 20-23). Of course there are church buildings in many countries and places. Also Christians are of many nations and races but these are all one church – a universal Church. The Bible confirms this by saying “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” (Ephesians 4: 4-5)

It is important to note that this one Church is by it’s nature holy. As it is the body of Jesus Christ it must be holy for the Bible tells us that “as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because” the Lord says, “Be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1: 15-16). The Bible reminds us again in 1 Corinthians 3: 17, that “the temple of God is holy, which temple you are”. Since the Church is holy, it must be without sin and falsehood. Therefore, the Bible warns us “not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don’t even eat with such people.  It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning” (1 Corinthians 5: 11-12). And for the sinner that repents and is sorry for his sins the Bible tells the Church to forgive and “to reaffirm your love to him” (2 Corinthians 2: 8). Also, the Bible tells us that Christians, “as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5).

Therefore the Church is holy and obeys the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Holy Bible. The Bible says to Christians that they are “members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. (Ephesians 2: 19-22). Therefore the one, holy, universal Church is also apostolic. This is because the Lord Jesus Christ said to the Apostles “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28 : 19-20). And the Apostle Paul affirms this in 1 Corinthians 11 : 23 and says to the Church in Corinth “For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you” This foundation of the Apostles is the teaching they received from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. And this teaching which the Apostles received from Lord they delivered to us in their epistles (letters) which are contained in the Holy Bible . This Apostolic tradition is also demonstrated in the Apostle Paul’s letter to his disciple Timothy where he says “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2)