The Church 20 May 2025

The Church 1 Gen 1-2 * "How important is the church to you?" > To be clear the Church is of great importance to Jesus. > Ephesians 5:25-27 (ESV) 25...Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. > As the church is of such importance to Jesus, we are obligated to grow in our understanding of her. * The usual Greek word for "church" in the Bible is ekklesia, (ek-klay-see'-ah) which literally means 'gathering' or 'assembly.'1 > Ecclesiology, then, is the study of the church. > Throughout the rest of this term, we'll be thinking about how individual believers-who have been saved, are being saved, and will be saved-live together as the people of God. > This is an area of theology known as "ecclesiology." (Look to your neighbor and say "ecclesiology."). > I think it would be helpful to remember what our church's ecclesiology is. > We teach that Christians, regenerated by the Holy Spirit from every tribe, language, people, and nation, are to associate themselves into local churches. A visible church is a congregation of baptised believers bound together by mutual agreement, a covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel. It observes the ordinances of Christ, submits to his commands, and exercises the gifts given by the Holy Spirit for mutual edification. The local church is governed by the Word of God, which teaches that Jesus alone is its king and head; that elders are qualified men given to shepherd the church; that deacons are to serve the church; and that the congregation, comprised of all members, has the responsibility to affirm members, defend doctrine, hold its leaders accountable, and carry out discipline when Scripture requires. Church members are commanded to assemble regularly, love one another, promote gospel unity, seek the good of their neighbours, make disciples of the nations, and live for the glory of God. * Throughout history, people have debated how to understand the church. We are familiar with the few controversial issues: Are women allowed to be pastors? Should infants be baptized? > Over the next few months, we're going to wrestle with many of those issues. > We'll consider the role of preaching in the church, baptism, the Lord's Supper, church discipline, church governance, and biblical church leadership. > But before we get to those questions in detail, I just want to take a couple of weeks to give the 10,000-foot view of the people of God in the overall storyline of the Bible. > This overview of the people of God will help us understand who we are and what we do. * The Apostle Peter provides what I think is one of the most important verses for understanding what a church's identity and function are. > This which shapes how we apply the scriptures here to help our church grow and grow in holiness. > 1 Peter 2:9-10 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.10Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. > Peter calls Christians chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation-notice the plurality of these words. (It's a congregation.) > And notice the transformation-he says that at one time they weren't this, but now they are. > What are they? They are royal, like kings. They are priests. They are to proclaim, like prophets. > So, what happened? And what does this mean for them? * Well, hold on to that thought as we consider Peter's words in light of redemptive history starting in Gen chapter 1. (As I said we are beginning with an overview of the people of God, so we go back to Gen.) Race of the Royal Priesthood * The beginning of Genesis most focuses on what happened with the crown jewel of God's creation-mankind. > We see that God creates mankind, and humanity as a perfect reflection of God's glory among creation, would all be his people. > But Adam, as the head of mankind, was made to fulfill some particular offices/roles with Eve as his helper. * Adam had a kingly role. > Genesis 1:26-28 (ESV) 26Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." 27So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 28And God blessed them. And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth." > Adam with his bride were to rule of creation as God would...in God's image. > They would spread God's glory and rule by multiplying. * Next, Adam had a priestly role. > Genesis 2:15 (ESV) 15The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. > God put Adam in the garden-the dwelling place of God-to work and keep it. > There are some nuances that we may miss if we are unfamiliar with the details of the OT. * To work and keep it was later the job description of the priests who would work the temple-the dwelling place of God which was intentionally designed to remind Israel of Eden (Num 3:7-8; 8:26 18:5-7). * Keep (which can also be translated as guard) meant that Adam was to be the guardian of the garden sanctuary-the place where God met with his people. * Adam had a prophetic role. > Gen 2:16-17 16And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." > God entrusted Adam with his command, his word, which would preserve life and protect mankind from death. > Notice this was before Eve was created, thus, why the apostle Paul points to Eden as the reason why only men can serve as elders and are set apart as the teachers of the church (1 Tim 2:12-14). > This is not a matter of ability/giftedness but a matter of reflecting the order of Eden. > So, there he was, Adam the prophet, priest, and king of the world (and his bride was to be his helper). * But Adam's story is not one of good news. > As you read on, you find that he failed when he succumbed to the serpent's temptation and sinned. > Their head didn't proclaim the word of God which led to eternal life, so, Adam's children died. > Their head didn't protect the dwelling place of God, so Adam's children were separated from God. > Their head didn't rule like God, so Adam's children became sinful rebels and servants of another lord. > But Genesis 3:15 offers a promise of hope...God said someday the offspring of the woman would crush the serpent. > This was the first, albeit vague, prophecy about the coming saviour. 1 NDBT, 408. --------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ --------------- ------------------------------------------------------------