What is the Church?

She is Holy

The word for “church” in the New Testament is “ekklesia” which is usually understood to mean that the Church is a gathering of people called out from the world. In Deuteronomy 4:10, that phrase is used by God and reads, “Gather the people before me.” So, an ekklesia, or a Church, is a gathering of God’s people as a community before the Lord.

In the Old Testament, God delivered Israel from Egypt. Why? Exodus 19:6 tells us that He called them out of Egypt to be a holy nation.

Exodus 19:6 NKJV

And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”

Well, in the New Testament we find that nothing has changed in that regard. God has called each one of us to Himself. Why? To be holy. In Romans 1:7 and 1 Cor. 1:2 Paul writes to these two assemblies and opens by reminding them that God has called them to be saints, or holy.

Romans 1:7 NKJV

To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 1:2 NKJV

To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:

In 1 Cor. 3:17

1 Corinthians 3:17 NKJV

If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.

Now, I grew up in church and most of you did too. I know that there are unholy people among the body of Christ. But I love this one quote by Philip Ryken. He said, “the church is so holy that every one of its members is a saint.”

I often think that holiness is too downplayed in the Church today because we’re worried about discouraging weak believers or disappointing the lost. However, the Bible is clear in 1 Peter 1:13-16

1 Peter 1:13–16 NKJV

Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

As Christians, we should be marked by our holiness. The week before last, I discussed the subject of modesty in Sunday School and said that we should be known by our good works, not our seductive clothing and that’s true here too. We should be known by the world as people who hate their sin and strive to be holy by God’s grace.

An article on Ligonier.org said, “The Church consists of those whom the Lord has called out of the world into union and fellowship with Christ and into communion with each other.”

Now, that gives us a great chance for us to ask, “Do I believe that everyone who joins a local Church is really in union and fellowship with Jesus Christ?”

I believe that if we’re honest we would say, “No.” As a matter of fact, in the book of Acts we see two examples right off the bat of people who made professions and were baptized and revealed that they weren’t genuine believers at all! Their names are Ananias, Saphira, and Simon Magus.

That is why it’s important for us to get this next point about the Church which is that she is Catholic.

She is Catholic

Now, before we all get nervous, let me ask you, Do you think I’m saying that the Church of Jesus Christ is Roman Catholic? Of course not! When I use the word “catholic” I mean universal, not Roman. By universal I mean that the Church is across all times, places and people. It isn’t isolated to one country or culture, but is made up of all true believers wherever they are.

Revelation 7:9 NKJV

After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands,

To me, this is a reality that I didn’t quite see the beauty of until I went on my first missions trip to Honduras. The Church isn’t just southern culture. It stretches beyond us, our preferences, and styles. We are bound by something deeper than blood to people we’ve never met, but people our Lord died to save and those same people will worship beside us forever in Heaven.

I think this reality helps me to do three things:

It helps me to evaluate my worship and whether I want things formed by preferences or Scripture.

It helps me evaluate my passion for missions

It helps me evaluate my devotion in developing future leaders in the Church.

She is Apostolic

Now, just like there are Roman Catholics who hang onto that phrase Catholic like it’s theirs, there are also Apostolic Churches which also do the same. By apostolic, I mean that the Church is built on the foundation that was laid by the apostles and that we hold to the teachings set forth by Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 2:19–20 NKJV

Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,

How was this truth preserved?

2 Timothy 2:2 NKJV

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.

Now, I’m a diehard Baptist and have no plans on that ever changing. And while I’m confident that believer’s baptism is the practice of the Earliest Church and Apostles, when I say that the Church is apostolic, I’m hitting a the very crux of the gospel itself. I believe the Apostles Creed is the best summation of the Apostles Doctrine. It reads:

I believe in God, the Father almighty,       creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,       who was conceived by the Holy Spirit       and born of the virgin Mary.       He suffered under Pontius Pilate,       was crucified, died, and was buried;       he descended to hell.       The third day he rose again from the dead.       He ascended to heaven       and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.       From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,       the holy catholic* church,       the communion of saints,       the forgiveness of sins,       the resurrection of the body,       and the life everlasting. Amen.

Any church that rejects these teachings, shouldn’t be considered a Christian Church at all.