Knowing the Church Series
The Church You Need to know through the eyes of others
Recently, my wife and I entertained two elders for an evening from a church we attended. At one point, we became engaged in a disagreement about my starting a church in my neighborhood. It seems that unless I were under the watchful eye of a "legitimate" church, I would be in the wrong. I guess it doesn't matter that I have thirty years of life and in the Lord on both elders and brotherhood from my previous church, to which I make myself accountable.
I was somewhat taken aback when told that the book of Acts should not be used as a blueprint for the Church, but the whole New Testament must be considered. That every teaching must be consistent in context with the entirety of the Bible is true, but that the Acts of the Apostle is not a blueprint for the Church is ludicrous. Acts is the account of God birthing the Church by an authentic, and I repeat authentic revival, its problems, victories, boldness, prayerfulness, etc.
The Church at present is fractured into thousands of little pieces, and everyone has a view, a perspective, and convictions that are not necessarily in line with others or especially the Bible. Much must be taken into account when considering the Church as God meant it to be and climaxing with a clear and accurate Biblical view. The unfortunate reality that is all too true is that men say there must be submission to authority, and of course, that authority is theirs. Nowhere in God's word does He say to give submission to those who are in disobedience to His holy Word.
The Church You Need to Know in History
Concerning the beginning and development of the first church, we have the account from the Book of Acts and the entire New Testament. The Acts of the Apostles and the New Testament letters make clear the transition that took place by God's judgment of Israel as a nation of His choosing to present the salvation story to the world through the Church. A collection of people from every tongue, tribe, and nation comprise the body of Christ today. The lessons learned from that transition are that God is sovereign over His plan to use whom He will to call people to Himself, the unity that is meant to overrule prejudice, pride, and divisions among people, and lastly, that God's people are always meant to claim a plot of land, so to speak, where God's presence and authority are honored by them.
Within a few hundred years from the Church's beginning, Satan began to gain much in the way of distorting the picture of the Church and the Gospel it was meant to proclaim. Eventually, the church became a monstrosity, gathering all peoples within established nations as its members. Biblically, membership in the Church of Jesus Christ is of necessity dependent upon a rebirth that makes possible repentance and brokenness of sins, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, and the transformation from an ungodly to a godly character and behavior that must follow. All of these characteristics were lost through Roman Catholicism. I speak not only as educated to the teachings of the same but also as a former member.
While there were small pockets of resistance and authentic faith, they were, as Jesus said in Matthew 7:14," "For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it." Then came the man God would use to proclaim the Gospel with the help of many others - Martin Luther. Beginning with Luther, the German Reformation was underway, and the Gospel started to be heard in the world. It was not without much persecution by the Roman Church, but growth quickly occurred.
Knowing the Church's Unrecovered Fault that Remained
As the Reformers became busy understanding the Gospel as God proclaims it in His Word and not by men with ulterior motives, they missed one ironic detail. While seeing the Church as a body to rule the state, which it was never meant to do, they forsook proper Church structure almost entirely. I say ironic because while the Gospel, properly understood, makes Jesus Christ head of the Church, improper Church structure robs Him of His headship.
In my next post and in the coming weeks, we will begin to examine how church structure has deviated from the initially intended design as God moved in the hearts of His people through an authentic Holy Spirit-filled revival.
Stay tuned, and if you have a heart for the truth, you won't be disappointed.
A Final Word About the Church You Need to Know
The picture I am using for the Knowing the Church Series gives us a picture of what the Church should be. It puts itself out there for all the people to see. It is in the road and in the way from one point of view and unavoidable from another. Unfortunately, the Church is not made of brick and mortar but of people. People do not go to Church; they gather as the Church. The Church that gathers as Christ requires is the Church you need to know.
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