By Steven J. Hogan
~ A Saturday Morning Post #107 ~
She is more powerful than any country, more important than any government, and more prestigious than any person or company. I am talking about the church, the body of Christ, the assembly of saints, the called-out ones, those who have repented of their sins and put their faith in Jesus Christ. In the past, my focus in these posts has been on prophecy and the individual Christian. But as you know, you are not to be a loner, off on your own – your life must be seen in light of the church. As much as anything else, what defines your role in life and your effectiveness as a Christian is your relationship with the church. From Christ’s 1st coming to His 2nd coming, the church is God’s primary focus, His chief interest on this earth. Here are some things you need to know about the church:
* Jesus Christ deeply loves the church, for she is His first love, His beautiful and eternal bride. He came down to this earth for her, and died for her, purchasing her with His own blood. More than you know, Jesus loves and cares for His church. He thinks about her all the time, continually intercedes for her, and cannot wait for that day when He will return to earth to take her home to heaven. “Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 4:17
* Jesus Christ is building His church. Christ is the head, the leader of the church, and He is the One who is building her and causing her to grow. “I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it” (Matthew 16:18). Through God’s word and God’s Spirit, Jesus Christ has been lovingly, faithfully, and wisely building the church. Sinners are being saved by Christ, and are being transformed from glory to glory. For the past 2000 years, He has been directing, teaching, encouraging, strengthening, and protecting the church, resulting in her growth, spiritually and numerically. But Christ’s church-building plan won’t keep going on forever, for once that last soul is saved at the end of this age, then the church will be complete, glorified, and gathered up to be with Him. Matthew 24:31
* God has chosen and predestined those who are members of the church. “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy…” (Ephesians 1:4). It’s a promise from God that those whom He has chosen will be justified and glorified. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, will finish what they started, and no devil, demon or person, will ever stop Them from fully carrying out Their plan to save the elect and bring them to heaven. Even though the church is fighting in the fiercest and most dangerous of all wars, we know that Christ will completely crush all her enemies, thereby gaining a decisive, glorious and everlasting victory for His precious and beloved bride.
* The overall purpose of the church is to “make disciples of all the nations… even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20), to be Christ’s witnesses“to the remotest part of the earth” (Acts 1:8), to preach the “gospel of the kingdom” to the whole world (Matthew 24:14), to proclaim “repentance for forgiveness of sins” to all the nations (Luke 24:47), and to be “the pillar and support of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15). Might you be committed to and involved in a church that has these as her purposes.
* As a Christian, you are a member of the church, a key part of the body of Christ.“God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired” (1 Corinthians 12:18). If indeed you are saved, then be very thankful that you are joined to Christ and are a part of the church. You can be a member of many different groups or organizations, but being a member of the church is what’s most important in life, for this has eternal value. As you love, trust and obey God, and are in a good local church, you will be able to use the spiritual gift(s) He has given you to do the special work He has planned out for you. Not only that, but much of the love, joy, peace, wisdom and grace God wants to give you will be experienced as you fellowship with the church.
* Do not neglect the church, but love her and be committed to her. You need to be involved in a good church, a loving, purposeful, and Christ-centered church. Be serving Christ by doing your part in the church, which is how you will be useful to God and be able to make a lasting difference in the lives of people (2 Timothy 2:21). Now that we live in the end-times, it’s essential that you learn from God’s word what will be taking place in our world, the birth pains, great tribulation, the coming of the Antichrist, the coming of Christ, etc. The church will soon enter the most difficult phase of her history, and you want to be working with Christ in helping her to be holy, healthy and victorious. “Mid toil and tribulation, and tumult of her war, she waits the consummation of peace forevermore; till with the vision glorious, her longing eyes are blest, and the great church victorious shall be the church at rest.” The Church’s One Foundation
It’s paramount that you see the purpose of the church, the importance of the church, and your part in the church, especially as we are getting closer to Christ’s coming. In these years leading up to Christ’s return, might you be excited about what God is and will be doing in and through the church, the body of Christ, the army of God, this family of believers, this fellowship of Christians. Be joined with Him and with other believers in building up the church. 1 Corinthians 15:58