The church is essential in God’s eternal plan of redeeming man. God’s wisdom is shown through the eternal plan He had for the establishment of Christ’s church, “To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Ephesians 3:10-11). Jesus came to the earth to fulfill this plan and promised to build His church (Matthew 16:18). Jesus functions as its foundation (1 Corinthians 3:11) and head (Colossians 1:18). The church was so essential that Christ shed His blood to purchase it (Acts 20:28). Jesus gave Himself, His very life, for the church (Ephesians 5:25). When He returns one day He will present her to His heavenly home as a husband who brings home His bride (Ephesians 5:27).

However, many have a concept that removes the church from being essential to salvation. A common teaching that has circulated throughout the religious world for years is the concept that one is saved and then joins the church of one’s choice. In Acts 2, there were not multiple denominations with various beliefs and practices that served as options for those wanting to follow Christ. There was but one church: Christ’s church. When men felt the guilt of their sins, they asked what to do (Acts 2:37). They were told to repent and be baptized for the remission of their sins (Acts 2:38). Those who gladly received this instruction were baptized and added by the Lord to the number (Acts 2:41); after all, the Lord adds the saved to the church (Acts 2:47). This one church “continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). Multiple doctrines and fellowships were not a part of the Lord’s plan; His plan was for His followers to be one, united in one body (John 17:20-21; Ephesians 4:3-6).

Today when many people think of a church, they think of a building or a denomination; however, the New Testament never alludes to the church in these ways. It speaks of the church being a body of people: men and women. When Saul persecuted the church, he was entering into houses and dragging of men and women to prison (Acts 8:1-4). To do this to Christ’s saved body was tantamount to doing this to Christ Himself (Acts 9:4). First Corinthians 12 uses the illustration of a physical body to highlight the roles of individual members in the body of Christ. As the head controls the body, Christ rules over the church. God’s eternal plan called for such and He fulfilled it in that He, “hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all” (Ephesians 1:22-23). God did not design different churches for the Jews and Gentiles, different though they were, but rather designated that reconciliation to Him would be found in the one body, the church of Christ (Ephesians 2:16).

Instead of pulling down the church from its essential place in God’s plan of salvation to an optional matter to suit one’s personal desires, the exalted and essential place of Christ’s church as revealed in God’s Word ought to be recognized. We are not here to “improve” upon God’s plan for the church, but to recognize how His plan is superior to the mess men often create.

 

-Mark Day

When Jesus was about to leave this world by His death on the cross, He prayed to the Father for His disciples, “I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world” (John 17:14-16). While Jesus’ death and resurrection would spell defeat for the prince of this world (John 12:31), the devil can still lure the disciples of the Lord into eternal ruin. Christ’s victory will be consummated at the end when He delivers up the kingdom to the Father and death, the last enemy, is destroyed (1 Corinthians 15:24-26). In the meantime, children of God must still live in a world that lies in wickedness (1 John 5:19).

While Christ’s followers are to be distinct from the world just as He was not of the world (John 17:16; cf. Romans 12:2), He does not desire that they be removed from the world. Our task is to fight a cosmic conflict. Our Lord has not commissioned that we be withdrawn from the world, but rather go out and engage the world with the Gospel (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:47). We must confront the world while not being confused with the world. The Pharisees so separated themselves that they despised Jesus for eating with publicans and sinners; He did not participate in their sin with them, but as a physician heals the sick He brought them to repentance (Matthew 9:9-13). Matthew himself was one of these. The church is the pillar and ground of the truth, holding up the truth for the world, that men may be saved by coming to a knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4; 3:15).

Jesus identified His followers as salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16). Salt preserves and purifies. It was used in sacrifices and offerings (Leviticus 2:13; Ezekiel 43:24; Mark 9:49). Elisha used salt to purify poisoned waters of Jericho (2 Kings 2:19-22). Christians are the chief preserving agents of righteousness in the world. Without them the world would look like it did before the Flood—God’s universal punishment. Then the wickedness of man was great on the earth, men’s hearts were only imagining evil continually, and the earth was filled with violence; the only exception was Noah—the preacher of righteousness—and his family, the eight souls who were saved by water while the ungodly were drowned (Genesis 6:5, 11; 1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 2:5). Light shines in the darkness and stands out. Paul’s desire for Christians at Philippi was not that they would be identified with the world, nor be removed from the world, but, as he writes, “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life” (Philippians 2:15-16a).

Salt can lose its savor and light can grow dim; beware, this world can contaminate the Christian. However, let us also remember that the devil came to our Lord while He was alone in the wilderness (Mark 1:13). Conflict with the spiritual powers of darkness is part of the Christian life; we must stand wearing the armor of God instead of turning our backs and retreating (Ephesians 6:10-18).

-Mark Day