The church of Christ was established on the day of Pentecost following the resurrection of Jesus (Acts 2). Jesus came to earth to build His church (Matt. 16:18). Acts 2:47 shows that those who responded to the preaching of the gospel by repentance and baptism were saved and added by the Lord to His church. Christ gave Himself for the church (Eph. 5:23). He purchased it with His own blood (Acts 20:28); thus, those who are in the Lord’s church are bought with the price of His blood and should serve and glorify Him who bought them (1 Cor. 6:20; 7:23).
While the church was established nearly 2,000 years ago, the plan for it is infinitely older. The church was in the mind of God before the world began. God has showed His manifold wisdom by the church according to His eternal purpose in Jesus Christ (Eph. 3:10-11). Those in Christ enjoy all spiritual blessings (Eph. 1:3). They have redemption and forgiveness of sins (Eph. 1:7). Additionally, they have received an inheritance from God, who works all things according to His own will and purpose (Eph. 1:11). The church is the people who love God, who are the called according to God’s purpose (Rom. 8:28).
The church was not an afterthought; it is not God’s “plan B.” Through the prophets God spoke of His plan to establish His kingdom (the church) (Dan. 2:44-45). This kingdom would last forever and consume all earthly kingdoms. God promised a child would be born upon whose shoulders the everlasting government would rest (Isa. 9:6-7). Jesus proclaimed the imminent establishment of this kingdom during His earthly ministry (Matt. 4:17). Isaiah 2:1-3 speaks of it as a mountain of the Lord’s house that would be established in the top of the mountains; called Zion (a mountain among mountains), it started in Jerusalem and all nations flowed to it to receive the Lord’s word. The Lord’s house is the church, which upholds the truth for the world to receive (1 Tim. 3:15). Jesus is the foundation of the church (1 Cor. 3:11). He is the promised, precious cornerstone (Isa. 28:16; 1 Pet. 2:6). When Peter acknowledged Jesus as the Son of God, the Lord promised to build His church/kingdom on this foundation—His identity as the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matt. 16:13-19).
Thus, the church of Christ is not something originated and ordered by men, but by God. The way it is organized and how it worships is directed by God’s plan revealed in His word, the Bible. Humans may create all sorts of clubs and organizations for their own purposes, but the church exists because of divine purpose. It is not up to us to restructure the church according to our own designs, but rather recognize and follow God’s design revealed in the pages of the New Testament.
The Lord wants us to appreciate the value of the New Testament church. The saved are added by the Lord to it (Acts 2:47). When the Lord returns, He will come to save His body: the church, presented to Him as a holy bride prepared for her husband (Eph. 5:23-27).
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