May I ask a few questions about your understanding of Church? When you think of Church; what comes to mind?  Here are a few of the typical answers I would anticipate. I am sure there are more.

A majority would probably think of a building they attend weekly to worship, sing, learn, and socialize with people of like faith. It is a place you go to be fed spiritually. Maybe your thoughts about the church are less endearing. Do you think of a building only?  Do you think it is a place of hypocrites? Do you believe a church is not a true church if it’s not your denomination? Perhaps your thoughts are very negative. When you think of church, you think of hurt and disappointment. Maybe you were forced to go to church as a child and now have no desire to be part of “organized religion.”

These are all real and legitimate feelings, but from a Biblical perspective, what did its Creator design it to be? What is the purpose of the Church? When did “church” begin.? Is it only a New Testament experience.? Are His people only in one church/denomination or are they in many places? What is meant by phrases such as “the body of believers?” These are the questions we will examine over the next few weeks.

Hopefully, with study and prayer, we can come to some new conclusions about the church that will give us hope and focus on the mission or intentions of God to build up “His church.” His desire is that :

He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. Ephesians 5:27

Along the way, in the study, we will begin to see the hand of God in working with “His people” throughout scripture. The Bible is filled with stories of how God works with “His people” and a rebellious planet. Who are “His people” anyway? Why so much division and denominations? Was Jesus’ prayer for unity unanswered? It seems to the casual observer it was never answered. People will point at the two large main divisions between Catholics and Protestants. Then there are about 200 different Protestant denominations in America alone, not to mention the many different sects and schisms within Catholicism!

In this Biblical study, we will see God pulling back the curtain to reveal the conflict between His church and the church of the Beast in Revelation 13.

Jesus’ Thoughts about the Church

Love

To start, let’s examine some important statements about the Church from Jesus and His Apostles. The most important statement Jesus gave us is mixed in with a command about how a husband should treat his wife:

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her…” Eph. 5:25

There is no doubt that Christ’s love for the church is sacrificial…He “gave Himself for her.” It is important to understand, also, that the church is referred to as a “her.” This will become important in understanding symbols later which will give us a more detailed view of the church and its relationship to Christ.

Peter and the Church

Matthew recorded a conversation between Jesus and Peter in the 16th chapter that illustrates something very important about the church. But the misunderstanding of the words of Christ, taken without reference to other Bible scriptures, created a very false understanding about His church. Let’s unpack this a little here, but it will be examined in detail later.

Starting in the 13th verse, Jesus ask his disciples,

 “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”

They gave him the answers…all wrong! People said He was John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or one of the other prophets. Then Jesus made His question personal:

“But who do you say that I am?”

As a follower, ever person must settle this personal question in their own mind. Peter gave an answer that brought joy to the Savior:

“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

This answer was correct…but the mission of Jesus’ life would not be completely understood by Peter anytime soon resulting in his denial of Christ three times (Matt. 26: 69-75) and Paul’s criticism for his hypocritical actions (Gal 2: 11-13). For now, however, one can feel the excitement and encouragement from Jesus in His response to Peter.

 …“Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.” Verse 17

Jesus tells Peter how blessed he is to have a revealing from God The Father which cannot come from human beings. There is no record of Peter having a dream or a vision to reveal this to him. Peter understood the answer because he had been living with Jesus! The truth about Jesus always comes from God through His word and being with Jesus. We all need to learn how to be with Jesus even though physically He is not here (John 20:29).

Jesus continues to direct His words to Peter in the hearing of the other disciples:

“And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” Verse 18

Wow! At first glance it sounds like the church is going to be built around and on Peter. But notice that Jesus says He will build “My church.” The church does not belong to Peter nor can he be the basis for it along. Also, consider this: Why would Jesus state the obvious in this conversation by saying, “you are Peter…“? The answer is found in the contrast between the Greek word for Peter and the phrase “this rock” The word for Peter (Petros) means a stone or a piece of rock. “This rock” is a different word. It is Petra, which means a massive or large rock.

Indeed Peter would become a piece of the rock. But, the basis for the church is the fact revealed to Peter by the Father:

“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

All of Apostles Are Part of the Foundation for the Church.

Paul provides a pivotal understanding of the foundation of the church and its relationship between ALL of the disciples, prophets, the Gentile believers, and even you and me regarding His church in one powerful statement to the Ephesians:

Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners (that us Gentile believers), 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, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom ALSO ARE BEING BUILT TOGETHER FOR A DWELLING PLACE OF GOD IN THE SPIRIT..Ephesians 2: 19-22

Notice that the Household of God (the church) has been built on ALL of the apostles and prophets! Jesus is the firm large rock of the Cornerstone. Peter is a piece of the rock foundation along with the apostles and (don’t miss this) the prophets. The old testament Prophets also contributed to the church or “Household of God.”

Then, here comes the personal part: “you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”

You and I are part of God’s dwelling place in the Spirit if we belong to Christ the Son of the living God!

“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?” 1 Corinthians 6:19

Please note the command just before this verse.

“Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.” Verse 18

This is an important message, particularly TO “His people” and secondarily to a world that thinks there is no such thing as “sexual immorality.”

The Real Rock

Peter is never referred to as The Rock (Petra) in the Bible, but God the Father and Jesus are referred to as the rock several times in Scripture. Here are a few:

There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. 1 Samuel 2:2

The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. Psalm 18:2

And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. 1 Corinthians 10:4

As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. Romans 9:3 (KJV)

God’s House-The Building

When you think of places of worship, several words from the Bible will come to mind depending on who you are and your upbringing. Let’s look at some of those words and a summary of its usage (in alpha order):

Word	# times in Old Testament	# times in New Testament	Notes
Church	0	86	Mostly Acts (20)
God’s House	1	0	Gen. 28:22
House of God	81	6
Sanctuary	150	5	Hebrews Only in NT
Synagogue	0	41	Mostly Acts (17)
Temple	245	111
Congregation	331	1	Acts 13:43 (NT)
*King James used in research

A few observations about the words used above:

“Church” was a new word for the believer at that time. Jesus uses the word for the first time as recorded in the writings of the gospels, but He probably spoke it in Aramaic. The Greek translation is ekklēsia. It means a gathering or those called out. It does not reference a building. The other words in the chart above mostly signify a physical building, but can also refer to almost any place where God shows up! (See Genesis 28:22 and Jacob’s dream).

“Congregation” almost always refers to the congregation of the children of Israel.

“House of God” and “Sanctuary” are often used interchangeably and are the same. The Sanctuary was built upon the pattern given Moses on Mt. Sinai as shown below:

And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall make it. Exodus 25: 8-9

A pattern insinuates an original. Paul confirms this with these words:

…who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, “See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”  Hebrews 8:5

Note that the purpose of the earthly sanctuary was so God could “dwell among them.” It was a physical place for a spiritual God.. The spiritual application of our bodies being the temple of God is also for the reason that God would “dwell among” us.

…do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit…

1 Corinthians 6:19

The temple is the same as Sanctuary. We are a temple or sanctuary for God. A place for Him to dwell and to be made known (glorified). But how does God dwell in a person?

Let the word of Christ DWELL in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Colossians 3: 16

Let this mind BE IN YOU which was also in Christ Jesus, Philippians 2:5

Here is where so many fail at understanding how to be part of the church for the purpose of the mission. God must dwell in us, but not for us only. It must be for others (particularly the lost) When it becomes all about ourselves and following denominational dogma, ministers, preachers, teachers regardless of how much we might like them or respect them, we become cultic in our nature instead dwelling in Him as a part of the body of Christ. Jesus’ last words were Go!

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. Matthew 28: 19-20

Here is the purpose of the church. If it has any other purpose (no matter how good and needed) it has missed the mark.

Christ Prayer For Unity-Answered

Finally consider this, Jesus’ prayer for unity WAS answered. We are one as individuals who are IN CHRIST. Being IN CHRIST is not about going to church or a denomination, it is dwelling in Him and following Him:

so we, being many, are ONE BODY IN CHRIST, and individually members of one another. Romans 12:5

If we are IN CHRIST, we are one body possessing different gifts as Paul goes on to explain in this chapter. Jesus told his disciples:

And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd. John 10: 16

Another time, John wanted to stop the ministry of someone who was not part of the disciples, but Jesus told him to not stop him, thereby illustrating that God’s people are not all in one little fold.

“Now John answered and said, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us.” But Jesus said to him, “Do not forbid him, for he who is not against us is on our side.” Luke 9: 49,50

These two verses alone illustrate that God’s people are working for Him in most if not all denominations who lift up Jesus and His word.

Next time, we will study God’s People (the Church) and their mission. Who are they? Were they before Jesus walked the earth or only in the New Testament?