Church
A church is a group of persons who come together for the purpose of learning
about and worshipping God. Today “church” is the most common term used for a
body of worshipping believers”.
In the Old Testament Israel was simply “the congregation”, the term was also used
by early Christians. In fact, it is the actual meaning of the word “church”. It meant
the total presence of God’s people in a given location. God had purchased the
congregation with the blood of His Son (Acts 20:28). Jesus reveals the power of the
church (Matthew 16:18-19) “And Jesus answered and said to him. Blessed are you,
Simon Barjona; for flesh and blood has not revealed it to you, but My Father which
is in heaven. And I say also to you, that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will
build My church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to
you the keys of the kingdom of heaven and whatsoever you shall bind on earth
shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever you loose on earth shall be loosed in
heaven”. Some think that Jesus was only speaking to Peter, but the church is not
built on Peter, it is built as the body of Christ. The church was understood as the
fulfillment of God’s intention in calling Israel to become “a light to the nations, that
My salvation may reach to the end of the earth” (Isaiah 49:6; Romans 11:4-5). This
allows Paul to call this new Gentile-Jewish community or new creation “the Israel of
God” (Galatians 6:15-16) “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision avails any thing,
nor un-circumcision, but a new creature. And as many as walk according to this
rule, peace be on them, and mercy and upon the Israel of God”. “There is neither
Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus”
(Galatians 3:28). This one entity is called “the body of Christ” or the church. The
phrase “Body of Christ” is used in Scripture to refer to a symbol of both the local
and universal church. God had called out of both Judaism and the gentile world a
new people. They would receive the Holy Spirit’s power. They were to share the
Good News (gospel) of His absolute love for His creation (Ephesians 2:11-14). Paul
writes in a number of passages that the church is the “body” and Christ the “head”
(Colossians 1:8). Christ has been made “head over all things for the church”, which
“is His body” (Ephesians 1:22-23). As head of the body, Christ is it’s Savior
(Ephesians 5:23). The relationship is organic in that the life flows from, and is
sustained by the Head. The relationship is immediate, direct and complete
(Colossians 2:10) “and you are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality
and power”. The gifts were given so the church would grow up in every way into
Him who is the head, into Christ (Ephesians 4:12-16).
The Bible says that Jesus is coming back for a glorious church (Ephesians 5:27)
“that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or
any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish”. Remember, the
Bible says “the gates of hell shall not prevail against the church”. Jesus gave us
some commands “heal the sick, cleanse the leper, raise the dead, cast out devils”
(Matthews 10:8, Luke 9:2, 10:9). The Bible also says in Mark 16:15-18 “And He
said to them, go you into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He
that believes and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believes not shall be
dammed. And these signs shall follow them that believe. In My name shall they
cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues. They shall take up serpents,
and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them, they shall lay hands on the
sick and they shall recover”.
The early church lived closer to God. I believe that the glorious church is somewhat
like the early church, who believed that the Holy Spirit living on the inside of them,
enabled them to do what Jesus said. In John 14:12 Jesus says “verily, verily, I say
to you, he that believes on Me, the works that I do shall he do also, and greater
works than these shall he do, because I go to My Father”. Over and over you see
His disciples using the authority given to them and many miracles happened (Acts 6:
8) “and Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the
people”; (Acts 8:6) “and the people with one accord gave heed to those things
which Philip spoke, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did” (Acts 19:11) “and
God wrought special miracles, by the hand of Paul”. Some churches today are
praying for and asking God to do the miracles, but God has already done it. Jesus
said “it is finished”. Jesus said “whatsoever you bind on earth…”, we have a
responsibility in doing this, and if we don’t we can not blame God for not doing what
we can do. God gave us authority (Luke 10:19) “Behold, I give to you power to
tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy and nothing
shall by any means hurt you”. This sounds a lot like “the gates of hell shall not
prevail”. We have to exercise our authority and see the glory of God manifested.
We have to quit asking God to do what He has already done. The Bible says “by
His stripes we are healed”, it also says “we are blessed with all spiritual blessings”,
and “the blessing of the Lord makes rich and adds no sorrow with it”. It’s our
responsibility to believe what the Bible says and act upon it. stop speaking what the
devil is doing and speak what God has done. The Bible says “resist the devil and
he will flee from you” (James 4:7); and “for though we walk in the flesh, we do not
war after the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty
through God to the pulling down of strong holds. Casting down imaginations, and
every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into
captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (II Corinthians 10:3-5). We have
resist anything that goes against the Word of God.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: March 6, 2007
A church is a group of persons who come together for the purpose of learning
about and worshipping God. Today “church” is the most common term used for a
body of worshipping believers”.
In the Old Testament Israel was simply “the congregation”, the term was also used
by early Christians. In fact, it is the actual meaning of the word “church”. It meant
the total presence of God’s people in a given location. God had purchased the
congregation with the blood of His Son (Acts 20:28). Jesus reveals the power of the
church (Matthew 16:18-19) “And Jesus answered and said to him. Blessed are you,
Simon Barjona; for flesh and blood has not revealed it to you, but My Father which
is in heaven. And I say also to you, that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will
build My church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to
you the keys of the kingdom of heaven and whatsoever you shall bind on earth
shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever you loose on earth shall be loosed in
heaven”. Some think that Jesus was only speaking to Peter, but the church is not
built on Peter, it is built as the body of Christ. The church was understood as the
fulfillment of God’s intention in calling Israel to become “a light to the nations, that
My salvation may reach to the end of the earth” (Isaiah 49:6; Romans 11:4-5). This
allows Paul to call this new Gentile-Jewish community or new creation “the Israel of
God” (Galatians 6:15-16) “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision avails any thing,
nor un-circumcision, but a new creature. And as many as walk according to this
rule, peace be on them, and mercy and upon the Israel of God”. “There is neither
Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus”
(Galatians 3:28). This one entity is called “the body of Christ” or the church. The
phrase “Body of Christ” is used in Scripture to refer to a symbol of both the local
and universal church. God had called out of both Judaism and the gentile world a
new people. They would receive the Holy Spirit’s power. They were to share the
Good News (gospel) of His absolute love for His creation (Ephesians 2:11-14). Paul
writes in a number of passages that the church is the “body” and Christ the “head”
(Colossians 1:8). Christ has been made “head over all things for the church”, which
“is His body” (Ephesians 1:22-23). As head of the body, Christ is it’s Savior
(Ephesians 5:23). The relationship is organic in that the life flows from, and is
sustained by the Head. The relationship is immediate, direct and complete
(Colossians 2:10) “and you are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality
and power”. The gifts were given so the church would grow up in every way into
Him who is the head, into Christ (Ephesians 4:12-16).
The Bible says that Jesus is coming back for a glorious church (Ephesians 5:27)
“that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or
any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish”. Remember, the
Bible says “the gates of hell shall not prevail against the church”. Jesus gave us
some commands “heal the sick, cleanse the leper, raise the dead, cast out devils”
(Matthews 10:8, Luke 9:2, 10:9). The Bible also says in Mark 16:15-18 “And He
said to them, go you into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He
that believes and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believes not shall be
dammed. And these signs shall follow them that believe. In My name shall they
cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues. They shall take up serpents,
and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them, they shall lay hands on the
sick and they shall recover”.
The early church lived closer to God. I believe that the glorious church is somewhat
like the early church, who believed that the Holy Spirit living on the inside of them,
enabled them to do what Jesus said. In John 14:12 Jesus says “verily, verily, I say
to you, he that believes on Me, the works that I do shall he do also, and greater
works than these shall he do, because I go to My Father”. Over and over you see
His disciples using the authority given to them and many miracles happened (Acts 6:
8) “and Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the
people”; (Acts 8:6) “and the people with one accord gave heed to those things
which Philip spoke, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did” (Acts 19:11) “and
God wrought special miracles, by the hand of Paul”. Some churches today are
praying for and asking God to do the miracles, but God has already done it. Jesus
said “it is finished”. Jesus said “whatsoever you bind on earth…”, we have a
responsibility in doing this, and if we don’t we can not blame God for not doing what
we can do. God gave us authority (Luke 10:19) “Behold, I give to you power to
tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy and nothing
shall by any means hurt you”. This sounds a lot like “the gates of hell shall not
prevail”. We have to exercise our authority and see the glory of God manifested.
We have to quit asking God to do what He has already done. The Bible says “by
His stripes we are healed”, it also says “we are blessed with all spiritual blessings”,
and “the blessing of the Lord makes rich and adds no sorrow with it”. It’s our
responsibility to believe what the Bible says and act upon it. stop speaking what the
devil is doing and speak what God has done. The Bible says “resist the devil and
he will flee from you” (James 4:7); and “for though we walk in the flesh, we do not
war after the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty
through God to the pulling down of strong holds. Casting down imaginations, and
every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into
captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (II Corinthians 10:3-5). We have
resist anything that goes against the Word of God.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: March 6, 2007
