Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 ESV Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Understanding the nature and role of the Church is essential to knowing God. The Church, as described in the New Testament, is not just a building or a gathering place but a living, dynamic body of believers united in Christ. To truly know God, we must grasp the significance of His Church, which He established and continues to nurture.
The Church as the Body of Christ
The Church is often referred to as the Body of Christ, emphasizing the unity and interdependence of believers. Paul explains this metaphor in his letters to the Corinthians and Ephesians.
- 1 Corinthians 12:12-13: “For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.”
- 1 Corinthians 12:14-20 ESV For the body does not consist of one member but of many. [15] If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.
- Ephesians 4:15-16: “but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”
Question for Reflection: How does understanding the Church as the Body of Christ influence your view of fellow believers and your role within the Church?
The Church as the Bride of Christ
The Church is also depicted as the Bride of Christ, symbolizing a deep, intimate relationship between Christ and His followers. This imagery highlights the love, commitment, and covenant relationship that believers have with Jesus.
- Ephesians 5:25-27: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 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.”
- Revelation 19:7-8: “Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready. And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.”
Question for Reflection: What does it mean to you that the Church is the Bride of Christ, and how does this influence your relationship with Jesus?
The Church as a Building
While the Church is a spiritual entity, the metaphor of a building is used in the New Testament to illustrate the structure, foundation, and unity of the body of believers. This imagery helps us understand the importance of each member’s role and the strength that comes from being built together on a solid foundation.
- 1 Corinthians 3:9-11: “For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
- Ephesians 2:20-22: “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 you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”
- 1 Peter 2:4-5: “Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
Question for Reflection: How does viewing the Church as a building, with Christ as the cornerstone, affect your understanding of your place and purpose within the Church?
Question for Reflection: In what ways can you actively contribute to building up your local church, ensuring it remains a strong and unified body of believers?
The Church is Like a Boat
The Church can also be compared to a boat, specifically to Noah’s ark. The church is a shelter in the storm. This analogy highlights the Church as a place of refuge, salvation, and community for believers amidst a world of chaos and sin. Just as Noah’s ark was a vessel of salvation for Noah and his family, the Church is a vessel of salvation for all who believe in Jesus Christ. Howard Hendrick said, “If it weren’t for the storm on the outside, you could not stand the stench on the inside.”
- Genesis 7:1: “Then the Lord said to Noah, ‘Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation.'”
- 1 Peter 3:20-21: “who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
Comparison Points:
- Refuge from Judgment:
Just as the ark provided refuge from the flood, the Church offers refuge from the judgment of sin through Jesus Christ.
- Romans 8:1: “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”
- Community of Believers:
Noah’s family was saved together in the ark, symbolizing the unity and community of believers in the Church.
- Acts 2:44-47: “Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.”
- Vessel of Salvation:
The ark was a literal vessel that saved Noah’s family from physical death, while the Church is a spiritual vessel that offers eternal salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.
- John 14:6: “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'”
- The ship must be equipped for the journey.
- Ephesians 4:11-12 ESV And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,
Question for Reflection: How does viewing the Church as a boat, a place of refuge and salvation, impact your commitment to being part of the Church community and your efforts to invite others into this vessel of salvation?
Final Question for Reflection: In what ways can you actively contribute to building up your local church, ensuring it remains a strong and unified body of believers?
The Church as the Family of God
The Church is described as the family of God, with believers being adopted as children of God through faith in Jesus Christ. This family dynamic emphasizes the closeness, love, and support that believers are to share with one another.
- Ephesians 2:19: “Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.”
- Romans 8:15-17: “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.”
Question for Reflection: How does viewing the Church as the family of God impact the way you interact with fellow believers and live out your faith?
The Church’s Mission and Purpose
The Church has a mission and purpose that reflect the heart of God. Believers are called to be witnesses of Christ, making disciples of all nations, and living out the gospel in every aspect of life.
- Matthew 28:19-20: “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.”
- Acts 1:8: “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Question for Reflection: What role do you believe you play in fulfilling the Church’s mission, and how can you actively participate in it?
The Church’s Role in Spiritual Growth
The Church is also the place where believers grow spiritually, receive teaching, and are equipped for service. It is through the Church that believers are nurtured and built up in their faith.
- Ephesians 4:11-13: “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”
- Hebrews 10:24-25: “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”
Question for Reflection: How can you contribute to the spiritual growth and edification of your local church community?
Conclusion
Knowing God involves understanding and participating in the life of His Church. The Church is a profound expression of God’s love, unity, and purpose. As we engage with the Church, we come to know God more deeply, experiencing His presence, love, and mission in a tangible way.
Final Question for Reflection: In what ways can you deepen your connection with the Church to enhance your relationship with God?