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New Release! Soaring Servants: Women in God's Service by Linda Sedrick Pearson is now available at PS Publishing.
Church is NOT a Building
“Upon this rock I will build my church,” (Matthew 16:18) “and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
The rock is the foundation plan to life. It is the salvation plan of God for all mankind. Salvation never wavers. It is people who waver, not God’s plan of salvation.
Salvation is the rock upon which all faith, hope, spiritual gifts, and all else from God is built upon. And salvation is “Christ, the Son of the living God,” (Matthew 16:16)
All those who will be saved are saved throguh believing and accepting and receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. That is the foundation of our faith. That is the rock Jesus was telling Peter about in Matthew 16:18. When saved (when you receive the free gift of payment for your sins) Jesus Christ, the Rock of your salvation, protects you. The gates of hell, which is all evil and wickedness, will not win because it is all battling against that Rock – Jesus Christ.
So, now that we have established what the rock mentioned in Matthew 16:18 actually is, let’s look at what the church is NOT. First, it is NOT a building made with hands, although we use the word “church” to refer to a meeting place where a local body of Christians gather for Bible study, prayer, praise, teaching, and preaching.
Matthew 18:17 is talking about how the people (“the church”) should handle a situation if there is a sin against one Christian by another Christian. First back up to verse 15 in Matthew chapter 18. The Christian that was sinned against is to go alone to the Christian that harmed him or her and try to work out their problem in a Christian manner (verse 15). If the Christian that committed the sin does not correct the offensive behavior, then the one that is sinned against should go back to him or her and this time take one or two other Christians with her as witnesses to confront the offending Christian (verse 16). If the offender still does not listen, then Matthew 18:17 says to “tell it to the church.”
Now, this is one verse that shows us that the “church” referred to is NOT a building. Common sense tells us that we would not stand in front of a building and speak to it about someone offending us or about troubles we are having between one another. Or suppose you do believe that one speaks to a building. That is possible. Any of us could stand in front of, or inside of, a building and speak to it.
Let’s look at verse 17 again in Matthew chapter 18. It continues on to say “…but if he neglect to hear the church…” In order to “hear the church,” the church must be speaking. Right? Does a building speak? NO! So how can a person “hear the church?” It means that the people are “the church” and they are speaking about this matter and how to deal with it.
Next, let’s take a look at Acts 20:28. “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.” We need to break this down and take a look at the different phrases given here that helps us understand that the church is a group of people and not a building.
Let’s look at the phrase “feed the church of God.” This means that the people are to be fed both spiritually (always) and physically (as needed). Does a building hear teaching and preaching (spiritual feeding)? NO! Does a building eat food (physical feeding)? NO!
Moving on, the next phrase to look at is, “which he hath purchased with his own blood.” In this verse the word he is talking about Jesus. Jesus purchased the church of God with Jesus’ own blood. Did Jesus come to die on the cross and shed his blood for a building? Absolutely NOT! He came to shed his blood and die for people, for us. So we are to “feed the church of God” or in other words, “feed the Christian people.”
One more verse, in case you are still not convinced that the church is NOT a building (even though we call some buildings churches). Colossians 1:18 reads, “And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; that in all things he might have the pre-eminence.” Jesus Christ is the “head of the body.” He is the head, we as Christians are the body. We, the people, are who God uses as His tongue, mouth, hands, feet, eyes, ears, heart, and all other parts of the body as God has need to use. We are “the body” mentioned in this verse. It is NOT a building made with hands, but instead is a group of saved people. These people are saved by the Lord Jesus Christ who died on the cross for our sins. When you accept the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, you receive eternal life and become a child of God. You also become one in that body – groups of Christian people joined together by one Head – Jesus Christ! This is done so that Jesus “might have the pre-eminence.” Pre-eminence means first place. Jesus Christ is to have first place in all things.
(Written by Linda Sedrick Pearson.)
God’s Helpers – Earnest Workers
2 Corinthians 1:21-24
“Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth. Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.”
Paul established to the church at Corinth that he and the other apostles were anointed by Christ. They were given the “earnest of the Spirit.” When an earnest is paid – it is a down-payment to keep something. For instance, if you want to buy a house you are required to put down earnest money to hold the home until the specifics of the deal can be settled.
God gave Paul and the apostles (and us) an earnest (down-payment) of the Holy Spirit. It was given so that He could hold onto those souls while He establishes the final details of the deal (salvation) between them. God gives all Christians (those who accept Him) this same earnest of the Holy Spirit.
Definition of earnest: showing good will, deep sincerity or seriousness. God is serious about salvation and about providing us with what we need to be God’s helpers.
Paul further states that they (the apostles) did not have the rule over the faith of the others. He was establishing that they did not hold themselves up higher or better than any other in the church.
We as Christians are all on the same level. It is true that each person has a different measure of faith, but we are all on the same level as far as our Christian lives. We are all sinners saved by the grace God and the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are helpers – put here to help each other.
That is a good definition of Lords Helpers. We try to help others by posting Bible studies, prayer requests, and other writings to help others. That is our ministry to help God bring others to Jesus Christ. We are God’s helpers.
I thank God that we have been allowed this outlet of the Internet to spread the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. I also thank Him for the earnest of His Spirit.
