Descriptions of the Church - 8/10/08am

Romans 16:16 “churches of Christ”

I have, for some time, taken issue with referring to some words on a sign as a “name” of a church. I may be splitting hairs, but I think of those words as a “description” of the church. The church needs no proper name, as Christ only established one (Much as we do not assign a name to the moon, since we have only one moon. However, planets with multiple moons have names for their moons.). What we find in scripture are a number of different descriptions of it, each of which gives us some insight into the nature, purpose, an construction of the church.

Descriptions that Denote Ownership
Acts 20:28 “church of God”
The church belongs to God. If it is the Lord’s, then the way it operates, the way it is organized, and those in it must act in accordance with His wishes.
I Timothy 3:15 “church of the Living God”
While being close to the previous one, this indicates an ongoing ownership, not simply a reference to the founder: I AM retains ownership.
Hebrews 12:23 “church of the firstborn”
The church of the firstborn: Christ. This denotes several things about the church:
A) It belongs to Christ, the firstborn of God
B) I calls to mind the authority of God as the Father
C) “Firstborn” indicates others born after, which would be us as Christians
Descriptions of Authority
Acts 19:8 “kingdom of God”
The kingdom of God suggests absolute authority on God’s part.
Ephesians 5:5 “kingdom of Christ and God”
This suggests the role not only of the Father, but of the Son in the church as having authority.
Colossians 1:13 “kingdom of His dear Son”
Once again, a reference to the Son, Christ, as king over the church. Also a note on the relationship between the Father and the Son: His dear Son. It gives us a little understanding of God’s view of when we go against Christ’s wishes in the church.

Descriptions that Denote Composition
Acts 9:1 “disciples of the Lord”
A disciple is someone who learns and follows someone else. The disciples of the Lord are followers of Christ. If someone is not truly following Christ: both His teachings, His actions, and His beliefs, then such a person is not a disciple and is not a member of the church.
Acts 9:2 “the Way”
Our closeness to Christ (the way, the truth, and the light). The church should be indistinguishable from Christ in its characteristics. It also indicates how many paths there are to salvation and heaven.
I Corinthians 14:33 “church of the saints”
A saint is one who is sanctified: that is, set apart for God’s purpose. The church is made up of such people. We also see, I believe, hints of “the Sabbath was made for man,” in this. The church is for our benefit, not we are here for the church’s benefit.
Colossians 1:18 “Christ’s body”
Not only does this indicate who is in charge, it also tells us about function. We each serve a specific purpose in the body. And as the body, we are to carry out the orders passed on from the head. If we are not obeying the head, we’re not part of the body.
Ephesians 2:22 “the household of God”
Christians are the household of God. God is the head of the house, and His household is made up of those who are part of His family.
Revelation 2:1, 8, 12, 18 “church in ____________”
Revelation 3:1, 7, 14
This is the most common description of a local congregation: a group of Christians in a specific location. More specifically, it means, “assembly in______.” The church (local) is made up of people in a close geographic proximity. The church (universal) is made up of people in many places, often far away.

In Parables
Matthew 13:31-32 The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed
The church began small: very small. It has grown, however. And grown quite large!
Matthew 13:33 The kingdom of heaven is like leaven
The church has growth. Both numerically and spiritually.
Matthew 13:44 The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure in a field
The church is something precious. It is so precious that we need to be willing to give up everything to be a part of it.
Matthew 13:45 The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking pearls
The church is precious not just to those who happen to find it, but also to those seeking it (and truth and God, etc.).
Matthew 13:47-50 The kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet
The church is like a net: those that “join” aren’t always doing as they should. But nonetheless, we try to save as many souls as possible, and in the end, the Lord will be the judge.
Matthew 20:1-16 The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner
The reward promised for being a part of the church is the same, regardless of when you put on Christ. If you convert in your youth, middle age, or when you are elderly, the promise is there of eternal life. But remember, we are not guaranteed so much as another minute. Will you be a worker in the Lord’s vineyard? Will you join yourself to His church and be baptized? Will you continue serving faithfully?