14. The Church

What comes to mind when you think of the church? Stained glass windows? Hard wooden pews? Long dull sermons? The Bible says, “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:25).

You can be sure that Jesus did not give Himself up for stained glass windows, wooden pews, and long dull sermons. So, what is the church and why did Jesus love her so much that He gave Him- self up for her?

Jesus spoke of the church on just two occasions, and what He said defines what the church is for us.

What Jesus said about the church

The first time Jesus spoke about the church, He was referring to all believers in every time and place. Peter had confessed faith in Jesus, and Jesus said,

“And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18)

Jesus was speaking about all believers in every time and place: “I will build my church”—singular! There is one church, comprising all believers, and Jesus Christ builds it. And He has promised that “the gates of hell shall not prevail” against this church.

Jesus was not referring to any local church or denomination. All over the world there are sad stories of churches that have lost their way and closed. But the church Jesus is building is alive and well. It encompasses all believers in every time and place, and a large part of it is already in heaven.

The second time Jesus spoke about the church, He was clearly referring to a local gathering of believers.

“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. . . . But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you. . . . If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church.” (Matthew 18:15–17)

“Tell it to the church.” This cannot possibly mean: “Tell it to all believers in every time and place.” No one could do that. Jesus was clearly speaking here about a local congregation of believers.

So, our Lord used the word church in two ways: First, to describe all believers in every time and place. Second, to describe a local congregation of believers—called out by God to worship and sent out by God to serve.

The church is not a self-selecting group of people. It is never just you and a few of your friends. Jesus builds His church by bringing people to faith in Himself and gathering them in local congregations.

The purpose of God

How important is the church? If I have faith in Jesus, and have some good Christian friends, why do I need the church? The answer to these questions is: The church is central to God’s purpose in the world. Paul speaks of

the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 3:9–10)

The rulers and authorities in the heavenly places are angels— spiritual beings created by God to worship and serve Him. God created all things so that His wisdom and His glory might be known. God will accomplish this “through the church.”

When lost sinners are brought to Jesus, reconciled to God, and gathered together in His church, angels gasp and say, “Look at what God did!” When believers in local congregations love one another, despite our many differences, forgive one another for our many sins and failures, and put the needs of others before our own, angels see the beauty of God’s grace displayed.

The church is central to the purpose of God, and being a member of Christ’s church is a privilege we should cherish.

A glorious future

There is a big difference between what the church is now and what she will be. Look at any church today and you will find that it is a long way from what God calls the church to be. If this has been your experience, you may have given up on the church. But Jesus will never give up on His church.

Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. (Ephesians 5:25–27)

Jesus loves the church with all her spots and wrinkles, and if we are like Him, we will love her too. Jesus gave Himself for the church, and if we are like Him, we will serve her too.

Notice what Jesus is doing for His church now. He cleanses her by washing her with His Word, the Bible. The Word of God is like a bath in which we are washed. This is the pattern of our life together. We are washed by the Word so that, gradually and increasingly, the beauty of Jesus may be seen in us.

Then we are told what Jesus will do for His church. He will “present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle . . . that she might be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:27). One day the church will be everything Christ calls her to be.

Think of the story of Cinderella. She is despised by her ugly sisters but destined to marry a prince. The church is despised by the world, but she is the bride of Christ, and her future is glorious. Jesus will present the church to Himself in splendor! And on that day, you will be so glad that you belong to His church.