[review previous article] [advance to next article]
     Much of 2015 we considered the motif of “Jesus kingdom” – those who follow the resurrected Savior.  He is the King (John 18:36, 37).  His kingdom is also called the kingdom of God, which emphasizes it is a kingdom governed by the Deity.  Since Jesus has all authority, He is the King of the kingdom of God (Matthew 28:18; Acts 8:12).  His kingdom is also called the kingdom of heaven, giving emphasis to its origin, its Sovereignty and even its territory.  The territory has two aspects – the heart (not the blood pump) of the citizen (Colossians 3:15) and it is invisible (John 18:36).  Finally, Jesus kingdom is eternal (Luke 1:33; 2 Peter 1:11; Revelation 11:15).  However, the kingdom imagery (King, kingdom and citizen) is only one description of people who are saved.  Another is the church.

     It is often said, “We are going to church.”  As a child, mom taught us a hand activity, “This is the church, this is the steeple, open the door and look at all the people.”  Both of these indicate the church is the building, which is wrong.  The original New Testament word (“ekklesia” – Greek – 112 times mostly referring to the assembly of the Lord’s church) for church means “the called out.”  Strange, right?

     It was a commonly used word by the Greeks to describe people gathered together for a particular purpose.  For example, Luke described the rioting mob, “Some therefore cried one thing and some another, for the assembly was confused, and most of them did not know why they had come together” (Acts 19:32).  Clearly, “assembly” is not the church.  This mob assembled in the theater and certainly not at a church building.  There were no buildings designated as a church for 300 years after Jesus ascended into heaven.

     That the church is a group of people, is clear – “...At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria,…” (Acts 8:1).  The persecutors were not burning down a building simply because there were no church buildings at that date.  Further, “Likewise greet the church that is in their house” (Romans 16:5), obviously refers to people.  “Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place,” (1 Corinthians 11:18), again people make up the church.  But, what does “called out of” mean in reference to church?

     The church is a group of people called from one lifestyle to another.  People who become Christians come “out of” the sinful life (James 1:27) to live a lifestyle which Jesus has commanded.  “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;” (1 Peter 2:9).  “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and ‘called’ us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began” (2 Timothy:1:8-9).  Each Christian is called out of the world to come to Jesus.  God’s grace is given when a person is ‘in’ Christ.

     To become a Christian, a person must trust Jesus (faith), personally deciding to obey His commands (Ephesians 1:12, 13).  That person is ‘in Christ’ when he is baptized (Galatians 3:27).  Christians are the church!  Christians are the church!

[review previous article] [advance to next article]