Church Foundations.
The picture to the left of this text is one of people going in all directions without any real collective form or order to their journeying. It may remind you of what the church looks like at times, a mass of people, governed by a real lack of purpose, direction and collective vision. That conclusion could be justifiably argued. Of all the churches that I have had to pastor I can see much of the confusion that is in this picture in the attempts made by congregations to be a relevant as a local church.
Having said that, let us go on a biblical journey so that we might have a clear understanding of the form of the New Testament 1st century church and what it was really like.
Pentecost : The church is born.
The word "church"has no etymological connection with the word that is used in New Testament Greek. it is derived from the Greek adjective "kuriakos" which evolved from the word"kurios" and means " pertaining to the Lord" and comes down to us through the old English "circle", Old saxon "kirika and scottish "kirk". The word was originally used with a noun meaning "house" and from there we get the idea of the " house of the Lord".
In our modern 21st understanding of the word "church" we may mean the church building, the congregation, the company of God`s people where ever in the world they may meet. The New Testament word "ekklesia" gives to us the word "ecclesiastic", a word regularily used in church circles. The study of the church is often termed "ecclesiology", while the word "ekklesia" can mean "the called out ones" in spiritual terms it can also be a quite normal Greek word to describe a greek assembly, political or otherwise.
The Hebrew word which is used to describe the assembling of Israel in the wilderness is translated by this word "ekklesia" in the New Testament as church. Nowhere in the New Testament do we find the word "ekklesia" being used to describe a building. In the Gospels the word "Ekklesia" only occurs twice, firstly in Matthew chapter 16:18 and secondly in chapter 18:17.
Chapter 16 clearly indicates that it was Christ`s intention to bring about the birth of the church so that his work on earth through the church would continue. In the remainder of the New Testament the word is used to describe with multiple meanings.
- The meeting of a regular secular assembly. Acts 19:32.
- Gatherings for Christian worship. 1 Corinthians 11:18.;14:19f.
- Local Christian Communities. Acts.8:2; 1 Corinthians 4:17.
- Christian house congregations. Romans 16:5; 1 Corinthians 16:19.
- The whole body of Christians. 1 Cor.12:28; Eph.1:22.
From these introductory remarks we want to begin to look at the form of the churchand is so doing we want to take time to examine the nature of the church as presented to us in Scripture.
1.The Spiritual Character of the Church.
At the outset the church is not something that is merely natural or material; nor is it just a congregation, denomination or a building, it is an organism, living, loving and light bearing to the nations. The church has been defined as the " body of people who have confessed Jesus Christ as the son of God and have believed and trusted Him as their saviour uniting under His leadership to carry out His purposes in the world."
In Scripture there are a numer of analogies used to describe the character, nature and form of the church.
a. The Body of Christ.
The Apostle Paul compares the church with the human body and graphically describes the workings of the church as the body of Christ. In Ephesians 1:22,23 and Colossians 1:18,24.Christ is described as the head of this body the church which is directed by Him. This emphasis of "Head and Body" reflect the true unity of the church which Christ speaks of in His great high priestly prayer of John 17.
It is unity which springs from life, a common life which unites us to Christ and to each other.The growth of the body is according to Paul the outcome of various types of ministries carried out by God`s people in the felowship of the church bringing edification and spiritual growth to the body of the church. (Ephesians 4 and 1 Corinthians 12.)
b. The Temple of the Holy Spirit.
In Ephesians 2:21,22; 1 Corinthians 6:15,19 and 1 Peter 2:5., we have an post pentecost analogy that the believer and the church is now the temple of the Holy Spirit. In the Old Testament times Israel would have meet for worship in the earthly temple in Jerusalem but now the church, believers become the spiritual temple where true worship of the lord reaches it highest point.
c.The Bride of Christ.
In the Old Testament God often refered to his relationship to His people Israel as one of "husband and wife." When we turn to the New Testament we see this picture again where Christ calls Himself the Bridegroom. (Matthew 9:14,15).On the other hand the parable of the ten Virgiins pictures the disciples waiting for their bridegrooom to come. (Matthew 25:1-13).This same metaphor is used in the books of Revelation (ch.19:7) and 2 Corinthians. (ch.11:2).
d.The Flock and the Sheepfold.
This metaphor is found in John 10:14 and again in Acts 20:28 and 1 Peter 5:2. In the Old Testament, the relationship between God and his people is often symbolised as that of a shepherd caring for his flock.That flock is nearly always seen as being the posession of the shepherd. The sheepfold is that special place of protection and security that God has prepared for those who love him. Believers and the church are one and the same, the flock and sheepfold represent that special individual and collective relation that God has with his people who in themselves make up the organic boby called the church.
Looking a little further into the form of the church one quickly recognises that the New Testament church, has specific attibutes that reflect something of what it really is as an organism and also visually as an organisation.
2.The attributes of the New Testament Church.
What is meant by attributes is those characteristics by which we know it and which are set forth for us in scritpure. In considering this subject, it must e remembered, that the church has a dual nature.It is a divine organism and institution, brought into being by God and living by God`s power and resources alone; yet at the same time, it has to live its life and carry on its work in human surroundings and with all the weakness of human organisation.
Therefore when we analyse the characteristics of the church we usually consider their opposite characteristics as well. for example when we consider the the unity of the church we also look at it diversity, when we look at its holiness we also examine its imperfections. So what is the New Testament record saying about the nature and form of the church.
a.Unity and Diversity.
The church is undoubtly one and the Lord Jesus clearly states that in his prayer in John 17. In Paul`s letter to the Ephesians he reminds us that there is one body, one Spirit, one Hope, one Lord,one Faith and one Baptism. the church is characterised by a special unity, having said that it is also seen as diverse in form and nature. Because of the challenges of culture, language, politics, thought form, language and geography, there is bound to be distict diversity with in the world church of Jesus Christ.
That liability is greatly increased by the simple fact that humankind is fallen in nature and because of that uniformity is not possible but unity can be made possible through the gospel message. That is why Jesus pleads for unity and not uniformity and so unity is one of those special characteristics that should be found in the church.
b.Holiness and Imperfection.
The church is holy in the sense that it is composed of those who are "in Christ" and who are, therefore, saints in the making.All who are "in Christ" are members of the church according to the New Testament and are called saints. Holiness has begun and they are called to be "sanctified wholly".
The purpose of God is that all should be perfect in Christ Jesus and should reach the "measure of the fulnes of the stature of Christ." In this sense, then we must conclude that the church is meant to be holy. While at the same time it contains a great deal of imperfection.
c.Catholic and Local.
The word "Catholic"means worldwide. As such it refers to the body of true believers wherever they are found in the world.Those who are in Christ constitute the church and their geographical position and gathering together is called the local church. Their existence is not affected by colour, cast, race etc.
d.Apostolic and Confessional
"Apostolic" means that the church is "built upon the foundations of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himslf being the chief cornerstone." (Ephesians 2:20) Firstly it needs to be said that it doesnot mean that the only true ministers are those ordained by Bishops who can trace their ordination back to the apostles and that the only true church is the one which is pastored by such ministers.
The idea of apostolic sucession cannot be upheld as a Bible principle. In the New Testament there is no record of Bishops as a seperate order with exclussive right to ordain. In the light of that there is no jsutification for giving Peter a more prominent place that Paul. There is no historical proof that Peter was the Bishop of Rome and that it is impossible to show an apostolic sucession from Peter onwards.
What we mean by apostolic today is that our teaching and beliefs are based on the teaching of the apostles taken from the New Testament which reflects our committment to the inspiration of the word as opposed to a line of apostolic authority.
In suggesting that the church is "confessional" what is meant by that is that the membership of the church is based on their confession of faith and trust in the finiahed work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross. Paul writing to the church at Rome suggests, " For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Romans 10:10).
Confession is an essential characteristic of the early church and so it is also today in the 21st century.The doctrine of the church as reflected by scripture has to be the measuring stick by which we and our modern day fellowship will ultimately be judged.