What is the church? That’s a very good question. It is helpful to understand that the church is not the building. The walls, roof, windows and doors do not comprise the church. And, it is helpful to understand that the church is not some ecclesiastical (or hierarchical) institution that makes and disseminates laws and rules for people to follow. That is not how the Bible describes the church. Rather, the Bible presents the church as the people.
First, let us understand what the word “church” means. The original word for “church” literally means, “the called out.” Thus, the church is made up of ones who have responded to the gospel (2 Thess. 2:14) and have been “called out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Pet. 2:9). They have been “delivered…from the power of darkness” of sin and the world, and “conveyed…into the kingdom,” which is His church (Col. 1:13).
Second, let us understand who is in the church. The church is not a country club that someone joins. The church is comprised of those persons whom God has put into it. But who has God placed in His church? The Bible teaches that the church is composed of those who have been saved. In Acts 2, individuals responded to the complete gospel message for the first time. When they did, their sins were forgiven (2:38) and they were “saved” (2:47). Immediately, “the Lord added to the church…those who were being saved” (2:47). Jesus is “the Savior of the body” (Eph. 5:23), thus those whom the Savior saves are those who are in His body, the church (Eph. 1:22-23).
Third, let us understand the depictions used for the church. There are various images used for the church in the New Testament, and each of them helps us to understand the nature of the church even more. The church is depicted as a “body” (1 Cor. 12:12-27), a “family” (1 Tim. 3:15), a “kingdom” (Col. 1:13), a “bride” (Eph. 5:23-33), a “temple” (1 Cor. 3:16-17), a “flock” (1 Pet. 5:2), and an “army” (2 Tim. 2:3-4). Think about each of these. Think about how these help us to have a clearer grasp of the church, as well as a better understanding of those who are in the church.
Fourth, let us understand the destiny of the church. The Bible looks forward to the coming of Christ and teaches, “Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father…” (1 Cor. 15:24). At the end of time, Jesus is going to take those in His kingdom (i.e., His church, Matt. 16:18-19) and hand them over to His Father in heaven. So, in order to go to heaven, one must be saved and must be in the church that belongs to Jesus Christ.
What is the church? The church is the people of God, who have been called out of the world, saved from their sins and have become an active part of His kingdom, as they await the return of Jesus and their home in heaven! Are you in His church? The one that we read about in the Bible?