His Church

Whenever a church is mentioned in relation to a city, it is always "the church", including all the genuine believers in that city. Revelation chapters two and three are good examples. The only time the plural "churches" is used is in reference to a region such as "the churches of Galatia" (Gal. 1:2), a region with many cities. There are two aspects of the church which is the Body of Christ. One is that which includes every genuine believer in Christ since His death and resurrection; they are all part of the bride of Christ which has been making herself ready for His coming (Rev. 19:7). The other is the practical, visible expression of the Body in cities all over the world. "The church" in each city should include all those redeemed by the blood and born of the Spirit. There is one church in each city, not many churches. When Paul wrote to "the church in Corinth" he exhorted them that there should be NO divisions among them (I Cor. 1:10). No doubt that when there are thousands of saints in the church in a particular city, they will meet in many small groups just as in the early church in Jerusalem (Acts 2:46). Jerusalem was actually the first example of the one church in a city. By chapter 8 of Acts, there would have been thousands of believers there. Yet, it was still referred to as "the church which was in Jerusalem" (Acts 8:1), not "the churches" in Jerusalem. We are told by the Lord Jesus to "love one another even as He loved us" (John 13:34-35). Our attitude toward all believers should be that of love regardless of where or how they meet. At the same time, the Bible warns us and takes a strong stand against those who make divisions (Rom. 16:17-18; Gal. 5:20; Jude 17-19). The word of God says that there should be NO divisions among the saints. I say Amen! I believe there is a big difference between those who just like to criticize and condemn those who do things differently then themselves and those who recognize God's design and arrangement for HIS church and aspire to work, labor, and build accordingly. In the Old Testament when the instructions were given to first Moses for building the tabernacle and then David for building the temple, they were to build exactly and to the smallest detail according to God's instruction (Exo. 25:8-9, 40; 26:30; 27:8; 40:33-35; I Chron. 28:9-13, 19; II Chron. 5:1, 13-14; Acts 7:44). It was then and only then that the house of God was filled with the glory of God. There is also the New Testament warning concerning the material with which we build God's spiritual house today (I Cor. 3:11-17). All of this should be enough evidence that it is not a light thing to involve ourselves with the building up of God's house and that we should be willing to accept God's ways over mans. There is one church in its spiritual nature that has been in existence since it was born on the cross and through Christ's resurrection. There should also be one expression of that church in each city. It is the oneness of the believers that will cause the world to know that the Son of God has been sent by the Father (John 17:21-23). There is only one Body and one Spirit which is the life of the Body (Eph. 4:4). The oneness of the Body is the oneness of the Spirit of which we are to be diligent to keep in all lowliness and meekness with long-suffering, bearing one another in love (Eph. 4:2-3). So yes, amen! Let's not "mock, discredit, or bash" other dear and genuine believers in Christ. But at the same time, may we not compromise the word of God because of the traditions of men (Matt. 15:2-3, 6) and for our own comfort and convenience. The tone of the Lord's speaking in Revelation 2 and 3 was not that of "all is good". Rather, there is a burden in the heart of God to have HIS church that HE died for match HIM and make herself ready for HIM. May we all pursue toward the goal for the prize of this high-calling. May we not cheat ourselves or our Lord Jesus Christ with anything less than the church of which He loves, for which He died, and of which He is waiting for her to make herself ready for His coming. Come Lord Jesus! Amen.

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