Over the last few weeks, we have experienced the loss of a number of family and friends, as well as the health issues suffered by a Christian friend and her husband.
The situation required hospitalization in a foreign country and a difficult air ambulance ride home to Cowichan District Hospital. A long road to recovery is ahead.
What has struck me is the care and concern, along with prayers for all the families and individuals involved.
What made it even more impressive was the fact that care, concern and prayers came from many Christians of a variety of denominations, both in the Cowichan Valley and beyond. This included missionaries in the foreign country going to the hospital to help the couple.
Where am I going with this? My thoughts raised a question:
WHAT DOES THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH LOOK LIKE?
The Bible does not describe the church simply as a physical building or stone structure, but as a spiritual family, a living organism and the body of Christ, with Jesus as its head. The Greek word ekklesia refers to an assembly or community called together.
So the next question is, how did we end up with so many denominations calling themselves Christian?
Human behaviour is part of the answer. People have examined the theology of Scripture and, disagreeing on one point or another, have formed different denominations.
Is that what Christ wanted as the church began to be formed during His sojourn on earth? I don’t think so, and our experience of the last few weeks has borne that out.
Many Christians, from different denominations, praying and caring as one body for those in need. We need more of that.
“And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.”
“Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.”
1 Corinthians 12:26–27
“And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.”
Colossians 1:18
“And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”
Matthew 16:18
Christ’s church is much more than a brick-and-mortar facility.
In 1 Timothy 3:15, the church is described as God’s household, the pillar and foundation of the truth, entrusted with preserving and proclaiming Christian teaching.
“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.”
Ephesians 5:25–27
This is a clear picture of a group of believers united in their salvation and the free gift made possible through the death and resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
So having many denominations is not necessarily a bad thing, BUT Christians need to be united in the faith and in the urgent need to share this faith with everyone we come in contact with.
Our salvation message needs to be clear and simple, not complicated: faith in our Saviour and Lord, belief in His birth, death and resurrection. After that comes the learning, teaching, growing and becoming strong in the Lord and His salvation.
| Jack Peake braerdgospelchapel@gmail.com |
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