The Church: A Closer Look

Introduction

Prayer: Abba, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory, we pray that you would grant us a Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the Knowledge of Him (Lord Jesus), and it's in His name that we always pray. Amen. (Ephesians 1:17)

What is the Church? If you are a Christian this may seem like an unnecessary question. You might reply:

The Church is the Body of Christ.

Okay, good. But what does this mean? Why does it matter? 

You may even have a good theological definition ready to go: 

The Church is the invisible body of the elect!

Great! These words are accurate (though our Catholic and Orthodox friends might disagree) but again I ask: What do these words actually mean? Why does it matter? How does this affect our Christian lives?

As we look around at the state of the Church today it is easy to become discouraged. We have fallen short. We have missed the mark! Indeed, there are podcasts and social media channels that seem exclusively dedicated to reminding us of just how bad things have gotten. False doctrine, apostasy, and deception are everywhere. 

But I’m not here to curse the darkness, I’m here to light a candle. 

I am convinced that we can make the flame of our collective candle grow brighter by gaining a fuller understanding and appreciation of the origin, nature, and destiny of the Church of Jesus Christ. Our view of Jesus’ glorious Church is miniscule. One way to expand our understanding is through a little bit of diligent study. 

At a certain point though, revelation is required. We can only go so far on our own. Sooner or later to go deeper into the Mystery that was entrusted to the Apostle Paul we need the help of the Holy Spirit. (I’m talking to myself here too!) 

If our view of the Body of Christ does not inspire reverential awe of Him who is Head then we have not plumbed the matter deeply enough. What is more, we cannot effectively fight a Spiritual Battle if we are not even aware of the parameters warfare or the magnitude of what is at stake.  

Lord, give us eyes to see and ears to hear! Help our light to shine brightly in this dark world. Illuminate our minds through the Holy Spirit. Apart from you we can do nothing.

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