Why the church?
A Bible Study
Study 1
If you were to ask a variety of people the question, ‘What is the church?’ you would probably get several different answers. Many people in Canada today think of the building that people who are Christians go to once a week, usually Sunday mornings. Generally, there is a connection between the word ‘church’ and Christianity.
As we begin this study it is helpful to remind ourselves that God has made His purpose for Christians clear in the Bible. That is how He communicates with us. That is why we need to remember often that the Bible is God’s Word to us. It is in the Scriptures that we find how we as Christians are to worship the Lord, how we are to live together as believers in Christ and how we are to live in the world.
The purpose of this study is to stimulate your thinking about your place in your local church. That is, how to worship the Lord corporately, how you fit in, what you can be doing to serve others, how you can share the gospel with unbelievers so they too can know Christ and serve Him in the church.
There are many books that have been written on the topic of the church and especially today there are some leaders who are trying to ‘reinvent’ the church to reach the world. For us to be able to discern the truth about the church from erroneous ideas it is necessary to thoroughly grasp what the Bible teaches on this topic.
I. First we must ask: Who is the church?
In Matthew 16:18 Jesus said, "I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.”
When Paul wrote to the Corinthian church he used his usual, initial greeting then wrote,” 1 Cor. 1:1, “To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:”
The writer of Hebrews put it this way in Hebrews 12:22-23 “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, [23] to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,”.
Jesus Christ is going to build His church, the people He is calling to be with Him and to worship and serve Him and NOTHING will prevent that from happening.
Paul, addressing the most immature church in the NT with a wide variety of problems, calls these people ‘saints’ who have been sanctified. His declaration was not an acceptance of their sinful behaviour. Rather it was a challenge for everyone in that church to live in accordance with their profession of new life in Christ.
In the Hebrews passage we find the writer looking ahead to a time when all believers will be freed from their sinful nature, from the influence of Satan, from the effects of the world and from any slavery to sin which is will occur in ‘heaven’. The church, that is every person who knows Christ from a heart that has been born again or regenerated, will all be there!
So who are the people described as the ‘church’ in each of these passages? Let’s look at a few references that will help us answer that.
1. Read through John 3:1-8. This is the account of Nicodemus questioning Jesus about His character. In verse 3 how did Jesus respond to Nicodemus’ initial comment?
Summarize Jesus’ response to Nicodemus’ puzzled questions about the meaning of being born again found in verses 5-8.
Explain how a person is born again.
Note: Jesus is talking to one of the main religious leaders of Israel during His day. Jesus’ expectation for those who lived before His death and resurrection was the same as for those who were lived after His death and resurrection. In other words, anyone living during the Old Testament times came to know the Lord in the same way as those who lived in New Testament times.
2. God has always brought people to Himself by grace through faith. Read through Hebrews 11. These saints all lived prior to Christ. They all came to know Him by faith.
3. Read through Genesis 15:1-8. Write out verse 6. Then read Romans 4:1-8 and write our verse 3. Who do both passages refer to?
What is similar about them?
Why does Paul use Abraham as an example of someone who trusted in the Lord by faith?
In what way is this important for us?
4. God has always brought people to Himself by changing their heart. He has NEVER brought anyone to salvation by any form of WORKS. Read Psalm 51:10-17. This was the psalm David wrote after he confessed to the sins of adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah.
In verses 16, 17 what does David contrast? Which is more important?
How would you explain what a broken and contrite heart is?
Can you describe a situation in which you had a broken and contrite heart?
Why is it difficult for us to be ready to receive discipline from the Lord? That is, when we have sinned and the Holy Spirit is convicting us.
Let’s look at some more verses and passages that help us understand these things.
5. Read Habukkuk 2:4. The last part of this verse is quoted in three different places in the NT: Romans 1:17; Gals. 3:11; Heb. 10:38. Look up these references and consider the context for each one. Explain the importance of the last part of Habukkuk 2:4 in understanding those who are in the church.
6. Read through Ezekiel 36:22-28. How does God describe the change that He will do in each Jew?
How do you know that you have a new heart?
What is one key truth that you came to understand better after this study? Why?