What many today think of the Church
People today have preconceived notions of what the Church is. Religion, history, custom, and even society have all influenced these notions. The notions of society leave out the understanding that the church is a hospital for sinners.
Some people believe that the Church is a particular building or place where Christians go on Sundays to worship God. Others believe that the Church is a group of people who believe in Jesus’ teachings. Others believe it is a gathering of people who do charitable activities for the benefit of society.
However, to truly understand the Church, we must turn to God’s Word to grasp God’s perspective on the Church.
The Church is a massive topic in the Bible, with many facets that cannot be covered in a single episode. In this episode, we’ll look at one initial component of the Church according to God’s Word and why we should view the Church as a hospital for sinners.
The definition of the term spiritual church
So, what exactly is a spiritual church? To answer this question, let’s read Matthew 16:18‘s definition of the word church.
“And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
Ekklesia is a Greek word that means “out-calling.” This term refers to a gathering that has been summoned.”
And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Matthew 16:18
This note explains that the Greek term for Church, ekklesia, means “out-calling” in the original language of the New Testament. As a result, the Church is the congregation, or assembly, of all those who God has called to leave this world.
The second half of the same message reads as follows:
“My church” denotes that the Church is of the Lord, not of any other person or object; it differs from denominations, which are called by a person’s name or by a subject.”
When the Lord Jesus first referenced the Church, He said, “My church.” Jesus’ statement, according to the remark, signifies that the Church is something that belongs to the Lord alone and not to anything or anybody else. The Church is not founded by any human organization since it is of the Lord.
The Spiritual Church in the Bible
When reading the Bible, it’s a good rule to pay attention to the earliest mention of a critical topic, which lays the groundwork for understanding how it develops in the remainder of the Bible. In Matthew 16:18, the word church is mentioned for the first time in the Bible.
In Matthew 16, Jesus and His disciples travel to Caesarea Philippi, distant from Jerusalem, the religious center of the day. There, Jesus inquired of the disciples as to who they thought He was, and they informed Him of what had been claimed about Him. “But you, who do you claim I am?” Jesus then questioned His disciples.
In response to Peter’s declaration, in verses 17-18, Jesus said:
“And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
…upon this rock I will build my Church
Jesus, Matthew 16:18
Because the Father had revealed everything to him, Peter recognized Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the Living God. The Lord then brought the revelation of who He is together with the revelation of the Church.
Now read the King James Version on verse 18: “This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.” (Eph. 5:32). As a result, the Lord had to reveal to Peter the second portion as well, which deals with the Church.”
This “great mystery” is described clearly in Ephesians 5:32:
“This enigma is wonderful, but I’m talking about Christ and the church.”
As a result, Christ and the Church as a whole are a big mystery. Because Christ is the living God’s Son. As part of the grand mystery, the Church must be a living creature. As a result, the Church’s existence as a physical structure is illogical.
The Church is a Hospital for Sinners
Many today want to trust a preacher or leader of a physical church. No doubt, I have great confidence in my pastor as a godly man who strives to preach the word. He does an outstanding job of this, I might add. He also understands that the confidence in his and the physical building we attend is not the full scope of the Church.
Those who put their confidence in just the pastor are much like Asa in the Old Testament. 2 Chronicles 16:12 states:
“And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians.”
Asa was putting his confidence in finding a cure in physical men. What I am saying is not a knock on doctors, by the way. I want to use this as an analogy. When members of a physical church “fall in love” with their pastor, they are removing finding a cure for the spiritual disease of sin from Jesus.
Remember, as we discussed, the “church” belongs to Jesus. When we forget this point, that is when church hurt happens.
Church Hurt for believers and Sinners
The next part of this episode is going to be a touchy subject. Many of you listening right now have been or know of someone a church has hurt. I want to tell you some good news, that is not the “church.” Jesus came to liberate all of us from our sins. Remember Jesus called it “my church.”
That statement about the Church and knowing the Godliness of Jesus defines why we call the Church a hospital for sinners. My family has experienced hurt in the Church, and men I once held in high regard would shred Biblical doctrine to make their own rules. Again I bring in the example of Asa, and you may find yourself in the same situation.
The events that took place personally did not destroy my confidence in the Church, and I know that the Church is not a brick-and-mortar physical building, and it is simply a hospital for sinners. When we lose focus on the spiritual aspect, we destroy the ministry of healing sinners’ wounds by sharing the good news of life in Christ.
My argument against Mega Pastors
Church hurt can happen at any point in time. If you are one of those hurt, I have good news for you. Jesus’ Church did not do this to you. The secular world loves to print stories of pastors with private planes, preach feel-good-isms, and tell you that everyone goes to heaven. This is not the Church.
Paul, the apostle, made tents to pay for his ministry. That is not to say that pastors cannot be financially successful, but exuberant wealth is not part of the calling. If hurt and abuse have taken place, remember that “my Church” doesn’t care about planes, trains, and automobiles. Jesus came to give life and life more abundantly.
So if you have been hurt or simply think the Church is a scam, let me introduce you to the hospital for sinners. It is called Jesus’s Church. The Church established on the foundational rock that confesses he is the Savior. Not on a man, but by the Son of God.
More episodes from Bear His Cross Podcast
- What in the World is Wrong with Everybody? | Episode 33
- The Dangerous Doctrines of False Churches| Episode 32
- Strong Christians need to be Awakened, Not Woke | Episode 31
- The Spiritual Church is a Hospital for Sinners | Episode 29
- Sometimes Throw Stones, Sometimes Never Attack | Episode 28
