THE CHURCH (EKKLESIA)

When you hear the word church, what first comes to your mind? Today we will get to see how the Bible defines the church and gain an understanding of what it all entails even as the Scripture speaks to our hearts. The word church is first seen in the Bible in (Matthew 16:13-18).

Matt 16:13: When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? 14 And they said, some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. 15 He saith unto them, but whom say ye that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 18 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.

There two ways of looking at this passage:

1. A physical rock – many believe that the rock referred to Peter, because Peter’s name means a little stone or rock.
2. A spiritual rock – The text indeed referred to a spiritual rock not a literal rock. Here’s why:

Let’s see Who does the Bible refer to as the ‘spiritual rock’?

Deut 32:1: Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. 2 My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass: 3 Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God. 4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.

1 Cor 10:1: Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat; 4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

Notice Who the Bible calls Rock from the scriptures above;

1. God is the rock.
2. Jesus Christ is the rock.

With this in mind, it is clear that Jesus Christ replied to Peter “…and upon ‘I the rock’, that you confess I am, I will build my church.” So, the church was not built upon Peter but Christ.

Therefore, until this point, we can define the church as that which has Jesus as its foundation.

The word church in Greek is ekklesia which means a calling out; it is a group or an assembly that has been called out.

Question, what has this assembly been called out of?
Let’s consider (1 Peter 2:9)

1 Pet 2:9: But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

We see that the church is a people called out darkness into God’s marvelous light.

So, what does the Bible refer to as light?

1. Psalms 119:105: Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
2. Proverbs 6:23: For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life.
3. John 9:5: As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

We see three things are light according to the Bible; the Word of God, the law of God and Jesus Christ.

Therefore, we can define the church as a people that are called out of darkness to live by God’s Word and keep His law, and by doing this they reflect the life of Christ. Thereby fulfilling “…let your light shine forth before men…”

How does the Bible define God’s church?

1 Tim 3:15: But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

The church is the pillar and ground of truth. So, what is this truth?

1. John 16:13: Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
2. John 17:17: Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
3. Psalms 119:142: Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth.
4. John 14:6: Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Therefore, the Word of God is truth, the Holy Spirit is a Spirit of truth Who guides into all truth, the law of God is truth and Jesus is truth.

Hence the church is a people that believe in and live by the Word of God, are filled and led by the Holy Spirit, keep the law of God and Jesus Christ is the foundation.

How important is truth? John 8:32: And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Lies bring bondage, truth brings freedom. The serpent brought lies that led into bondage, Jesus brought truth which brought freedom.

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