What Is the Church?

A year ago, I wrote about the perfect church—spoiler alert—there is no such thing.

Matthew 16:13–20
"...Upon this rock I will build my church..."

But what exactly is the church? Is it just a building or a place where like-minded people gather to fellowship? If that is all it is, then your local library, school, pool hall, or fraternal organization would all qualify.

So, what is the church? How is it different?

The Church Is More Than a Building

Webster's 1828 Dictionary defines the church as the collective body of Christians—those who profess to believe in Christ and acknowledge Him to be the Savior of mankind.¹ The church is not a particular denomination, sect, or branch of Christianity; it is the whole Body of Christ.

In Scripture, the first use of the word church is in Matthew's Gospel, where Jesus is speaking with His disciples. He asks:

"Who do you say that I am?"

Simon, arguably Jesus' closest friend, answered for the group:

"You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God."
(Matthew 16:15–16)

This confession could only be reached through the revelation of God Himself. Jesus changed His friend's name from Simon to Peter (Greek) or Cephas (Aramaic):

"I also say you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church."
(Matthew 16:18)

Upon This Rock

We must take a brief linguistic break at this juncture.

The Greek language has gender; Petros (Peter/rock) is masculine and denotes a large, firm stone, whereas petra ("upon this rock") is feminine and denotes bedrock. Because of the changes in the Greek words, there has long been controversy about what Jesus meant.

Some believe Jesus was referring to Himself as the Rock. Others believe the church is built upon Peter and the apostles as foundational witnesses. Still others understand the church to be built upon Peter's confession that Jesus is the Christ.

Even though Christians differ on Peter's role in Matthew 16, they agree that Jesus Christ is the ultimate foundation and head of the Church (Ephesians 2:20; 1 Corinthians 3:11; Colossians 1:18).

Jesus declared:

"I will build my church."

Notice the emphasis on my. Christ is the builder of His Church.

He spoke of building the church as a future work, which Christians generally understand to have begun after His death, burial, resurrection, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2).

What About All the Denominations?

Two thousand years later, there are tens of thousands of Christian denominations and church organizations worldwide, representing more than 2.4 billion believers. The church certainly looks different across cultures and traditions.

Today, the three largest branches of Christianity are:

• Roman Catholic

• Eastern Orthodox

• Protestant

Meanwhile, non-denominational, independent, and indigenous churches continue to grow around the world.

But are they part of the Church Christ established? Are they built upon the Rock—the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

Some are, and some are not.

I am not here to argue denominational theology. Rather, I want to distinguish between the essentials of the Christian faith and the traditions that vary from church to church.

If your church denies the virgin birth, it is not a Christian church.

If your church denies that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God—fully God and fully man—it is not a Christian church.

If your church rejects the Scriptures as the inspired and authoritative Word of God, it is not a Christian church.

On the other hand:

• If your church uses drums and guitars in worship—it could be a Christian church.

• If your church has an age requirement for baptism—it could be a Christian church.

• If your church allows dancing or card playing—it could be a Christian church.

Essentials and Traditions

The church is not a building or a philosophy. It is the gathering of people who have accepted the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.

Some truths are foundational. Others are open for discussion. (Have you talked about the End Times lately?)

Tradition does not make a practice holy or God-honoring.

Tradition does not make something true or righteous.

I remember one church I attended that always sang the same song at the close of every service. One Sunday, the song was changed, and people were shocked.

"We always sing that song! We have to sing that song!"

I've also seen looks of surprise when a guest unwittingly sat in a member's usual seat.

Those traditions may seem harmless—even amusing—but what about traditions such as genuflecting or prohibiting unmarried couples from holding hands? What about more recent practices, such as allowing women to preach or participate in various aspects of worship? Does that include leading music? Public prayer? In some churches, women are not permitted to serve in any leadership role, whether teaching or even overseeing building maintenance.

Even the particular translation of the Bible has become a matter of tradition for some congregations.

The Final Authority

The final authority in every church should be God, revealed through His inspired Word.

A denomination cannot offer salvation.

Only faith in Jesus Christ can save.

So find a Bible-teaching church where Christ is faithfully proclaimed and believers are encouraged to grow in faith by studying God's Word for themselves.

And above all—

Be a Berean! (Acts 17:11)

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Reference

1. Noah Webster's American Dictionary of the English Language (1828), "Church."