Christian Living

The Status Of The Church

by paul hoffmaster
05/08/22
Free to Share

  Message Writer
  Hire Writer

Tweet

The status of the Church seems to be in a fluid of uncertainty.  I am defining the Church by a twofold definition.  We have the building which is defined by popular consensus as the Church.  On the other hand, we have the Biblical definition of the Church which is the people.  Many Christians have built a wall around their beliefs, while other Believers live a life beyond the walls where they exhibit their faith.  The Physical Church surrounds itself with self-serving purposes.  The Biblical Church expands into the communities to meet the needs of the “whosoevers.”  One pours money into the structures, while the other uses financial resources to assist those with little monetary stability.   The Physical Church attempts to follow the trends of society, while the Biblical Church follows the guidelines of the Scripture.  The Physical Church has developed into a “Sanctuary Church” where people can escape from those who would revile and persecute them.   The Biblical Church advances into the world standing on the promises of God, knowing they are “more than conquerors.”  

The Physical Church seems more interested in producing “in house” relationships than helping establish interaction with their community.  It is more than knowing about Him, it is knowing Him.  Jesus tells us that we are the light of the world.  “A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.”  He also tells us that we are not to take our light and put it under a bushel, but put it on a candlestick to illuminate those in darkness.  The Physical Church tends to keep the light in the confines of its walls, while the Biblical Church dispels darkness wherever it goes.  The Structure Church caters to the wants of its members, while the Living Church ministers to the needs of all people.  The Physical Church displays the Cross (if not hidden by a screen) while the Biblical Church carries the Cross, exemplifying Jesus and their own crucifixion. (Galatians 2:20)

The general populist sees the Church as the physical emblem of an organized religious institution.   How can Christians change that stereotype of the Church today?  How can Believers exhibit that it is not the building, but the people that constitutes the true Church?  How can we change the mindset of those who see the church as a building to seeing it as a walking, talking living example of Jesus?  Believers need to be dedicated to taking the Word of God from its pages and displaying it as living words of hope to a lost and dying world.

Christians need fellowship, but that interaction must never minimize its calling to reach out to the “untouchables” of society.  The core of the Church rests on its relationship with Jesus.  If Christians fail to establish that position, the Church has lost its way!