What the Church Is

      As the word, "church," is used in the Bible, it means "that which is called out." The Christians who live at some particular place are the church at that place. Thus Paul wrote,

      "Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ, called to be saints." (I Corinthians 1:2)

      "Sanctified" means to be set apart for God, and "saints" are those whose lives are thus set apart for Him. The verse above helps us to understand that the church is made up of those who are called to be set apart for God. Of course, true Christians are called out of everything that is displeasing to God.

      In the New Testament the word "church" is sometimes used for the Christian people at some particular place, and sometimes it refers to all believers everywhere. With this wider meaning it is said of Christ Jesus,

      "And He is the head of the body, the church." (Colossians 1:18)

Uniting with the Church

      It is God's church. This truth is brought out in the New Testament, over and over again, as mention is made of the Church of God at such-and-such a [8] place. The churches were all called churches of God at that time. They were not divided into different denominations. They all belonged to God, and they just naturally belonged together.

      The Churches of God in North America a have been established with the same thought. They believe that the Bible name, and the Bible way, is right.

      Since the church belongs to God, and since it is made up of those whom He has called to live for Him, to unite with the church means more than to join some sort of organization. A person must become a Christian in order really to become a part of the church. When one becomes a Christian, God makes that person a part of what we sometimes call "the Church invisible," because it is not for human eye to see exactly who are those who truly belong to Christ. The way into this great Church of God is to repent of one's sins, to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and to be saved. We read that in the early days of the Church,

      "The Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved." (Acts 2:47)

      It is a part of the Lord's plan that Christians should be together in the fellowship of the church. It should be natural for a person who is saved through Christ to want to join with others who have the same Savior for whom to live.

      The Church of God in your community will gladly receive you into its fellowship if you have become a Christian and if you are willing to accept God's Word as your guide. In it you will have the privilege to be working for your Master along with others who belong to Him.

      "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." (Ephesians 4:13) [9]

The Ordinances of the Church

      Baptism, the Lord's Supper, and the Washing of the Saints' Feet have been called "the monumental ordinances." They are called "ordinances" because their observance was ordered and established by Christ. They are called "monumental" because their observance is like a monument to remind us of what He has done for us. They are usually referred to simply as "the ordinances."

      These ordinances have five characteristics which make them stand out in a special way.

      1. THESE THREE ORDINANCES WERE EACH ORDERED AND INSTITUTED BY OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.

      When Jesus started His ministry, He Himself, was baptized:

      "And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan." (Mark 1:9)

      In His Great Commission to His disciples He instructed them:

      "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." (Matthew 28:19)

      So also He established the Washing of the Saints' Feet. It was on the very eve of His betrayal that

      "He riseth from supper, and laid aside His garments; and took a towel, and girded Himself. After that He poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith He was girded." (John 13:4, 5)

      After He had washed their feet, He told them that they ought likewise wash one another's feet:

      "If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you." (John 13:14,15)

      Likewise He instituted the Lord's Supper:

      "The Lord Jesus the same night in which He was betrayed took bread: and when He had given thanks, [10] He brake it, and said, 'Take, eat: this is My body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of Me.'
      "After the same manner also He took the cup, when He had supped, saving, 'This cup is the new testament in My blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me.'" (I Corinthians 11:23-25)

      2. THESE THREE ORDINANCES ARE OBSERVED AS FORMS OR CEREMONIES.

      Baptism is a ceremony. The Lord's Supper is a ceremony. The Washing of the Saints' Feet is a ceremony.

      3. THESE THREE ORDINANCES EACH MAKE USE OF MATERIAL ELEMENTS AS SYMBOLS OF SPIRITUAL TRUTH.

      Baptism makes use of water, enough water in which to be buried.

      The Lord's Supper makes use of bread and wine.

      The washing of the Saints' Feet makes use of the basin of water and the towel.

      These elements all represent spiritual truths, as we shall see.

      4. THESE THREE ORDINANCES ARE EACH BASED ON SOME GREAT FACT IN CHRIST'S REDEEMING MISSION AND WORK.

      The Washing of the Saints' Feet represents the willing humiliation of Christ. Our Lord left the glory of Heaven to come to earth and live among men as a man. He "made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men." (Philippians 2:7.) This taking on of human flesh is one of the great facts in Christ's work for the saving of men. Although He was known to be their Lord and Master, He stooped to wash His disciples' feet, and thus showed how He was willing to do even the lowliest thing for their sakes. As we follow Christ's example in this ordinance, and do what He said we ought to do, it is a reminder of the fact that Christ emptied Himself of the glory which belonged to Him in order to come down among men to work for the cleansing of their lives.

      The Lord's Supper represents the fact of Christ's [11] suffering for our sins. In the garden of Gethsemane, He suffered as He prayed, until the sweat fell to the ground like drops of blood. On the cross of Calvary His body was broken, and His very life blood was shed for us. The bread of communion reminds us of His broken body, even as Jesus said: "Take, eat: this is My body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of Me." (I Corinthians 11:24.) The cup represents the new covenant between God and His people for which Christ's blood was shed. Jesus said: "This cup is the new testament in My blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me" (I Corinthians 11:23-25). This new testament or covenant, "signed" in Christ's own blood, is the agreement which makes it possible for us to be truly God's people, and to have Him put His laws into our minds and hearts (See Hebrews 9:9.)

      Baptism represents the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord.

      "Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection." (Romans 6:4, 5)

      A person is baptized by being put down under the water and then brought up again. This reminds us of the fact that Christ died, was buried, and rose again.

      5. THESE THREE ORDINANCES EACH EXPRESSES SOME GREAT FACT IN THE CHRISTIAN'S SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE.

      While baptism represents Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, it also represents the Christian's death to sin, the burial of his old life, and the new life in which the Christian is to walk. (See Romans 6:1-11). It is "the answer of a good conscience toward God" (I Peter 3:21).

      The Washing of the Saints' Feet represents the fact that the Christian needs Christ's cleansing while he [12] is a pilgrim here below, in a world where there is so much to soil these lives of ours. When Peter objected to letting Jesus wash his feet, the Master told him, "If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with Me" (John 13:8). Then when Peter said, "Not my feet only, but also my hands and my head," Jesus replied: "He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit" (John 13:10). The Christian has had life cleaned up by the new birth, and that does not have to be done over again. But the Christian must walk in a world where there is much "dust" and "dirt." He must let Christ keep him clean. We do not have to "get converted all over again" when we find that we have walked where some of the dust of wrong has touched us. But we do need to let Christ cleanse us at the very place where we have touched what is unclean, remembering all the while that He requires us to be clean. In His great love He stooped to do what is necessary to make His disciples "clean every whit." Of course those who have Christ's love in their hearts will be willing to do the very lowliest things for the sake of others after His example, too, and this ordinance reminds us that we must love one another.

      The Lord's Supper represents the fact that Christ is the Christian's food and drink. We get our strength from Him. His body was broken and His blood was shed in order that we might have His life in us. Before we partake of the Lord's Supper, we are told by the Word of God, "Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup." (I Corinthians 11:28.) It is wrong to eat and drink of the Communion without thinking reverently about what the bread and the cup mean. That is what Paul was talking about when he spoke of people eating and drinking "unworthily," "not discerning the Lord's body" (I Corinthians 11:29). It does not say that we must be so perfect that we can feel worthy to partake. None of us are worthy, but it was for [13] unworthy people like ourselves that Christ shed His blood. We eat the bread and drink of the cup worthily when we examine ourselves and make sure to remember that those symbols stand for the body of Christ which was broken for us, and the blood of Christ which was shed for our sins.

Membership Obligations

      It is a great privilege to be a member of God's Church. For every privilege there are certain obligations.

      1. The obligation to live as Christians. We have seen that the church is made up of those whose lives are set apart for God. It should be plain that members of His Church ought to live so as to glorify Him. We are told in the Word,

      "But ye are a chosen generation; a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of Him Who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." (I Peter 2:9)

      The Apostle Paul reminded the members of the Church of God at Corinth that their lives were not their own. "For," said he, "ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." (I Corinthians 6:20)

      2. The obligation to be good stewards. Members of God's Church belong to Him. Everything good has come from Him. What we call ours is only ours to use.

      In Bible times a steward was a person who was given the managership of his master's household. Everything in the household was his to manage. It did not belong to him, but it was his to use. He was expected to use it for the good of everyone in the household, and especially for the benefit of his master.

      We are stewards of all the good things which God has given us. We are expected to use them for the good of others, and for His glory. [14]

      "As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." (I Peter 4:10)

      We are stewards of our time. One day each week is the Lord's Day which is specially set apart for rest and for worship. But every day is really His, and the good steward will make every day count for Him.

      We are stewards of our talents. Each of us have some special talent, some kind of work we can do better than anything else. The good steward will see that his talents are used for Christ and the church.

      We are stewards of our money. One tenth of our earnings ought to be set apart as the very least that we shall contribute for the work of His kingdom. When people in Malachi's time failed to give this tithe (tenth), the prophet showed them that they were robbing God. (See Malachi 3:8-10). Surely we who enjoy all the blessings of our Lord Jesus Christ would be robbing Him if we should give less. As we set apart our tithe for God's service, it is a reminder that the other nine-tenths must be used in a way that is pleasing to Him too.

      3. The obligation to worship together. Members of the church are expected to worship together. Those who attend church services on the Lord's day to worship Him together gain strength. Their example helps others too. The Word tells us: "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is." (Hebrews 10:24, 25)

      The good church member attends Sunday school, and stays for the church service that follows. He is not through for the day then. If his church has Christian Endeavor and evening service, or if there are afternoon services to attend, he is glad for these additional opportunities. The mid-week prayer service, too, is a source of strength to hose who attend and take part. [15]

      4. The obligation to work together for the good of the whole church. The church is called the body of Christ. As members of His body, we each have work to do, and all must work together for Him, just as our feet and hands and eyes and ears all work together for us.

      We are not in the Church to work just for ourselves. We must be thinking about what will be good for others.

      "And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular." (I Corinthians 12:26, 27)

      Jesus has commanded His disciples: "That ye love one another as I have loved you" (John 15:12). When church members follow this command they can be happy in Christ's work together.

      5. The obligation to work for others. Of course those who know what it means to belong to Christ will want others to belong to Him too. The Master gave His followers what is called the Great Commission when He told them:

      "Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway, even to the end of the world." (Matthew 28:19,20)

      We could never have known Christ if others who knew Him had not kept telling about Him. He has a right to expect us to be interested in winning others.

      It is one of the great joys of the Christian life to help to lead others to Christ.

      There are others to be won for Christ in far off places as well as near at hand. Jesus told His disciples at Jerusalem:

      "Ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the [16] uttermost part of the earth." (Acts 1:8)

      They were to begin at home, but they were to continue until they should be reaching the farthest part of the world. That is what is expected of us too. We are not all to go to other places as ministers and missionaries. But we all have a part in helping to support those whom the Lord specially calls for this work. And we all are expected to be Christ's witnesses wherever we are. [17]

      a In 1974 the name of the denomination was changed from "Churches of God in North America" to "Churches of God, General Conference." [E. S.]

[TNL 8-17]