“I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18)
What an authoritative and exclusive declaration made by the Lord Jesus Christ! The Church, the holy institution that He Himself foreknew, created, purchased with His own blood, and destined for glory.
What Is the Church?
The word “church” comes from the Greek word ekklesia, which means “called-out ones” or “assembly.” It does not refer first to a building, but to a people. When Paul writes, “Greet the church that is in their house” (Romans 16:5), he is speaking of a body of believers gathered together. The church is the assembly of the saints — those whom Christ has called out of the world to belong to Himself.
The church is the body of Christ, of which He alone is the supreme Head. No man, pastor, pope, or government holds that position. As Scripture clearly states: “And God placed all things under His feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way” (Ephesians 1:22–23).
Because the church belongs to Christ in this intimate way, she is called to reflect His character.
The Holiness of the Church
The church is called to be holy because she has been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ. The Apostle Peter describes her true identity with breathtaking clarity: “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light…” (1 Peter 2:9)
This holiness is not optional, it flows directly from who the church is in Christ. Yet in our day, this identity is often blurred or even lost. Many churches have become so like the world that it is difficult to tell them apart. This brings us to an important distinction:
What the Church Is and What It Is Not
The true church is the blood-bought, Spirit-indwelt assembly of sinners saved by grace, united to Christ their Head, and set apart for God’s glory. She is marked by holiness, worship, obedience, love for Christ, and love for one another. She is the pillar and ground of the truth (1 Timothy 3:15), a light in a dark world, and a city set on a hill.
But in our confused generation, the church is often something very different. Many professing churches look so much like the world that you can hardly distinguish them. You find the world comfortably sitting inside the church with its entertainment, materialism, compromise, and shallow, man-centered messages. Leonard Ravenhill once lamented:
“The tragedy of this hour is that the church has lost her holiness and therefore has lost her power.”
This is not the church Christ is building. The true church does not blend in with the world, she stands apart from it while loving the people in it. She calls sinners to repentance, not to comfort in their sin. From this holy identity flows the very life of the church:
The Life and Glory of the Church
Christ Himself is the life of the church. He called us out of darkness into light, out of death into life, by His own death and resurrection.
The Apostle Paul writes:
“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God… For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” (Colossians 3:1-4)
We are not only given life but we are partakers of His glory. This is the living hope of the church! And because of this hope, the church has a clear duty in the world.
The Church’s Duty
“You are the salt of the earth… the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.” (Matthew 5:13-14)
We have been redeemed not only to enjoy Christ, but to live obediently for Him and shine as lights in a dark world. We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works (Ephesians 2:10). Our duty is to proclaim the gospel with love for souls and obedience to our Master.
Charles Spurgeon powerfully reminded us: “The Bible is not the light of the world, it is the light of the church. But the world does not read the Bible — the world reads Christians! You are the light of the world.”
Dear reader, let us be the church! Let us preach the gospel! Let our light shine brightly before men. Let us be the city set on a hill that cannot be hidden, in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven (Matt 5:16).
