The Biblical Model of the Church
The challenge for God’s people today is to recognize the effects of their present culture on their church communities and adopt a model or structure that best supports the level of fellowship that is true to biblical principles and directives.
When discussing “the biblical model of the church,” we must be careful to understand that cultural and societal differences are normal and acceptable to the extent that they respect the scriptural concepts and principles of what a church is and why it exists. It is doubtful that a first century church in Jerusalem was an exact representation of a first century church in Philippi, Corinth, or Rome. We are very naïve to assume all the churches throughout the world were cookie cutter churches. It is also unlikely that churches in the first century were identical to churches of the second, third, or other centuries that followed. History bears this out.
The important thing for us is to grasp the vital elements that matter to God regarding the communities of those who serve Him. As has already been stated, the purpose of Christian communities is to glorify God by being transformed into the image of Christ. Being true disciples of Jesus to the point of being filled up with Him is God’s objective for us. The Christian community is understood by the Spirit’s use of various metaphors. Expressions like family, household of God, body, kingdom, temple, and church help us to grasp the nature of the community of those who believe in Jesus. Words like disciples, believers, servants, brothers and sisters, the way, saints, priests, and Christians are useful in developing a clear vision of the community’s boundaries, direction, and purpose. It is beyond the scope of this article to examine in detail the ramifications of each of these terms and their effects on the community of believers, but each community should consider the meaning of these terms in order to develop a clearer understanding of what God desires it to be.
Every community of believers should be guided by the teachings and examples of Jesus. Some of the major features of Jesus’ ministry were: preaching the good news; healing, exorcising demons, forgiving sins, serving, sacrificing, and teaching. A clear understanding and appreciation of the gospel is necessary for communities to live out the gospel. In Matthew 11:5, Luke 7:22, Luke 4:16-30 and Mark 6:1-6, Jesus reveals the meaning of the gospel. This “good news” brought the reign or kingdom of God into the lives of people in need of redemption, restoration, and revitalization or re-creation. No matter what structures, forms, programs, beliefs, practices, or intentions of a community of Christians, if they do not live out the gospel, they are not a Jesus community. Jesus’ ministry establishes the paradigm on which the church’s ministry is founded, putting before us the principal components out of which our theology should develop, as well as an important element of our teaching.
When discussing “the biblical model of the church,” we must be careful to understand that cultural and societal differences are normal and acceptable to the extent that they respect the scriptural concepts and principles of what a church is and why it exists. It is doubtful that a first century church in Jerusalem was an exact representation of a first century church in Philippi, Corinth, or Rome. We are very naïve to assume all the churches throughout the world were cookie cutter churches. It is also unlikely that churches in the first century were identical to churches of the second, third, or other centuries that followed. History bears this out.
The important thing for us is to grasp the vital elements that matter to God regarding the communities of those who serve Him. As has already been stated, the purpose of Christian communities is to glorify God by being transformed into the image of Christ. Being true disciples of Jesus to the point of being filled up with Him is God’s objective for us. The Christian community is understood by the Spirit’s use of various metaphors. Expressions like family, household of God, body, kingdom, temple, and church help us to grasp the nature of the community of those who believe in Jesus. Words like disciples, believers, servants, brothers and sisters, the way, saints, priests, and Christians are useful in developing a clear vision of the community’s boundaries, direction, and purpose. It is beyond the scope of this article to examine in detail the ramifications of each of these terms and their effects on the community of believers, but each community should consider the meaning of these terms in order to develop a clearer understanding of what God desires it to be.
Every community of believers should be guided by the teachings and examples of Jesus. Some of the major features of Jesus’ ministry were: preaching the good news; healing, exorcising demons, forgiving sins, serving, sacrificing, and teaching. A clear understanding and appreciation of the gospel is necessary for communities to live out the gospel. In Matthew 11:5, Luke 7:22, Luke 4:16-30 and Mark 6:1-6, Jesus reveals the meaning of the gospel. This “good news” brought the reign or kingdom of God into the lives of people in need of redemption, restoration, and revitalization or re-creation. No matter what structures, forms, programs, beliefs, practices, or intentions of a community of Christians, if they do not live out the gospel, they are not a Jesus community. Jesus’ ministry establishes the paradigm on which the church’s ministry is founded, putting before us the principal components out of which our theology should develop, as well as an important element of our teaching.
This post reminds me of the words of St. Francis of Assisi:
ReplyDelete"Go everywhere preaching the gospel, and use words if necessary."
We've heard the phrase "live out the gospel". What does it mean in practical terms? What does living out the gospel look like? So many of the concepts/ideas you present are foreign words to many Christians, to me!
ReplyDeleteRyan's comment expresses a lot of what living out the gospels means: thinking and living in our present culture like Jesus would if he were in our place. And is not the battle in living out the gospel fought between the flesh (which wants to do everything outside the kingdom boundaries) and the spirit (which of course longs after the things of Jesus). The spirit vs. the flesh.
I think we make living out the gospel difficult. The difficulty lies when we, for whatever reason, do not take up our cross and follow Jesus. I don't like the cross, from my fleshes perspective. The surrender, the commitment, the giving up, the dying to self is the heart of the issue.
Our Christian communities can make a difference in our present culture when we embrace the reality of living out the gospel...learning to carry our cross and glory in the cross.
The phrase "living out the gospel" should be understood in terms of the meaning of the gospel. Jesus defines the gospel essentially in the context of "the gospel of the kingdom." In Luke 4, Luke 7, and Matthew 11, we find Jesus' explanation of the gospel as good news for the poor, captives being released, the blind being made to see, the oppressed being set free, the lame being made to walk, the deaf being made to hear, and the dead being raised to life. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus essentially told His audience that the reign of God had come to them. They could participate in God's kingdom. Their lives would be better, and in fact, abundant if they would live in the kingdom of God in Jesus Christ.
ReplyDeleteFor the church today to "live out the gospel" she must bring help, healing, and hope to the world around her through the love of Jesus. As each of us goes through each day, may we look for opportunities to do so.