This will be more of a topical Bible study today, so I will be referring to multiple passages of Scripture. But I will begin with a definition of “church” (the ekklesia). From the Greek interlinear: “Properly, people called out from the world and to God, the outcome being the Church (the mystical body of Christ) – i.e. the universal (total) body of believers whom God calls out from the world and into His eternal kingdom.” (see biblehub.com)
For we are called to be God’s holy people, and to be holy is to be separate (unlike, different) from the world because we are being made to be like Jesus Christ in his character and values and attitudes and actions and words.
[Rom 1:6-7; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-29; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 1:9; 1 Co 3:17; 1 Co 6:19-20; 2 Co 5:15,21; Gal 5:13-21; Eph 1:3-4; Eph 2:10,21; Eph 5:27; Col 1:22; Col 3:12; 1 Thess 4:7; 2 Tim 1:8-9; 2 Tim 2:21; 1 Pet 1:13-16; 1 Pet 2:5-9,24; 2 Pet 1:3; Tit 2:11-14; Lu 9:23-26; Eph 4:17-24; 1 Jn 2:3-6]
Therefore, the church is not a building. It is not an institution nor a creation in the minds of human beings. It is not a corporation under the state, not a business, not a church denomination, and it is not to be marketed to the world just like any other business. For Jesus said that his house (his body, his church) is to be a house of prayer. It is not to be turned into a house of trade, i.e. a place of business to be marketed to the people of this world.
And we who are the church, the body of Christ, are not to be unequally yoked (joined) together with unbelievers (the ungodly). We are not to be in partnership (participation, fellowship) with the ungodly (the world). Jesus called us out of the world to be separate, not to partner with the world in business and thus to alter the character of God, his church, and his gospel, in order to draw in large crowds of people from the world into our gatherings.
But we are to come out of their midst and be separate from them, and we are to touch no unclean thing (not participate in what is worldly and evil), and then God will welcome us, and he will be a father to us, and we will be his sons and daughters. We are to come out of “Babylon” (the worldly fleshly “church”) lest we take part in her sins, lest we share in her plagues; for her sins are heaped high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.
[Matthew 21:12-13; John 2:13-17; Acts 5:27-32; 1 Corinthians 1:10-17; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; Philippians 3:18-19; Revelation 13:5-8; Revelation 18:1-5]
For most of what is called “church” today are these businesses which are being marketed to the world in order to attract the ungodly to their gatherings. And they don’t even operate as the biblical body of Christ is to operate, for there is usually just one man who does all the talking and one small group of select musicians who do all the music and singing, and some of the talking and music does not even give true glory and honor to God.
And the gospel message is being altered and diluted, as are the character of God and of his true church, in order to make them appealing and acceptable to the ungodly and to human flesh. So not many are teaching that to have salvation from sin and eternal life with God we must be crucified with Christ in death to sin and raised with him to walk in newness of life in him no longer as slaves to sin but now as servants of righteousness who obey God.
And not only is that a serious issue, but in most of these gatherings they are not operating as the biblical body of Christ. For we who believe in Jesus with genuine faith in him are all to have a part in the body as those who teach, instruct, exhort, encourage, urge, and provoke one another to love and to good deeds and away from false gospels and away from being taken captive to sin, and to walks of faithful obedience to our Lord in holy living.
[Romans 12:1-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31; Galatians 6:1; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:1-16; Ephesians 5:15-21; Philippians 2:1-8; Colossians 3:16; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:13; Hebrews 10:23-25; James 5:19-20]
So, make certain that you are truly in Christ through genuine God-given faith which results in you being crucified with Christ in death to sin and being raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer as slaves to sin but as slaves to God and to his righteousness. And come of out these institutions of man which are marketing the church to the world and thus are altering the character of God and of his church and of his gospel message.
And then join in fellowship with other genuine followers of Christ where you can use your spiritual gifts for the mutual strengthening and encouragement of the body of Christ so that none of us are led astray by sin’s deceitfulness, and so that none of us are captive to the teachings of humans in their cunning and deceitful scheming, but where we can all speak the truth in love to one another so that we can all grow to maturity in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Video Talk
https://youtu.be/qdcT4j7siv4
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Oh, to Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer
Lyrics by Thomas O. Chisholm, 1897
Music by W. J. Kirkpatrick, 1897
Oh, to be like Thee! blessèd Redeemer,
This is my constant longing and prayer;
Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.
Oh, to be like Thee! full of compassion,
Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,
Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,
Seeking the wandering sinner to find.
O to be like Thee! lowly in spirit,
Holy and harmless, patient and brave;
Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,
Willing to suffer others to save.
O to be like Thee! while I am pleading,
Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love;
Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,
Fit me for life and Heaven above.
Oh, to be like Thee! Oh, to be like Thee,
Blessèd Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrYhiK2nQBg
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