Part 9: The Church

Doc: Hi everyone! We’ve made it to our second-last study. Are you all ready?

What kind of people do you think are part of a church? Why do you think that?

Iino: Mmm.. good people? The kind of people who try hard to follow the teachings of the Bible.

Gō: I expected that church would be full of elite types – high status, well-educated, and rich – the kind that have it easy in life. Until Yoshiya invited me to come to church myself.

Yoshiya: Really? Is that what you thought? I’ve been coming to church since I was a kid, so everyone seemed “normal” to me. What did you think once you actually came, Gō?

Gō: Everyone was so friendly and welcoming. That was great. And it seemed like a really warm place. I certainly don’t think of it as a “country club” anymore! There were all sorts of people. And that’s what I like about church: anyone can come.

Doc: That’s right. Now, last time, we saw that if you accept the resurrected Son of God – Jesus Christ – as your Lord and Savior, you receive the gift of the Holy Spirit living inside (uchi) you, remember? Jesus lives today and his life fills believers too. Forgiven all their sin on the basis of Christ’s sacrifice outside (soto) the holy city, believers in Jesus now live a new life as the temple or house (uchi) of God’s Spirit. They aim to live like Jesus did in this world, and are delivered from the fear of death and eternal separation from God in the world to come. It’s joyful!

Gō: It certainly is. I used to think that being bound by God’s rules would cost me my freedom, but actually it’s the opposite: living as a Christian I’m now truly free and happy.

Iino: Yeah… these days you’ve seemed pretty cheerful, Gō. You’ve changed.

Gō: Really? I’m glad to hear that.

Doc: That’s great. But just a minute! Even though Gō has become a Christian and he now has a new relationship with God, that’s not the end of the matter.

Doc: This new relationship of uchi fellowship with God that believers are welcomed into is not just a personal “me and God” relationship. Instead, believers are welcomed into a new family, which the Bible calls the “church”. The biblical word for “church” refers not to a building but to a people, called out of the world by God, and gathered together to worship and serve him. The Bible has lots to say about the church. Yoshiya, would you read the verses from the letter to the Ephesians?

[Y]ou are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. 

New Testament, Ephesians 2:19-22

Doc: Thanks. Did you notice the reference to the “apostles and prophets”? The apostles were particular messengers commissioned directly by Jesus to teach with his own authority. The prophets spoke the word of God to God’s people. The words of the apostles and the prophets are written in the Bible. Their words carry the authority of God, so much that we can say the Bible is the written word of God. In other words, what the Bible says, God says.

Yoshiya: So the word of God is the church’s foundation, right?

Doc: That’s right.

What do these verses say about the relationship between believers and Jesus?

Gō: Jesus is the cornerstone and believers are the temple that’s built on him.

Iino: What’s a cornerstone?

Doc: It’s the most important stone, the one that keeps the whole structure standing. Sometimes it’s called the foundation stone or the capstone. 

Yoshiya: So without Christ, there’s no church!

What do these verses say about the relationship established between believers?

Iino: They’re fellow citizens.

Gō: And members of God’s household. [Note: In Japanese, God’s “family” (kazoku). The first kanji in 家族 (kazoku) can also be read uchi, in this case meaning “home”.]

Yoshiya: Growing together into a holy temple in the Lord.

Doc: Yes. Remember that last time we saw how each believer is now a temple of God’s Holy Spirit? In the verses we just read, there’s something else: believers are gathered together to make a temple or dwelling-place (uchi) for God.

The church is therefore a living, tangible expression of uchi fellowship in the midst of a world that has, for now, mostly rejected God. By the way, do you know what believers in Jesus were called?

Iino: Christians?

Doc: That’s right. The Bible describes how in a certain place the believers were first called Christians. At first, this was a term of abuse, used by the enemies of the church.

Everyone: Really?

Doc: Do you remember from last time that the church was persecuted in the early days? In time, Jesus’ people adopted the word “Christians” to describe themselves. The word refers to people who are “in Christ”, which is the way the Bible often talks about believers to express the special, close relationship they have with Jesus. The Bible has lots to say about how Christians should relate to one another in the church. Gō, could you read the next passage for us, please?

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 

New Testament, Colossians 3:12-15

What reasons or motivations are given for holy living in these verses?

Gō: Being chosen by God, holy and beloved.

Yoshiya: Being forgiven by God.

Doc: Yes. By the way, what does it mean to be “holy”?

Gō: I’ve never really thought about it.

Doc: The word “holy” means being set apart from the rest as something special. God himself is also the “holy” God. That means he alone is different and special, distinct from other false gods. In a similar way, Christians are holy. God has set them apart as special, by choosing them, loving them, and forgiving them. It’s because you’re made holy like this that you live a holy life. In this case, a holy life means a life without blemish, one that is pleasing to God.

Some people think that the Bible contains rules or conditions for holy living, which we must obey or fulfil in order for God to accept us into uchi fellowship. Why is this a misunderstanding of the good news (gospel) message?

Iino: I think that it’s because they’re people who have already been specially accepted into uchi fellowship that they live a holy life. It looks like the mistake is believing that if you live a holy life then you will be accepted.

Doc: Exactly!

If you have experience of church, is it like this description? Why, or why not?

Gō: Yeah, I guess so. What I noticed was that people were always praying about everything, and thanking God for everything.

Gō: And like I said before, my experience of church was that it was really welcoming.

Yoshiya: Yes, but the church is also a group of sinners, so there are also all sorts of issues. That’s why it’s so important to “put on love”, as verse 14 says: love “binds everything together in perfect harmony”.

Doc: That’s so true. Christians enjoy a new kind of fellowship with one another, as brothers and sisters in God’s household (uchi). They come together to worship God and to love one another. There’s lots of joy and encouragement as they grow together.

Doc: But that’s not all. Christians are also sent out (soto) from their gatherings to share the good news – gospel – message about Jesus with the world around them. In this calling, we hear an echo of the command given back in Genesis to Adam and Eve, to fill the earth and extend the boundaries of the holy temple that was the Garden of Eden.

Gō: Adam and Eve messed up, but unlike them, Christians have the Holy Spirit with us so we’ll be okay, I guess?

Doc: Yes. Jesus himself gave this commission to his apostles after his resurrection. By extension, the same commission is received by the whole church today. Iino, can I ask you to read it for us?

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

New Testament, Matthew 28:19-20

How do you understand the command to “make disciples of all nations”? 

Yoshiya: A disciple is a follower of the master. I think it means that we’re to grow the number of Christ-followers all over the world.

Gō: This is how the gospel reached us in Japan. It’s only because generations of Jesus’ disciples have followed this command.

How is the church doing this today?

Iino: By sharing the Bible message in studies like this one? And with special events, like at Christmas time.

Yoshiya: By sending out missionaries. 

Gō: And preaching the Bible each week in our church services. That’s “mission” too, right?

Doc: That’s true. This command of Jesus is known as the “Great Commission”. You notice how the disciples of Jesus are also commissioned to baptize people.

Iino: What’s “baptism”?

Gō: It’s like a washing ceremony that you receive when you believe in Jesus.

Doc: Baptism symbolises the washing away of sins, and it’s a ceremony that seals your salvation.

Jesus is calling you to belong to his church and be baptized. How will you respond?

Doc: Like last time, this final question is really one for Iino to think about. Alright, Next time is our final study. I’m looking forward to it already!

The ESV Bible. Crossway, 2001, www.esv.org/.