A significant question – rarely considered. Some thoughts from our Editor.
Should we use the term ‘church’ at all? Is it in fact misleading, and does the term undermine Jesus’ lazer-like Kingdom- focus, as He expresses the true good news?
Careless talk costs …..
Is the good news the good new of the ‘church’, or of the Kingdom? As Christians, do we urge people to come into ‘the church’, or into the Kingdom? In the olden days they used to say, “careless talk costs lives”. Perhaps in the spiritual realm the phrase should today be “careless talk costs souls – for eternity”. Careless talk emerges from careless thinking.
When we invite people ‘to church’, what images go through their minds? Almost inevitably, when we invite people ‘to church’, if they are non-Believers, then we are hoping – in some sense – that they will become members of that ‘church’ (our church!) and so help to ‘support’ it. Yes we might also have a genuine hope they will meet Jesus in His glory and so be saved by Him for eternity. But the practical outworking in our minds, in our actions, and often in our language, is that the new believer shall – in some manner – become a ‘member’ of our local institution.
Called-in or called-out?
Bluntly the term church (not found in Scripture – see below) makes people think of institutions, with their inevitable internal ‘politics’ and squabbles, and their claims and counterclaims that are sometimes mutually exclusive. Salvation is simple – albeit immeasurably costly – as it cost Jesus His life. Salvation is brought by Jesus, not by theologians in their ‘churches’.
Rather, should we be speaking of those called out? Those called out of Babylon and into Zion. Those called out from death and into life. Those called out to be Jesus’ witnesses – in the world but not of the world (John 17: 11 and 14-15 ). Those called out to live pure lives for Jesus. Those called out from this world, who will recognize themselves as being ‘strangers living in a foreign land’ (1 Peter 2: 11-12).
The following is taken from the Glossary of the One New Man Bible, with permission:
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Congregation is the appropriate translation of the Greek word Ekklesia, which means a group of people who have gathered for some particular purpose. Although often translated as ‘church’, no Greek word meaning ‘church’ is used in the Greek New Testament. Another Greek word sometimes translated ‘church’, in James 2:2, is Synag?g?, now written ‘synagogue’ in English.
Synag?g? means a gathering of people or an assembly. ‘Church’ is not an appropriate translation of either word because that in our minds refers to an organization or to a building, while both Greek words, Ekklesia and Synag?g?, refer to people. The people are far more important than the organization or the building. Therefore in this translation Ekklesia is always translated congregation, and Synag?g? is translated synagogue or public gathering. Ekklesia is also used in the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, where it is translated congregation. Since the authors of the Bible did not use a word for Church, the word Church does not appear in the Scripture of this [One New Man Bible] volume.
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So what?!
The One New Man Bible is absolutely right (above). So what are the practical implications of this truth? What does it mean for you and for me, as we seek to live for Jesus?
At its most profound is the truth that all true followers of Jesus are part of a worldwide eternal family, of those called-in to the Kingdom, and called-out of the world. Our home is in heaven, as opposed to here. Our Father is in heaven, albeit He is also here through His Son and through His Spirit. He is leading His people home ……
When Jesus speaks about rebellion in the body of those who claim to follow Him, very often it seems that Jesus is focusing on those institutions (and their leaderships) that claim to speak in His Name. Yes, there is undoubtedly an individual dynamic to rebellion; I am guilty of rebellion; you are guilty of rebellion, and there’s no hiding away from Jesus’ lazer-like understanding of our regular attempts to pin the blame for our sin on some third-party. But sadly, too, there can very often be a corporate aspect as well. We are called jointly to test the spirits (1 John 4) and jointly to select and appoint ekklesia leaders. We are called to do this carefully and faithfully (1 Timothy 3).
Perhaps most profoundly, we need to recognize that where in modern Bible translations we find the word ‘church’, we need to treat it as a questionable translation (and have a much clearer idea in our own minds as to what the correct word ‘ekkesia’ actually imparts and imports). The gates of hell cannot stand against Jesus’ ekklesia (Matthew 16: 17-19). That is profoundly true. Yet it appears that, all too often, the gates of hell encompass at least part of the ‘institutional church’ and potentially lulls Believers into a false sense of security (Matthew 25: 1-13).
A matter for prayerful reflection.
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Peter Sammons, Christian Comment’s Editor, is author of “Rebel Church”, sub-titled “A challenge and an encouragement to the Believer”. It is freely available as a PDF here: https://christian-publications-int.com/images/PDF/RebelChurch.pdf . The book is also available in paperback form.
Group discussion topics associated with Rebel Church are here:
https://christian-publications-int.com/images/PDF/RebelChurchStudyNotes.pdf
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