We may consider the church in two points of view. First, it is the formation of the children of God into one body united to Christ Jesus ascended to heaven, the glorified man, and that by the power of the Holy Spirit. In the second place, it is the house or habitation of God by the Spirit.
The Saviour gave Himself, not only to save perfectly all those who believe in Him, but also to gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad. It is one thing that there are individuals saved, children of God, heirs of glory in heaven; quite another is their union with Christ, so as to be members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones; yet another it is to be the habitation of God through the Spirit. We will speak of these latter points.
There is nothing clearer in the holy Scripture of truth than that the church is the body of Christ. This doctrine is largely unfolded in Ephesians 1-3. What is clearer than this word: “He ... gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body” (Eph. 1:20-2320Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. (Ephesians 1:20‑23))? This marvelous fact began as soon as Christ was glorified in the heavens, even though all that is contained in these verses is not yet accomplished. God has raised us up with Him and has seated us together in Him in the heavenly places — not yet with Him, but “in Him.” And in chapter 3, “Which [mystery] was not in other ages made known to the sons of men, as it is now revealed to His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; that the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs and of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ by the gospel ... that now unto the principalities and powers in the heavenly places might be known, by the church, the manifold wisdom of God” (Eph. 3:5-6,105Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; 6That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: (Ephesians 3:5‑6)
10To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, (Ephesians 3:10)).
The Church Formed
by the Holy Spirit
Here, then, is the church formed on earth by the Holy Spirit descended from heaven, after the glorification of Christ. It is united to Christ, its heavenly Head, and all true believers are His members by means of the same Spirit.
In 1 Corinthians 12, the Apostle speaks of the church on the earth, not of a future church which shall be made good in heaven, nor even of churches scattered over the world, but of the church as a whole, represented, however, by the church at Corinth. The totality of the church is clearly seen in the words, “God hath set some in the church: first, apostles; secondarily, prophets; thirdly, teachers; after that, miracles; then gifts of healing.” It is evident that apostles were not in a particular church and that the gifts of healing could not be exercised in heaven. It is the church universal on earth. This church is the body of Christ, and the true believers are its members. It is one by the baptism of the Holy Spirit. “As the body is one and hath many members, and all the members of this one body, though many, are one body; so also is Christ” (vs. 12). Then, after having said that all these many members work, each in its own function, in the body, he adds (vs. 27), “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” Bear in mind that this is come to pass by the baptism of the Holy Spirit come down God has given to men a number of important responsibilities. Lord willing, we will consider a few of them in the next issue.
from heaven. Consequently, this body exists on earth and embraces all Christians wherever they may be; they have received the Holy Spirit whereby they are members of Christ and members one of another. Oh, how beautiful is the unity! If one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it together.
The Habitation of God
There is, as we have said, another character of the church on earth; it is the habitation of God on earth. The presence of the Holy Spirit is what characterizes true believers in Christ individually. “Your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost” (1 Cor. 6:19). But Christians taken together are also the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwells in them collectively (1 Cor. 3:16). The church then is God’s habitation on earth by the Spirit. Most precious privilege! The presence of God Himself, the source of joy, strength and wisdom for His people! “Jesus Christ ... in whom all the building, fitly framed together, groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord; in whom ye also are built together for a habitation of God through the Spirit” (Eph. 2:20-2220And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:20‑22)). The intention of God is to have a temple formed, made up of all that believe after that God had broken down the partition-wall that shut out the Gentiles; this building grows till all Christians are united in glory. But meanwhile the believers on earth form a tabernacle of God — His habitation through the Spirit who abides in the midst of the church.
More than this, in 1 Timothy 3 the Apostle refers to “the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” We see here that the Christian is responsible to maintain the truth in the world. The church does not teach; teachers instruct, but the Christian maintains the truth by being faithful to it. It is the witness of the truth in the world.
One Only Church
What was the state of the church when it began at Jerusalem? We find that the power of the Spirit of God was wonderfully manifested. It is true that the evil of the heart of man soon appeared, but at the same time the Holy Spirit was in the church and acted there and was sufficient for putting out evil and changing it into good. The church, however, was one, known by the world. One only church, filled with the Holy Spirit, bore testimony to the salvation of God and to His presence on earth. And to this church God added all those who were to be saved.
All Christians were known, all admitted publicly into the church, Gentiles as well as Jews. The unity was manifested. All the saints were members of one body, of Christ’s body. The unity of the body was owned, and it was a fundamental truth of Christianity. In each locality there was the manifestation of this unity of the church of God on the earth, so that an epistle of Paul, addressed to the church of God at Corinth, arrived at a single assembly. If a member of Christ’s body went from Ephesus to Corinth, he would have been equally and necessarily also a member of Christ’s body in this latter assembly. In the Word we do not find the idea of members of a church, but members of Christ.
The Gifts for Ministry
Ministry, as it is presented in the Word, is likewise a proof of this same truth. The gifts, source of ministry, given by the Holy Spirit, were in the church (1 Cor. 12:28,8-12). Those who possessed them were members of the body. Apollos was a teacher at Corinth; he was also a teacher at Ephesus. This unity and the free activity of the members are found realized in the time of the apostles. Each gift was fully owned as efficacious to accomplish the work of the Lord and was freely exercised. The more one reads the Acts of the apostles, the more one reads the epistles, the more one sees this unity and this truth. The Holy Spirit, when He governs, necessarily unites brethren together and acts in each according to the aim which He has proposed to Himself in uniting them, that is to say, according to His own aim. Thus the presence of the Holy Spirit gathers together all the saints in one body and works in each according to His will, guiding them in the Lord’s service for the glory of God and the edification of the body.
Such was the church. How is it now and where is it found now on earth? The members of Christ’s body are now dispersed — many hidden in the world, others in the midst of religious corruption; some in one sect, some in another, in rivalry one with another to gain over the saved. Many, thank God, do seek unity, but how many have found it? “That they all may be one,” says the Lord, “that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me.” But the unity of the body is not manifested. The testimony the church gives now is this, that the Holy Spirit with His power and grace is unable to surmount the causes of the divisions. The church — once beautiful, united, heavenly — has lost its character; it is hidden in the world; the Christians themselves are worldly, covetous, eager for riches, honor, power — like the children of the age. The greatest part of what bears the name of Christian is the seat of the enemy or infidel, and the true Christians are lost in the midst of the multitude.
The Visible Glory
In the Old Testament, the glory of God, His real visible presence, was once at Jerusalem, and His throne was over the cherubim, but ever since the Babylonish captivity His presence abandoned Jerusalem, and His glory as well as His presence were no more in the temple in the midst of the people. Such will be the issue of the Christian system, if it does not continue in the goodness of God. But it has not continued in God’s goodness.
Surely all true Christians will be preserved and caught up to heaven, yet for what concerns the testimony of the church on earth, the house of God through the Spirit, it will eventually exist no more. Peter had said already, “The time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God (1 Peter 4:17). And in Paul’s time the mystery of iniquity was already working and was to be continued till the man of sin appeared; already in the Apostle’s time all sought their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s. Paul tells us further that after his departure there should enter among the Christians in the church grievous wolves, not sparing the flock, and that in the last days perilous times should come, men having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof, that evil men and seducers should wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived, and that finally the apostasy should come.
It is true that we shall be caught up to heaven, but, along with that, ought we not to mourn over the ruin of the house of God? Yes, we should mourn over that which was formerly one, a beautiful testimony to the glory of its Head by the power of the Holy Spirit, united, heavenly, so that the world could recognize the effect of the power of the Holy Spirit that put the well-being of men above all human motives, and, causing distinctions and diversities among them to disappear, made believers in all countries and of all classes to be one family, one body, one church, a mighty testimony to the presence of God on earth in the midst of men.
If the house of God is still on the earth and the Holy Spirit abides in it, is He not grieved at the state of the church? And if He abides in us, should not our hearts be afflicted and humbled at the dishonor done to Christ and the destruction of the testimony that the Holy Spirit came down from heaven to bear, in the unity of the church of God? He who compares the church as it is described in the New Testament with its present state will feel his heart profoundly saddened by seeing the church’s glory dragged into the dust and the enemy triumphing in the confusion of the people of God.
Christ’s Glory
Finally, Christ has confided His glory on earth to the church. It was the depositary of that glory. Has the church preserved this deposit and maintained the glory of Christ on the earth? The Lord shed tears of grief over Jerusalem; shall we shed none over that which is still dearer to His heart? I may be apart from all the iniquity which corrupts the house of God, but nevertheless, as Christ’s servant, I ought to identify myself with the glory of Christ and with its manifestations to the world. By and by God will establish His own glory according to His counsels, but first of all, man is responsible where God has set him. We have been set in the church of God, in His house, in the habitation of His glory on the earth.
J. N. Darby, adapted