The role of the Church is to deliver the message of eternal life so that believers may have life abundantly and eternally.
However, I feel that we as a church throughout history have done an incredibly poor job of conveying this basic message. The result is that there are millions of people who go to church regularly, good honest and loving people, yet they do not have eternal life.
I must confess and this may be true of you also, I had been a member of a church ever since birth but I never had the true knowledge and acceptance of eternal life. It just wasn’t embedded in me. I had come to learn and believe that the role of the church was to gather people in order to worship God, serve and volunteer. The more members of a church, the “better” the church was.
General View Towards the Churches Role
This is the problem. Most people do not have a clear distinction and understanding of why the Church exists. Also, as confessing ” has been” lukewarm Christian, I never realized it myself.
The general consensus is very clearly articulated in this post Although the article objective is different, it’s a good view of how most normal people think of the church.
- Jesus didn’t come to heal the healthy, He came to heal the sick. We must embrace everyone no matter how sick.
- However a good shepherd will see if there is someone in the flock whose intention is actually bad and should take steps to evict that person who is preying on the flock. That is a wolf in sheep clothing.
- To build up the people who attend. Help them find meaning in life (where they fit in the body). Give them an identity as God’s children. Share our love, peace, patience, kindness (the fruit) with them… until they begin showing their own fruit and then are able to share their fruit
- To have a positive spiritual impact on society around us. This happens by praying for the city and country you live in
- To grow God’s Kingdom by either by supporting missions or by being a missionary
The Role of the Church
This is where I beg to differ and what many people will disagree with. But the main purpose of the Church is clear and is what Paul and Barnabus set out to do in the book of Acts. They weren’t talking about events, living your best life or finances. They spoke the truth with power, authority and fire and those that listened received eternal life.
“Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses. Take care that what the prophets have said does not happen to you:
” ‘Look, you scoffers,
wonder and perish,
for I am going to do something in your days
that you would never believe,
even if someone told you.”……….
On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and talked abusively against what Paul was saying.
Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. For this is what the Lord has commanded us:
” ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles,
that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.”When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed. - Acts 13:38-48
Within the kingdom of Christ, there is no gray area. His words and teachings cut like a knife. It’s just us that over time we’ve added our own thoughts and reasonings to the scripture. We’ve greyed it out.
The role of the Church is to bring true and saving eternal life to people. I will discuss what true saving faith is in another post.
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