What is the church of Jesus Christ?
In simple terms the Church of Jesus Christ is the bride of Christ, or as it is sometimes called, the body of Christ.
To better understand what the body or bride of Christ is we must first understand who Jesus Christ is. The apostle John provides a good introduction to who and what Jesus is.
(Note - all references are from the King James Translation of the Bible)
John 1
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
This “Word” is identified as both God (verse 1) and Jesus Christ (verse 14) - meaning that Jesus and God are equal and the same, and by this passage we understand that the world was created by him. Therefore Jesus Christ, though he became a man of flesh as we are (even though he was conceived by the power of God and not by the will or action of man), yet he retained his fully divine identity.
Knowing this about Jesus helps us to understand that there is a difference between him and us: He existed in the beginning before us (verses 1, 2), and he created us (verse 3). We are further
shown that he is a being of grace and truth who is willing to call us “sons of God” if we will believe on his name. The term “believe” in this context means more than simple acknolwedgment, but more fully means that it is the willful and purposeful choice to follow Christ and his teachings, recognizing both his divinity and his sacrifice for our benefit.
Jesus Christ, being the Father (because of the Spirit of God) and the Son (because of the flesh), is therefore the central figure in all worship and study for those who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ.
There are some things that The Church of Jesus Christ is not, and it is worth noting here.
- The Church of Jesus Christ is not a place for saved souls to congratulate one another. Rather, the church is an help-meet – or in other words, a principal body of people held together by the Gospel (a modern term might be “support group”), which Jesus uses to help his people work out their salvation step by step with fear and trembling before God, thereby helping to perfect those that are imperfect so that they might be saved. Paul put it this way in his letter to the people at Ephesus:
Ephesians 4
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
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Membership in the church does not guarantee salvation, becoming a member does not make one perfect, and the church cannot forgive you of your sins. In fact, the church itself cannot save even a single soul, as this power is solely the dominion of the Savior himself. Matters of salvation cannot be controlled by the church, nor will it ever be able to do so. The Church of Jesus Christ did not suffer on the cross for our sins; only Jesus Christ himself has done this.
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