[Article written by Matt Nevins. Originally published in his email newsletter “The Lamp.”]
Form follows function. Well designed structures that follow this rule have harmony, efficiency, and sufficiency. God, the Master Architect, has constructed and maintains an everlasting kingdom that will never be shaken. The spiritual function and form allows for the perpetual existence of the Church (1 Pet. 2:5). Contrary to the belief of some, the Church was not a mistake and is the product of an eternal purpose under subjection to the Christ (Eph. 1:22-23, 3:10-11). Changing the function of the Church circumvents the mighty wisdom of God and creates an unwholesome form.
The Church is one body made up of several members (1 Cor. 12:12-13). We find when each congregation gathers, spiritual sacrifices are offered. It is on the first day of the week when Christians gather to remember the purest sacrifice that was offered for the remission of sins (Acts 20:7). As each gives according to what he is able, the appropriate use of the funds is considered as a ‘fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice’ (Phil. 4:18). The focus upon the spiritual is vital to the function of the Church. Today denominations have minimized spirituality for a pseudo-spiritual environment of social extravaganza.
It was God’s desire to have His own people to glorify and serve Him. So what glorifies God? God is holy and expects His servants to act in such a way that will exemplify His attributes. The Israelites did not glorify God in their worship because of their religious harlotry and disgraceful sacrifices. Malachi noted the blind and lame sacrifices that were used and asked if the same animal to their governor (Mal. 1:8). “God is spirit and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (Jn. 4:24). It is the Church today that is given the charge to offer up spiritual sacrifices to the Lord.
What the Church is charged to execute does not negate individual responsibility. Paul said Christians are living sacrifices (Rom. 12:1-2). We are living as Christ would, which is an ongoing task (Gal. 2:20). Some want to discard all individual responsibility and make it belong to the congregation. This is contrary to the things written in the New Testament. The Scriptures teaches that individuals have responsibilities so that the congregation may not be hindered (1 Tim. 5:16). If we have ability and opportunity, a Christian is expected to meet the challenge. If the good deed is left undone, it is sin (Jms. 4:17). Sin will prevent the entry of a soul into heaven. The goal is clear, the means to get there also clear, but pride will distract individuals to stray and devise other routes and organisms contrary to the will of God.
Furthermore when congregations function just as the New Testament pattern, the form of the Church will be spiritual. The Church is the kingdom Christ promised He would build in which death would not be able to stop (Mt. 16:18). Therefore the kingdom is not of this world (Jn. 18:36). If the kingdom is not of this world, then the kingdom would be different, set apart, and even strange in comparison to the world and things of the world. The world itself embodies the physical wants and desires. In contrast the Church is God’s people who were sanctified for the purpose of good works serving the Master (Eph. 2:10; Tit. 2:14).
Analyzing the structure of the kingdom will reveal several spiritual aspects. The head of the Church is spiritual (Jn. 1:1), the headquarters where the King and His throne resides is a spiritual place (Acts 2:33), its citizenship is spiritual (Phil. 3:17-21), and the spiritual an unseen is eternal in nature (2 Cor. 4:16-5:5). Denominations today have its origins within the minds of men here on earth, establishing kingdoms of rebellion with physical headship, physical headquarters, physical citizenship, and is evident to the eye and is proving to be temporal. These kingdoms are easily shakable by destroying any link, as it is merely physical. However none of the links within the Church that God designed is able to be shaken because of its spiritual nature. You cannot destroy the King, headquarters, or the record of citizenry because it does not exist on this physical plane.
Those that died in faith in Hebrews 11:13-16 were looking toward the prize of the heavenly country which God has prepared. All in the book of life will have entry into that great land, which are those who have been added to the Church (Rev. 21:27; Rom. 6:20-23; 1 Cor. 1:2). There is ONE body that is claimed by the ONE head. Amending anything to the plans preserved in Scripture yields blasphemy. The wisdom of man cannot compare to even the foolishness of God.
Those who will complete an honest investigation to the true nature of the Church will find what God had in mind from before the foundation of the world. It takes humility and faith to discard self ambitions and wants to be under subjection to the Master. We do not see fiestas or large banquets and potlucks recorded in the New Testament. The Church grew because congregations and individuals were busy at the harvest, and did not have to deceptively lure people in with a meal. Has man truly become more intelligent than the Lord within the past 1,900 years? It is God who will judge in the last day, and it is the Bride that will be admitted into heaven and conform to the glory of Christ. The Church is concerned with spirituality, not with physical distractions. Which will you pursue?
