So what IS the Church? Well,let us examine what the church is not first. The church is not an extension of Judaism. The church is different from Judaism because of the grace of God and requiring the believer to be under the commandments of the Law. We no longer have to perform animal sacrifices to cover our sins. We no longer need priests or the dietary restrictions found in the Book of Leviticus. We no longer follow the Law that was given to Moses,because Jesus Christ fulfilled the Law and believers are under God’s grace which actually expects more of the believer than the Law ever did (read Matthew chapters 5-7). Some denominations today teach that Jesus Christ needs to sacrificed at every communion service and have their own version of the Levitical priesthood. All of the was done away with when Jesus Christ became our high priest and became the final sacrifice necessary to not only cover sins,but to wash them away.
Hebrews 9:24-26 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands,which are the figures of the true;but into heaven itself,now to appear in the presence of God for us: (25) Nor yet that he should offer himself often,as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; (26) For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world:but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
The Church is not the Kingdom of Heaven or of God. These two phrases,Kingdom of Heaven and Kingdom of God refer to a future time when Jesus Christ will reign here on earth for one thousand years. The Church is part of the Kingdom of God —John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him,Verily,verily,I say unto thee,Except a man be born again,he cannot see the kingdom of God. The Church is part of the Kingdom of Heaven —Matthew 18:3 And said,Verily I say unto you,Except ye be converted,and become as little children,ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
The Church is not a denomination. We have many different churches today but none of them is THE Church. We have the Episcopal church,the Presbyterian church,the Roman Catholic church,the Methodist church,the Baptist church,and even the Church of God and the Church of Christ,but none of these are the “true” church as some of these claim to be.
Charles Spurgeon declared:A plague on denominationalism! There should be but one denomination. We should be denominated by the name of Christ,as the wife is named by her husband’s name. As long as the church of Christ has to say,“My right arm is Episcopalian,my left arm is Wesleyan,my right foot is Baptist,and my left foot is Presbyterian,” she is not ready for the marriage. She will be ready when she has washed out these stains,when all her members have “one Lord,“one faith,one baptism” (Ephesians 4:5).
The denominational names serve to show what belief system they have,but if we were all following and loving God as the Bible shows us,then we would not have the different denominations out there calling themselves “Christian.” And it almost always the stand a denomination takes on the Bible that determines what they believe. What you believe about anything affects what you believe about everything and will dictate your actions (Dr. Crowley).