The Universal Church is a company of called out believers in Jesus Christ and they make up the Body of Christ and belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. So what is the Local church?

In the Bible, the local church is a group of professed believers gathered together in one location. In the Book of Acts we see references to the church in Jerusalem, the church of Antioch, and the church of Ephesus. In Paul’s epistles we see specific references to the church of Corinth, the churches of Galatia, the church of Laodiceans (Col. 4:16), the church of Thessalonians, and the churches in Judea. In the Book of Revelation, we see references to seven churches in Asia. But are these churches THE church? Even today, we have churches all over the place but are they THE church? Is this church here in Fernwood THE church? No. Even on the local church level, we are not THE church – none of these churches are. Local churches are still not the brick and wood buildings, but are the people in those buildings. The buildings are good to have because it can get pretty cold and windy outside, but they do not make the church. So does that mean that our assembly of called out believers here are THE church? No, but we are a part of it. The local church is part of the larger Body of Christ or Universal church. Ideally, the local church should be a duplicate of the True Church which is part of the Body of Christ. The members of the local church should be striving to conform to the image of Jesus Christ. Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

The foundation of the Universal Church is the same as the local church – Jesus Christ. The question becomes whether or not the group of people that state that they are a local church has actually made Jesus Christ their foundation. Just because a church building has the word “church” on it, does not mean that Jesus Christ is their foundation. The “church’s” disobedience does not change the fact that the true church still has Jesus Christ as its rock. Too many churches have made man as their foundation or have been built upon traditions. Traditions and rules that have been decided by man too often rule a church more than Jesus Christ gets to rule that church. Within the Universal Church, what is true at one local church should be true at another local church IF those two local churches have made Jesus Christ their foundation. Therefore, when one local church is blessed by God, all the local churches are blessed. Likewise, when one local church is hurting, the other local churches are affected.

1Corinthians 12:25-27 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.  (26)  And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.  (27)  Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

So if one church has been blessed, we should rejoice with it! We should be happy for it because the cause of Jesus Christ has been furthered. If we grumble or are envious, then we need to ask ourselves whose cause are we really looking to further. When a local church is having problems, then all local churches are affected by that problem and each believer is affected by it – remember the True Church is made up of individuals called together by God. No matter how much a person may try to ignore it, when there is a problem in a church it does affect the rest. Matthew 18 gives guidance to the believer when a fellow has offended that believer, but Galatians 6:1, 2 goes even further.

Gal 6:1-2 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.  (2)  Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

If the local church rejoices when other believers are blessed and hurts when other believers are hurt, then regardless of what local church a person “belongs” to, they should be able to help (through the guidance of the Holy Spirit) restore one that is overtaken in a fault. We are all members of the same church by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Galatians 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. (emphasis mine)

The Local church is part of the Larger Church of Jesus Christ and needs to replicate Jesus Christ in its practices. The Local church should be founded on the Gospel of Jesus Christ – His death, burial, and resurrection – and based on the Word of God, the Bible. It is through the Bible that we can best know God and what He wants from the local church.