There is a lot of confusion regarding the church.  Most people mistake denominational churches for the Lord’s church.  The problem with denominational churches is that they are started at the wrong time, in the wrong place, and by the wrong people.  The church that belongs to Christ started in the first century (Acts 2:47), in Jerusalem (Acts 1:4; 2:5), by Christ (Matthew 16:18). The first denomination was not produced for nearly five hundred years after the church was built by Jesus.

The confusion regarding the church goes deeper than just denominationalism.  Most people do not even know what the church is.  It is because of this that some ask, “must I be a member of the church?”  The person who knows what the church is would never ask if he must be a member of it.

What is the church?  The Greek word for church is ekklēsia, referring to people who have been “called out.”  It is not, of itself, a particularly religious word.  It was used to refer to an angry mob in Acts 19:32, 41.  When Jesus, however, adds the pronoun my before the word ekklēsia, now we are looking at a special assembly of people—people called out by Christ.  How does Jesus call people to be a part of His church?  He does so by the gospel.

2 Thessalonians 2:14 (KJV)
¹⁴  Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Christ does not call some people one way and other people another way.  Everyone is called by the same gospel.  This is why Paul referred to it as “the power of God unto salvation” in one place (Romans 1:16), and as “the law of the Spirit of life” in another place (Romans 8:2).  When people respond to the gospel call, they are saved from sin and added to the church.

Acts 2:47 (NKJV)
⁴⁷  Praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

Since a person is saved and added to the church at the same time, we see that the church is made up of the saved.  So, what is the church?  It is the assembly of Christ composed of those who have been saved by the gospel.

When we know what the church is, we also know why it is essential to be a part of it.  If you are not a member of the church of Christ, that is, the church that belongs to Him, which He purchased with own blood (Acts 20:28), then you are not saved.  If you were, you would have been added to the church.  So, obviously, you must be a member of the church.

I should point out (since most of you reading this blog are already members of the Lord’s church) that to maintain the salvation you achieved when you obeyed the gospel, you must continue to be faithful to the Lord (Revelation 2:10).  We do this by living according to the same gospel by which we were called.

Ephesians 4:1 (NKJV)
¹  I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.