06/16/11 THE CHURCH AND SPIRITUAL ASTIGMATISM

06/16/11 THE CHURCH AND SPIRITUAL ASTIGMATISM
(taken from my Promiselander's Musings)

The Church is not man's idea or invention. The Church is the idea and creation of God. A proper view of the Church is God's view of the Church.

Astigmatism is blurred vision because the eyes do not focus sharply on an object.

Spiritual Astigmatism is when a person does not have a clear understanding of Biblical truth. There is a great deal of Spiritual Astigmatism because people do not have a Biblical view of the Church.

The Lens of the Church...
If a person does not have a correct view of the Church, he does not have a correct view of the Christian faith. If a person does not have a correct view of the Church, he does not have a correct view of salvation. If a person does not have a correct view of the Church, he does not have a correct view of God.

From God's Point of View...
It is God Who gave the Church its exalted position. Read the Book. Also, the first generations of believers understood the importance of the Church in God's plan of salvation. As aberrant groups tried to replace Biblical beliefs with false doctrines, the early believers correctly pointed out that there is no salvation outside of the Church. Sadly, the various organized sects within the Church claimed to be the only true church and said there was no salvation outside of their organization (as seen in Romanism).

God's New Testament Models of the Church
The Body of Christ (Ro. 12:4-5; 1 Co. 12:27-28).
The Bride of Christ (Ep. 5:23-33).
The Household of Faith, of God (Ga. 6:10; Ep. 2:19-22).
The Building/House of God (Ep. 2:19-22; 1 Pe. 2:5)
The Pillar and Support of the Truth (1 Tm. 3:15).

Biblical Concepts...
The Church was a Divine mystery, hidden until Christ came (Ep. 3:3-10).
The Church belongs to Christ, is being built by Christ and will defeat the powers of hell (Mt. 16:18}.
Christ died for the Church (Ep. 5:23).
Christ is Head of Church (Co. 1:18).
Christ is coming back for the Church (Ep. 5:27).
The gifts of the Holy Spirit were given to the Church (1 Co. 12:7, 14:4-5,12).
The Church holds the Keys to the Kingdom and is vital to the salvation of the lost (Mt. 16:19, 18:17-19).
God has appointed officers in the Church; elders/deacons (Ph. 1:1; 1 Tm. 3:10-13; 1Tm. 5:17-19).
The Church was given Divinely gifted leaders, to convert the lost and perfect the believers; apostles, prophets, evangelists and pastor/teachers (Ep. 4:11-12).
The ministry of the apostles was to plant churches and appoint elders in those churches (Ac. 15:3, 23).
God gave authority to the Church to tend to His business (Ac. 15:2-6).

For Further Consideration...
The Book of Acts is God's record of the origin, planting, growth and ministries of the early Church.
More than half of the New Testament books were written to either churches or pastors.
God directed John to send His Revelation to seven churches.

Therefore Remember...
The Church is God's chosen institution to reach the lost and to sustain the believer, therefore, an incorrect view of the Church is an incorrect view of the Christian faith, salvation and God.

Launch Out and Hold Fast,
Pastor David L. Gould