God Calls us His Church

Metaphor: God’s Church

Concept: The Church, those who have believed in and received Jesus as their Lord and Savior are God’s Church.
1 Tim 3:5 For if a man does not know how to rule his own household, how is he to take care of the church of God? AMP

Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament says the following concerning the church;

The word "church" is ‎ekkl¢sia‎, "a called-out body of individuals who assemble in a certain place"; in the Christian sense, the Mystical Body of Christ, composed of believing sinners called into salvation. The word is also used of a local church or assembly.
Since we are God’s called out ones we must seek to please Him and offer love respect and appreciation for the others who are a part of His Church.
When I was a young pastor I would hear other pastors talk about their church. Now, I was not raised in church so this was confusing to me. I knew they were referring to the church where they were pastor, but it still bothered me.
I was invited to speak at a regional gathering of pastors from our fellowship. I was a young pastor zealous for God and His kingdom and less than tolerant and I might add perhaps lacking wisdom when it came to those who were off the mark when it came to anything concerning God. My sermon that day began by reading several passages about the Church.
I asked several questions of those who there; What is the Church? How did it come into being? What was its purpose? To whom did it offer praise and whose word was it teaching? What is the value of a Church name?
Finally I got to the question I wanted to ask. Whose Church is it or to whom does it belong? By then many in the crowd had caught on to where I was going and why.
If we who are pastors claim that the church is ours, then our job just became God’s job and no one is up to accomplishing that Job but God Himself. Just as the Church is God’s as a group every believer is God’s.
Since we do not own or control them let us not judge them or pretend that we are superior in any way. We are all saved by Grace and we are all the recipients of God’s goodness. Freely we have revived therefore let us freely give of His goodness and grace remembering that we are His and His alone.
Help us today Lord to be your called-out body of individuals who serve you and honor you in all our ways.

Artwork: Keys to the Kingdom by William Hallmark