The Blueprint of the King: Understanding the One True Church

In a world where you can find a different church on every street corner—each with its own name, its own set of rules, and its own unique "flavor"—it is easy to become overwhelmed. Many people have concluded that the church is simply a "human club" where like-minded people gather. But if we look into the pages of the New Testament, we find something far more profound. We find that Jesus Christ did not come to start a collection of competing denominations; He came to build His church. I am a member of the church of Christ because I believe in the singular, spiritual body that Jesus promised to establish. Understanding the nature of the church is not about religious pride; it’s about submitting to the Lordship of Christ and following the blueprint He left behind.

The Promise and the Purchase

The story of the church begins with a promise. In Matthew 16, while in the region of Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asked His disciples, "Who do you say that I am?" Peter responded with the confession that changed history: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16). Jesus then made a definitive statement: "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18).

Notice three vital things in this verse:

 * The Owner: Jesus said, "My church." It belongs to Him.

 * The Number: He said "church" (singular), not "churches" (plural).

 * The Foundation: He built it on the "rock" of the truth that He is the Son of God.

This church wasn't just a casual idea; it was bought at a staggering price. Paul told the elders at Ephesus to "shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood" (Acts 20:28). When something is bought with the blood of the Son of God, it is not a "choice" among many—it is the most precious institution on earth.

The Body and the Head

One of the most common metaphors for the church in the Bible is the human body. Just as a physical body has many parts but functions as one unit, the church is the spiritual body of Christ. Paul writes in Ephesians 4:4-6: "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all..."

If there is only "one body," and the Bible tells us that the "body" is the church (Colossians 1:18), then biblically speaking, there is only one church. This body is not led by a committee in a far-off city or a single earthly man. Its Head is in Heaven. Because Christ is the Head, He has all authority. We do not have the right to change the "DNA" of the body. We don't change its mission, its message, or its membership requirements to suit the culture of the day. A body that does not follow the instructions of the head is paralyzed or diseased; the church must move only as Jesus directs through His Word.

A Call for Unity, Not Division

The religious world today is fractured into thousands of denominations, but this was never God's intent. In fact, the New Testament strictly forbids division. To the church in Corinth, which was beginning to split into factions based on favorite preachers, Paul wrote: "Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment" (I Corinthians 1:10).

When we wear human names (like Lutheran, Baptist, Methodist, or Catholic), we emphasize our traditional differences or elevate the name of a man-made doctrine. In the New Testament, the followers of Christ were simply called "Christians" (Acts 11:26). The congregations were referred to as "churches of Christ" (Romans 16:16) because they belonged to Him. By casting off denominational labels and human traditions, we can return to the simple unity that Jesus prayed for in John 17.

How Do We Enter the Church?

Perhaps the most misunderstood aspect of the church is how one becomes a member. In many modern groups, people "join" a church as they would a gym. But in the Bible, you don't join the church; the Lord adds you to it. On the day the church began—the Day of Pentecost—Peter preached the first gospel sermon. When the people realized they had crucified the Son of God, they asked, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" Peter didn't tell them to "join the church of their choice." He said: "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38). The result? "And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved" (Acts 2:47). The church is simply the "called out" (the ekklesia)—the sum total of all those who have been saved by the blood of Christ through obedience to the Gospel.

Conclusion

The church of Christ is not a building, and it is not a denomination. It is a divine relationship. It is the kingdom of God on earth, the bride of Christ, and the pillar and ground of the truth. I am a member of this church because I want to be part of the original "called out" group that follows only the King. We aren't trying to be a "new" church; we are striving to be the old church—the one you read about in your Bible. Why settle for a human imitation when you can belong to the one Jesus built?

You are loved.

Ray Reynolds

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