To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
1 Corinthians 1:2 NKJV
In recent days, I’ve been thinking a lot about the Church. That word conjures up different pictures and emotions for everyone, usually depending on personal experience with some group. I’ve come to believe that many of us have drifted a bit from the original intent. I suppose we could spend a lot of time debating the finer points of how it ought to be done, but today, just a simple thought about what it is. The Bible uses the term “Church” to refer to the universal company of those who believe. It’s also used to address a specific group of believers, in this case, “which is at Corinth.” The church is both universal and local. The common link is, “all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.”
The Greek word that we translate as “church” is ekklēsia. It comes from a verb meaning “to call out.” It was used to describe any group who were called together for a purpose, or who were separated from the general population by a common interest or characteristic. In the verse above, Paul gave us a real primer on the meaning. This church is in a place: Corinth. They are sanctified, set apart, by faith in Christ. They are called to be saints, to live in a manner indicative of their separation. They are part of a larger group consisting of everyone everywhere who names Jesus Christ as Lord. It is the gathering of “the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. (Acts 20:28)”
As we head to our local assembly of saints today, let’s be thinking of our purpose. We are called out of the world, separated to the Lord, and connected to one another by whose we are. It’s a big deal. I am grateful to be part of it.
pastorvirgil.com 