How does God genuinely build churches (not crowds) and Christians?
As I have pondered the question, inevitably my mind comes back to Jesus' famous statement that "He will build His church."
In that passage, Jesus conveys the means by which He builds churches and Christians for all of history. Jesus, in response to Peter's confession that He (Jesus) is the Christ, the Son of God stated the following:"17And Jesus said to him,"Blessed are you,SimonBarjona, becauseflesh and blood did not revealthisto you, but My Father who is in heaven.18I also say to you that you arePeter, and upon thisrock I will build My church; and the gates ofHades will not overpower it.19I will give youthe keys of the kingdom of heaven; andwhatever you bind on earthshall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earthshall have been loosed in heaven."(Matthew 16:17-19)
Jesus tells Peter that HE will build the church, and He tells Peter upon this "rock" He will do it inverse 18.
What is the rock?
Many Protestants have said it is Peter's confession of Jesus as the Christ.
Some organizations have interpreted that rock to be Peter himself, however it is clear in Peter's writings that he did not share their view (1 Peter 2:7). Nor did any of the other apostles view Peter in such terms (Ephesians 2:20).
So ... who or what is the rock?
I believe the key to unlocking that door is what follows in the rest of the passage.
Inverse 19,Jesus tells Peter that He gives to him the keys of the kingdom and those keys unlock and bind.
What are those keys?
It is clear those keys unlock heaven for people. Therefore ... it is not Saint Peter sitting by some heavenly gate for that would contradict all inspired Scripture (Ephesians 2:8-10, John 14:6, Romans 10:9, etc.), rather it was what Jesus entrusted to Peter and all the apostles.
Jesus entrusted His Gospel (The Gospel being Jesus who is fully God and sinless man dying on the cross in the stead of sinners and rising on the third day validating for all time His identity and work on the cross to reconcile sinners to a Holy God) and all its implications in the New Covenant to the apostles.
Now this new covenant revolves around what Peter confessed - Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God. Jesus is saying on His Word, which He entrusted to the apostles, He was going to build His church.
Think of it, for a book to be included in the New Testament it had to have an apostle or an associate of an apostle as its source.
The Word of God rightly understood builds Churches and Christians
Jesus inspired the apostles by His Holy Spirit to convey His teachings entrusted to them.
That is the point Paul makes inEphesians 2:19-22, "19So then you are no longerstrangers and aliens, but you arefellow citizens with thesaints, and are ofGod's household,20having beenbuilt onthe foundation ofthe apostles and prophets,Christ Jesus Himself being thecornerstone,21in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing intoa holytemple in the Lord,22in whom you also are beingbuilt together into adwelling of God in the Spirit."
In this text, Paul describes what the household of God (which is where the Spirit of God indwellsper verse 19 and 22) is built on. The household of God with the Spirit of God indwelling (temple imagery) is Paul's depiction of the church for only the people of God are indwelled by the Spirit of God.
Notice he says the church is built, it is made on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Jesus as the cornerstone. The cornerstone was the chief stone all the other stones lined up with.
All of Scripture, both New and Old Testament, points to Jesus.
The Scripture rightly preached, taught, explained and applied is what Jesus uses to bring forth His people out of this world and build them up in the faith and holiness. Jesus builds His church and Christians through the apostolic teachings He entrusted to His disciples. He builds His church through the faithful sharing and proclamation of the Bible.
If this is true then a faithful church and Christian will be marked by Biblical soundness and faithfulness.
A faithful church (a group of believers that assemble, not a building) will Sunday after Sunday examine the Scripture in light of its literal historical context to mine out of it God's timeless truths, which exalt the Gospel of Christ.
A faithful church/Christian will conduct themselves per God's Word rightly interpreted and proclaim God's Word rightfully divided. A faithful church/Christian will proclaim the Word of God to the world and engage in the mission of God the way the Word of God communicates. A faithful church/Christian will not be marked by I/we have always done it this way.
A faithful church/Christian will be marked by examining all things considering "what does Scripture say rightly interpreted?"
Inevitably we must ask ourselves the hard question: Am I a person who has built my life on the shifting sands of topics (even professed Christian ones), opinions, and cultural philosophies of my context OR is my life built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, namely the Word of God?
Is my view of the world shaped by God's Word rightly interpreted (understanding it in light of its literal, historical, grammatical context)?
Only one foundation will keep the house standing in the storms of life.Get to know God's Son, the Lord Jesus, in His word and find everlasting joy.
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Miller is a husband, father, pastor and most importantly a follower of the Lord Jesus. He holds a Master of Divinity from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary and a Master of Accounting from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. After many years in the business world as an auditor, Justin left to begin full-time ministry as the lead pastor of First Baptist Church in Puxico. He and his wife JoDawn are the parents of four children. He is the author of "Genuine Christianity."
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