Christ Built His Church

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God calls His Church, His future Bride, “a building” that is “fitly framed together” (Eph. 2:21). Christ is literally “building a building” consisting of “lively [living] stones” (1 Pet. 2:5). Psalm 127:1 declares, “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it.” (We saw that 1 Tim 3:15 calls God’s Church “the house of God.”) Christ is continuing His building of the Church today, and you have come in contact with it.

We saw that the true Church is depicted as a type of Jerusalem and as the Mother of all the brethren in the Church (Gal. 4:26; Heb. 12:22-23). Like any Mother, she cares for and feeds her children. We have seen that the true Church is also pictured as a bride prophesied to marry Jesus Christ at His Return (Rev. 19:7-9). She is described as, at that time, having “made herself ready” for this wonderful and glorious event!

Will you be one who strives to “make yourself ready”?

Finally, we have not yet addressed the actual meaning of the Greek word translated “church” in the New Testament. This needs clarification. Most have supposed it means a building or an organization, when it means neither. The word “church” is ekklesia, meaning “a calling out,” especially as a religious congregation. Christians are indeed called out of this world—its ways—its customs—its practices—its traditions—its false knowledge—and into the true Church, and fellowship with God and Christ (1 John 1:3). Take time to savour this marvellous understanding.

God thunders this to all people everywhere: “Wherefore COME OUT from among them, and be you separate … and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty” (2 Cor. 6:17-18).

May God help you to come out of the Babylon of this world (Rev. 18:4), that you may QUALIFY to rule with the all-powerful, living Christ in the wonderful, utopian new world that lies ahead!

Some few are choosing to come out of the world. They are willing to seek God with all their hearts. These are those called of God at this time. Let’s understand.

Are Most Lost?

Most professing Christians have been taught that God is trying to save the world now. This thinking goes something like this: God and the devil are at war over the fate of mankind. This is seen as a desperate struggle between good and evil—God and Satan. We saw that Revelation 12:9 states that Satan has deceived the whole world—and the picture of how God will eventually save all mankind is his greatest deception. Of course, this picture serves Satan, because he would love to have the world think that he is more powerful than God.

Let’s put this another way: Is today the only opportunity for all human beings to choose or to reject Christianity? Must all people “decide now” to accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour? Is this what the Bible teaches? The answer is an emphatic NO! If it were yes, then God is failing miserably in His battle with the devil for control over the fate of all men. In other words, God is “calling” all of mankind, but most are NOT ANSWERING!

Consider! In 1920, when my father was born, there were about 2 billion people on Earth. There are now about 6.7 billion—and more every day. Approximately 2.2 billion, or one-third, believe—to one degree or another—in the name of Jesus Christ. This represents a total that includes every conceivable brand of the well over 2,000 different forms of professing Christianity. Approximately another one-third of mankind has heard of Christ but has not accepted Him and does not claim to follow Him. Finally, the last one-third of all people on Earth know nothing about Christ. Many in India, Africa, Japan, China, and parts of South America and Southeast Asia have never even heard of Him. Are they condemned to be lost, having never had an opportunity to understand what they missed or why—having no opportunity to be “called”?

When speaking of Christ’s name, the Bible plainly says, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Further, Romans 10:13 states that men must call on this name to be saved. Understand! It is obvious that all who have not yielded to the God of the Bible and accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior are certainly not saved! Countless billions have died in this condition. Most have assumed that the only other option for these is that they were lost to salvation and that God long ago planned this for the vast majority who have ever lived.

Most Not Called

Again, if the war is to almost feverishly “win souls for Christ,” as most supposed Christian ministers depict it, then the devil is much stronger, and much more effective, in his effort than God is. This is the only other possibility—unless there is a third category containing the vast majority of people. But it must be a category that has not been recognized. There is!—God is simply not calling the masses of humanity today.

The truth is that God is carefully calling a select number out of the deceived masses to understand His Plan and the true doctrines of the Bible. But we have seen He is calling a select few!

The very definition of what is the New Testament Church forces an examination of the subject of being “called.” This chapter—and the book—would not be complete without a closer look at what it means to be “called.”

Many naturally wonder if they are being called by God. How can one know? Are feelings sufficient on such a vital matter? What is a calling? What does God’s Word say? You need to know.

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