Jesus said, “I will build My church,” and with that clear statement established the identity and value of His church (Matt 16:18). He said He would build His church on the foundational truth confessed by Peter, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:18, 16). Jesus emphasized His superior power to build His church when He said, “the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it” (v. 18). His death would not prevent Him from building His church. Indeed, it was by means of His death and His resurrection that He showed Himself to be the Son of God (Rom. 1:4). Jesus built His church as a result of the redemptive power of His death (Acts 20:28; 2:32-41). The gospel calls lost souls to salvation and Jesus adds the saved to His church (Acts 2:47).

Consider these simple and profound truths about the church Jesus built.

1) The church of Christ belongs to Christ. It does not belong to the elders, to the members, or to anyone else. It is the body of Christ, not the body of men (Eph. 1:22-23).

2) The church of Christ is comprised of the redeemed. The word “church” means the called out ones. The gospel calls sinners out of sin’s darkness and death into God’s light of salvation (1 Pet 2:9-10). The church of Christ is those who answer that call of salvation by obeying the Lord’s commands (Acts 2:21, 37-41; 1 Pet. 1:22-23).

3) The church of Christ is valuable to God. The Son of God purchased it with His blood (Acts 20:28). Those who think the church is unimportant fail to correctly value Jesus’ death (Eph. 5:25-27).

4) The church of Christ is comprised of Christians. The church is not an amalgamation of churches. Each Christian is a living stone in God’s spiritual house, the church (1 Pet. 2:5). Saved people are added to the church of Christ (Acts 2:47).

5) The church of Christ is not a denomination of churches. Denominations are not in the Bible. They only appeared on the religious landscape because men left the pattern of sound words to cling to false doctrines and false organizations (1 Tim. 4:1-3; 2 Tim. 1:13; 3:16-17). There is “one body” (one church of Christ), not many (Eph. 4:4).

6) Men did not build the church of Christ. No one but Jesus purchased the church and no one but Jesus is the head of His church (Eph. 1:22-23). Man cannot improve on the church that Jesus built.

7) People are added to the church of Christ by Christ when He saves them from their sins (Acts 2:47). Jesus said, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mk. 16:16). Jesus saves believers who repent and are baptized (Acts 2:38). If you have not believed and been baptized, then you are not yet in the church of Christ. You remain lost in your sins. Believe and obey Jesus and be saved, and you will be added to His church (1 Cor. 12:13). 

-The Spirit’s Sword, Oct. 4, 2009

1 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”  3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.” (John 9:1–3, NKJV)

The guilt of sin does not pass from parent to child. We do not inherit sin and its guilt (Ezek. 18:4, 20). The false doctrines of original sin and total hereditary depravity are rampant. The Catholic Church teaches people inherit the stain of original sin. The Protestant Reformation codified these errors in their creeds as orthodox. Untold millions are convinced to baptize their babies due to this error. These teachings have convinced many they became sinners at their first breath instead of their initial transgression against God’s will (Rom. 7:7-9; 3:23). Many today think they have a “sinful nature.” Jesus said we must become as little children to enter the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 18:3). If little children are sinners or have a sinful nature, then why should we become like them to be saved? When asked why the man was born blind, Jesus refused to link his suffering to the generational transference of sin’s guilt (v. 2-3). We accept the weight of our sins, but we refuse to believe we bear the guilt of Adam’s sin. Sin and its wages (spiritual death) entered the world through Adam. Sin and death “spread to all men, because all sinned,” not because Adam sinned (Rom. 5:12). 

-Sword Tips #2121