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What Must I Do To Be Saved?

  

Church: The Called Out Body

Mark T. Nevins

This is the first in a series of articles on the church which came into existence on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2. The church is described in various ways in the New Testament. These various phrases show a particular aspect of the church that God designed. All Scriptures quoted are from the New King James Version unless otherwise specified.

If you ask various individuals to define “church”, you would no doubt get many different definitions. To determine the definition of the word “church” as Christ used it, one must to go back to the original language. We get the word “church” from the Greek word “ekklesia” which literally means “to call out”. According to Thayer (#1557), he states in the Christian sense ekklesia is “an assembly of Christians gathered for worship in a religious meeting”. The church in the New Testament Scriptures means, “a called out body of people” (Roy E. Cogdill, New Testament Church, p. 2). Christians then assemble on the first day of the week for the Lord’s Supper (Acts 20:7), laying by in store (1 Cor. 16:1-2), singing (Col. 3:16, Eph. 5:19), prayer (Acts 2:42) and preaching of the gospel (Acts 20:7).

What is the nature of this calling? 1 Peter 5:10 says, “But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.” In 2 Timothy 1:7-9, God’s calling is a “holy calling” and Colossians 3:15 states, “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful”. These Scriptures tell us that one has fellowship with God and Jesus. What a wonderful calling that God has given us. 1 John 3:1 says that one is called to be a child of God and in Romans 8:17, “if children then heirs; heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ”. What a wonderful relationship one has as a child of God and in the church that is “called out”.

Let us continue on with the nature of this calling. 1 Corinthians 1:2 tells us that one is called to be saints, “Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours”. Saint signifies a setting apart, pure and morally blameless. According to New Testament, one that is a Christian is also a saint (Phil. 1:1-2). This calling is a heavenly calling according to Hebrews 3:1, “Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus”. One is called of God with a holy and heavenly calling to be a child of God and have fellowship with God and Jesus.

A question that you may be asking is, “How is one called”? Let’s look at the New Testament to see what it says about this. This calling is not made possible by “bulls and goats”. Hebrews 10:4 states, “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins” but by the suffering of our Lord Jesus Christ. Peter in 1 Peter 2:21 writes, “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps”. In God’s scheme of redemption it took the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross to pay the price for sin. This was the purpose of Jesus coming to the earth “to seek and to save that which was lost” (Lk. 19:10). One is called out of darkness of sin (1 Pet. 2:9) into his marvelous light and this is done through the gospel of Christ (2 Thess. 2:13-14).

The church is a “called out” body of people with the purpose of worshipping God according to the New Testament Scriptures. What is the hope of this calling? Paul writes in 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 that we would be counted worthy of this calling and that the name of Jesus would be glorified in us. In 1 Peter 3:9, Peter tells that one “inherits a blessing” and that one needs to strive to be perfect (complete or mature) according to Philippians 3:13-16. In writing to the brethren in Corinth, Paul tells them to imitate him (Paul) as he (Paul) imitates Christ (1 Cor. 11:1). How much more should one heed to the calling through the gospel of Christ? As Peter writes, “Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble” (2 Pet. 1:10).

Some questions for your consideration: (1) Into whose service is one called? (2) Through what medium are we called (prayer, preaching of the gospel, direct operation of Holy Spirit)? and (3) What is the ultimate hope of your calling?

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