I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ . . . may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation. (Eph. 1:17)
We are reminded in these verses that the church is not a chapel, a cathedral, or a tabernacle, but rather includes all believers in a living, growing, moving, working organism deriving existence and power from Christ. Dietrich Bonhoeffer stated, “The Church is her true self only when she exists for humanity.” Therefore, the church obeys Christ’s commands to carry out His work in the world. Because Christ is truly the Head of the church, what does that say about the role of the pastors, elders, deacons, worship leaders, and other members? Because we are His body, what does that say about the role we are to play at our jobs, in our schools, in our relationships? Are we, in our places of everyday activity, imparting the love of Christ? Are we active missionaries in the local mission fields that God has placed us in? Are we being the church?
In Ephesians 1:15, Paul said he had heard of the Ephesians’ faith in Christ and their love to all God’s consecrated people. The two things that must characterize any true church are loyalty to Christ and love to other people. Therefore, may we live out His mission marked by a double love—a love for Christ and His ways, and a love for others.
Ask God to reveal how you can be a person who shows what God is like.
Jeremy Summers is the coauthor of The Way Forward(WPH) and Awakening Grace(WPH). He is also the director of adult ministries for Church Multiplication and Discipleship of The Wesleyan Church.
