Many have likely asked themselves the question: “Which church would the Lord call His own?” This is not a rhetorical question, but a fateful one. Indeed, belonging to a church as such determines one’s affiliation with the institution of Jesus Christ and carries great promise from His side.
The Declaration of Christ
Jesus Christ once declared to His disciples: “…I will build My church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Christ never said anything that was not truly significant. Nor did He make promises He would not keep. The importance of Christ’s statement to His disciples cannot be overstated. He was to organize and lead the Church.
“I Will Not Leave You Orphans”
When, shortly before His crucifixion, Jesus informed His disciples of His departure, they were naturally devastated. His presence was the bond that held them together. It seemed to them that without Him, they would fall apart and scatter. But then He told them: “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you,” and “I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” The invisible but living Holy Spirit was to prevent the discouragement of Christ’s followers. He was to do even more: He was to unite them all into a living organic union with each other and with Christ. This was to be the beginning of the creation of Christ’s Church.
The Birthday of Christ’s Church
This event took place on the day of Pentecost (the fiftieth day after the resurrection of Jesus Christ) when, as the Gospel says, the Holy Spirit descended upon the followers of Jesus. In reality, it was the return of the Great Teacher to His disciples through the Holy Spirit. This is what Jesus had spoken of earlier: “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also.”
Pentecost is the place where the promise met its fulfillment. What Jesus spoke of then came to pass. What a tremendous blessing it is to know that the formation of the Church as a historical reality is connected to the coming of the Holy Spirit on that day. It was the transformation of timid, confused, and disappointed disciples into courageous heralds, capable of convincing by the power of the word and the power of the Spirit. It was the conversion of many mockers and opponents of Christ into His supporters. It was the bestowing of amazing joy, love, and unity upon a multitude of people who were previously strangers to one another. It was the creation of a community of people dwelling in a conscious union of faith with each other and with Christ. All of this came with the emergence of Christ’s Church.
The Historical Mission of the Church
The mighty power of the Holy Spirit and the love of Christ in the life-stream of God’s followers were directed into a sinful world for its renewal. Over time, this stream expanded, watering the fallen world with the dew of the Gospel preaching. People of all races, nations, and classes are called to join this living, breathing organism—the Church—which is filled with faith and the aspiration to save. This is the greatest fact of human history.
Meaning of the Term “Church”
The original meaning of the word “church” is related to the ancient Greek word ekklesia, found in New Testament manuscripts, where ek means “out of” or “from,” and klesis means “to call,” or “those who are called.” Therefore, it is clear that the word “church” (ekklesia) indicates the actions of heavenly power among people, with the aim of calling (klesis) them out of (ek) the world of sin into the world of the Gospel. Thus, the church represents the highest degree of human privilege and power in the spiritual realm. This is exactly what Jesus had in mind when He announced the creation of the Church.
The Church of Our Time
The origins of the appearance of God’s Church in the distant past are stunning. But how do things stand in the present? The prophecies of the Biblical book of Revelation speak unambiguously about His Church, which will survive, endure, and stand through all the vicissitudes of fate that have fallen to its lot. Furthermore, the book of Revelation reveals to the modern seeker the characteristic features of God’s Church and its purpose for our day.
Three Messages to Our World
The Lord distinguished His Church amidst the religious discord by entrusting it with the right to proclaim and transmit to the whole world three special messages, described in the 14th chapter of the book of Revelation, verses 6 through 12. The main content of this message is that God offers humanity, troubled by global problems, a solution, and it is revealed in the Everlasting Gospel. The essence of the Gospel was most clearly revealed on the cross of Calvary, where our Savior was crucified more than two thousand years ago. There, on the cross, He, as the Lawgiver, gave Himself as a sacrifice to redeem people for the law they had broken. There He voluntarily paid for our “righteousness” as sinners, taking all our vices upon His own account, and in return, placed His true righteousness upon our account. Therefore, we are still alive today and have the right to choose: to accept this substitutionary sacrifice of the Savior as the greatest fact of history or not.
Standing Against Deception
An equally important truth in the message the Savior called His Church to herald to the whole world is that it—the Church—directly opposes the main delusion of our age: the theory of evolution. The Church is intended to call the world to raise a banner indicating loyalty to the living God-Creator. This banner was and is the Sabbath of the Lord. This day constantly reminds all of humanity that this world has a Great Master. However, Jesus Himself specifically emphasized who this Master is, calling Himself the “Lord of the Sabbath.” By recognizing this, we recognize the main thing to which the three messages of the book of Revelation call the world—to choose Jesus as personal Lord and Savior and to remain a faithful worshiper of Him during the final crisis.
The Final Choice
It is the church that meets the biblical criteria and carries the message that the Savior entrusted to it that can be called God’s Church. Undoubtedly, God has His children in all the churches of this world, but through the visible Church, according to these criteria, He calls His people to leave apostasy and spiritually prepare for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. The Apostle John the Theologian testifies that immediately after every person on earth makes their choice following the final call, Christ will come to respond to that choice with a good reward or condemnation. The perspective of all believing Christians should encourage them to make their choice in favor of Christ today. Let us exalt and believe in His righteousness as the only foundation of salvation and join His Church, demonstrating through our Christian character that Christ lives in our hearts and sanctifies them.
Valery RYABOY
