The next sphere of government that God has established is the church government. The Lord has instituted the church to be the pillar of righteousness on the earth. Christians form the body of Christ and each member of the body contributes to the health and growth of the body of Christ. Jesus gave us the Great Commission before He was taken up to heaven.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-19
Jesus has called every believer to proclaim the Good News and tell others about God’s mercy and grace through His son. The Lord expects us to disciple those who believe, so they can grow in their relationship and walk with Jesus. When each of us take part in reaching others and inviting them to receive Jesus by faith, we get involved in the business of restoration of lives and society. We co-labor to see God redeem what was lost in the garden of Eden. Those who repent have the opportunity to learn self-government and to allow their lives, their marriages, and their families to be restored by God’s love, grace, and power!
“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.” Ephesians 4:11-16
The church government provides the authority and the structure to train and instruct people in righteousness, so they can be salt and light in a dark world. The church government allows the body of Christ to function effectively as each member is joined and connected to others and operates in their calling and gifting. The body of Christ helps individuals to grow and mature spiritually by feeding them the word of God. It also strengthens marriages, and trains parents in raising the next generation for the glory of God. In addition, the church is called to help the sick, the poor, the orphan, and the widows.
We are called to be a sweet aroma of Christ in our communities and to draw people to the Savior. The church is the representative of the Lord on the earth, and it is called to be the standard bearer in the society. That standard is to be preached from the pulpit, and it should be also lived out by those who confess to be the followers of Christ.
When you have an opportunity to visit the Bible Museum in Washington DC, you find that those who believed have made a remarkable impact in education, science, medicine, government, prison, and humanitarian efforts. Many Christians have sacrificed their lives and been martyred for their faith to see their communities changed for the glory of God! While our ultimate destination is heaven, our lives and our just actions should change the society for the better.
The true change that people in society are seeking, will not come from legislating new laws, but it comes from regeneration that the church is supposed to preach and live out. The church cannot hide behind its four walls, and neither should it water down the gospel message. When a church waters down the message to please people, it loses its power and effectiveness. This in turn causes the Church to lost respect and to be shunned by the very people it tried to please!
