God has always expected His people not only to worship Him, but also to serve Him by serving others. One of the terms used to describe each group of Christians is “body.” This term helps us understand how each group of Christians is to function. Each physical body has a head that controls what the rest of the body does. The same is true with the church. Christ is the head of the body and all Christians in a particular location form the body. Just as the physical head gives orders for the other parts of the physical body, so Christ, as the spiritual head gives order for the work that His spiritual body should carry-out. What is the work of the church – the body?
First and foremost, the church must carry out the work of evangelizing. Since Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10), it is logical that Christ would expect His body to preach the gospel to those who are not in His spiritual body.
Three times inspired writers recorded “The Great Commission” which is the command to evangelize. Matthew’s record says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (28:19). Mark’s account is even more specific when it says, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” (16:15). Luke tells where it started and what was to be preached when he said, “that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem” (24:47).
The church is not just to evangelize but is to be “the pillar and support of the truth” (I Timothy 3:15). God has not given the truth to any other group. Neither has He given responsibility to any other organization to be the pillar and support of truth. The church is to proclaim truth to the whole world. The church must be the defender of the Bible! It seems that work is a greater challenge today than any other time in history!
The work of evangelizing can be done in many different ways: (1) Public preaching, (2) One-on-one teaching, and (3) Mass communication through the printed page, radio, television and social media. Everything the church does should ultimately be to bring the lost to Christ that they may be saved eternally.
Second, the church must edify itself to remain strong and faithful in evangelizing the world. Probably, the greatest passage to tell us about this kind of work is Ephesians 4:11-16. Christ established several different offices in the church, “for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ” (v. 12). “Building up” means to edify. Paul stresses that there is a work for each member. “From whom the whole body being fitted and held together by what every join supplies, according to the proper working of each individua part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love” (Ephesians 4:16).
Paul gave more details about how the body was to do this in I Corinthians 12 where he explains that not all members have the same function but that each member of the body has the ability to edify the body (I Corinthians 14:12, 26).
Again, this may be accomplished through several different means. There can be regular Bible study classes where people are edified by what they learn. There can be social events where Christians are strengthened (Acts 2:46). There can be seminars and special speakers brought in, to build-up the body of Christ so that the church as a whole and individual members of the church can be motivated to be more faithful and more motivated to evangelize. The social events of the church can also be evangelistic tools for bringing non-Christians into a Christian activity.
Third, the work of the church is to provide for those who have physical needs. Paul urged the churches of Galatia to do that by saying, “So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith” (6:10). Notice, we must do this when we have the opportunity. That opportunity may not come again. Notice we are to do this for those who are not Christians, but especially for those who are Christians.
The first century church is a good example of this. “And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need” (Acts 2:44-45). Paul said that helping those in need was a way to tell that one is converted. “He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need” (Ephesians 4:28).
When the church in Jerusalem received funds from the churches in Achaia, Macedonia, and Galatia, they not only distributed it to the poor among them, but also “to all” others – those who were not Christians. (2 Corinthians 9:13).
Conclusion
God expects us as individuals to be busy in the kingdom, but He also expect His church to fulfill the work He gave her to do! Brethren, is the church you are a member, doing the work God gave the church to do? If not, why not?
Wayne Burger
