“13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? 14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. 15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 118 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ” (Matthew 16:13-20).

     When Christ says to Peter, “That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it,” what is He saying? The translation is somewhat misleading. Jesus is actually saying, “thou art Petros (pet'-ros; literally a piece of rock), and upon this Rock (the foundational truth of Peter’s proclamation of faith that Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the living God”) I will build my church.” Apart from the reality of Jesus being “the Christ, the Son of the living God,” the work of redemption could not have been completed, God could not have been propitiated, and justification “by grace through faith” could not have been offered. From this proclamation of faith and upon this foundational Rock, Jesus would begin to build His church.

     When we read the Epistles of the New Testament Scriptures, we can clearly see that they are addressed to the Church. However, is this Church some ambiguous entity without geographical boundaries or theological definitiveness? Is this Church universal and international in scope and governance? Is the Church a hierarchal and theonomic institution intent upon ruling over nations and kings establishing and dictating moral Law to the people of the world? Does this Church hold the “keys of the Kingdom,” determining who can be saved and who will go to Hell? For what purpose does the Church exist and how is it to be governed and administrated? Understanding a Biblical and Dispensational definition of the Church will help us answer all of these questions from God’s perspective of the Church.

     How we answer all of these questions are singularly important to our world view and establishing God’s purpose for believers in the world. Our answer to these questions will also define how believers are to be trained to fulfill that purpose, how believers are to be administrated in their ministry to one another and to the world, and how accountability to God, His Truth, one another, and moral culpability is to be administrated.

     When we read of “the church” in the New Testament Scriptures, its use is directed to believers in the Lord Jesus Christ living after the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-3). The term “church” cannot be divorced from a dispensational transition from the Dispensation of the Law (Mosaic Covenant) to the Dispensation of the Church Age (commonly referred to as the Age of Grace). Although Jesus began building His church with the Apostles, the Church was not ordained into existence until the coming of the promised Parakletos (Holy Spirit. This historical event marks the beginning of the Church Age. The Church is a building built upon the foundation Rock of Jesus being “the Christ, the Son of the living God.” The Church is a building of “living stones” built upon the Rock of the life giving Stone, Jesus Christ. These are metaphors revealing deep spiritual Truths that define what the Church is and for what purpose it is created. Therefore, the Church is much more than an organization (although it is organized). The Church is a living organism spiritually energized by the indwelling Holy Spirit intended to be a synergism of believers united by Truth and enabled by the Power of God in them.

“1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. 4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, 5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house {the Church collectively}, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. 7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, 8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. 9 But ye {the Church collectively} are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. 11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation” (I Peter 2:1-12)

     However, before this spiritual dynamic of the Church being a living organism, existing to bring glory to God, can ever be fully realized many elements must become part of the lives of believers within a local church. Therefore, the teachings of the doctrine of grace (supernatural enablement of the indwelling Holy Spirit) must be taught and understood as this doctrine relates to the consecration and sanctification of the Priesthood of believers that makes up the living organism Christ calls His Church.

“12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. 13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. 15 If ye love me, keep my commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. 20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you” (John 14:12-20).

     As we address these numerous spiritual dynamics, we can easily see that the doctrine of the Church is both complex and intricate; understanding the many inter-related Truths is necessary to our understanding:

1. What the Church is
2. Its purpose for existence
3. How that purposed is to be accomplished

     We have seen the spiritual construct of the Church as a whole. Yet, throughout the New Testament Scriptures, the primary definition of the Church in this Dispensation (from the Day of Pentecost to the Rapture) is that it is local. That means the Church as a whole is constructed of hundreds of thousands of local churches that function independent of one another and that are self-governing. Each local church is individually accountable to its Head, Jesus Christ, and culpable for maintaining the definitive and directive instructions regarding how that local church is to live out the Truths of God’s Word within its own community and within the whole world.

     A local church is made up of the “lively stones” of the individuals that covenant together to be accountable to the Lord Jesus Christ and to one another. Therefore, a local church is a congregation of believers in Jesus Christ called out of the world into a local body to transact and to do the Lord’s business according to the teaching of the New Covenant Scriptures. The term ‘church” cannot be divorced from this governmental/stewardship emphasis grammatically or historically. Perhaps no where in Scripture is this better defined than in Ephesians chapter four.

“1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you {those affiliated with the local church at Ephesus and, respectively, all members within all local churches} that ye walk worthy of the vocation {the priesthood of all believers} wherewith ye are called, 2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. 7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting {complete equipping} of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect {completeness in spiritual growth, mental knowledge, and moral character} man, unto the measure of the stature {maturity; i.e., to be like Christ} of the fulness of Christ: 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love {with the intent of helping other grow in grace rather than merely condemning them and their sin}, may grow up into him {spiritual growth to become a little Christ; the body; the local church as a body of believers grows to be in proportion to its adult head; i.e. Christ} in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love” (Ephesians 4:1-16).