The Divinity Of The Church Of Christ
"A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man." (Heb. 8:2.)
The true tabernacle, the church, was established by the Lord. Therefore, it is divine. Everything connected with the worship, work, and organization of the church is divine — "pitched by the Lord." We dare not ask anyone to believe or practice anything we cannot give a "thus saith the Lord" for. The church of Christ is the adorned bride of Christ, bearing his name. (Eph. 5:23-25.) She is more than all political, fraternal, social, commercial, and educational institutions combined. These are human and temporal — the church of Christ is divine and eternal. In this lesson we desire to study the divinity of the church of Christ.
I. Christ Is The Divine Son Of God, Therefore Worthy To Set Up A Divine Church.
There are many witnesses to the divinity of Jesus Christ. He claimed that he was the Son of God. "I that speak unto thee am he." (John 4:26.) But we do not need to rely on his claim alone. In John, the fifth chapter, we have four witnesses to the divinity of Jesus:
1) The witness of the Father (vv. 19-31.) On several occasions God bore witness that Jesus was His Son. For example, at the baptism of Jesus, God broke the silence of the heavens with the words, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (Matt. 3:16.) At the transfiguration God again spoke from the midst of the cloud, saying: "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased: hear ye him." (Matt. 17:5.) Again Jesus prayed, "Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again." (John 12:28.) Hear the words of God, the Father, concerning God, the Son — they say: Jesus is divine.
2. The witness of John the Baptist (vv. 32-85.) If John were not sent to "prepare the way of the Lord," why should he have pointed unto Jesus as "the lamb of ` God that taketh away the sin of the world"? If he were not the voice of one crying in the wilderness," why should he declare that "I must decrease, but he must increase." Truly, "Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth." (v. 33.)
3) The witness of Jesus' own works (vv. 36-38.) Jesus; declares that the works that he did bore witness to the fact of his divinity. Nicodemus said: "We know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest except God be with him." (John 3:2.) The works that Jesus did formed a proof of his divinity that could not be spoken against successfully. His works say: "He is Divine."
4) The witness of the Scriptures (vv. 39-47.) Jesus pointed out that these very people to whom he was speaking searched the scriptures because they thought that in them they had eternal life. But the very scriptures that they searched testified of Jesus; they proved his divinity, "For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me." (v. 46.)
Here we have four witnesses; each of them bears record that Jesus is the Divine Son of God. Being divine, he is worthy to set up a divine church.
II. The Church Of Christ Is Divine In Its Foundation.
In fact, it was this very fact (proven above — his divinity) that served as the foundation of his church. When Peter confessed, "Thou are the Christ, the Son of the living God," Jesus immediately said: "Upon this rock I will build my church." The church of Christ is divine because Jesus Christ, her founder and foundation, is divine. Paul tells us very plainly that the foundation or rock of the church is Jesus: "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." (1 Cor. 3:11.)
The church of Christ has a divine foundation. What about all other religious bodies? Every religious body on earth that does not obey the words of Jesus Christ is resting upon the sand. (Matt. 7:24ff.) It is upon the sand because it has a human foundation. These human churches are plants which the Father has not planted (Matt. 15:13); they are houses which the Lord has not built. (Ps. 127:1.)
III. The Church Of Christ Is Divine Because It Was Purchased With Divine Blood.
Anything that is purchased with silver or gold is corruptible — as corruptible as the gold or silver itself. Peter says: "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." (1 Pet. 1:10-19.) If the church had been bought with silver or gold (money), I could not affirm its divinity.
When Paul talked with the Ephesian elders, he said: ".... to feed the church of God, which he bath purchased with his own blood." (Acts 20:28.) The blood of Jesus is divine. (Heb. 9 and 10.) Therefore, divine power purchased the church of Christ. It is divine because it was bought with divine blood.
IV. The Church Of Christ Is Divine In Her Book Of Authority.
The church receives all her authority from Christ who has "all authority." (Matt. 28:18.) He is head over all things: principalities, powers, mights, dominions. His name is above every other name. Thus, he is the head over all things to the church. He reveals his authority to us by means of the Bible, a Divine Book. If the church had no divine creed or book of authority, she could not be divine. Any institution that has human charters, constitutions, and by-laws, is a human institution and cannot compare with the church of my Lord. The New Testament is the only inspired book of authority. (Gal. 1:8, 9.) The pattern is divine and Divinity cut it. Human hands dare not alter it. It is sufficient in that it furnished us completely unto every good work and unto all things that pertain to life and godliness. (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:3.)
Therefore, when we teach people how to become Christians, it must be that which this divine book of authority legislates. There is a divine plan of salvation because it comes from the divine book of authority. When we worship our God, it can only be according to the dictates of the word of God. The worship of the church of Christ is divine because it is authorized by the divine creed. Worship that comes from the commandments and doctrines of men is not divine. It is in vain because man taught it. (Matt. 15:9.)
V. The Church Of Christ Is Divine In Her Name.
Since the church is married, she must, of course, wear his name. Therefore, we hear Paul speaking of the "churches of Christ." (Rom. 16:16.) One of these local churches is a church of Christ. Thus, we are giving a divine appellation to the church when we refer to it as the church of Christ.
VI. The Church of Christ is Divine in her Glorious Destiny.
Every kingdom of man is destined to fall; every glory of man will fade away. But the church of the Lord Jesus Christ will live on! Though the stars be flung from their orbits; though the sun be turned into darkness; though the earth and the works therein shall be burned up; God's kingdom, the church of Christ, shall remain on and on. For not only will it endure until the judgment, but throughout eternity God's kingdom will enjoy the glorious home of the soul. Heaven, the paradise of God, is prepared for those within the church. The church, the bride of Christ, will be presented spotless unto the Father. (Eph. 5:27.) Jesus, being the Saviour of the body, is the Saviour of the church. Only those within the church have the hope of this eternal life. By doing God's commandments we are added to the church and have the right to enter the gates of the Holy City of our God. (Rev. 22:14.)
Conclusion
Jesus Christ, the divine head of the church, equipped her for every spiritual task. He gave her his divine nature, his name, his message, and his armor. It is all-sufficient to the task God gave it. This divine church is worthy of your wanting to obey the divine commandments and be added to it. It is only in and through the divine church that we glorify God and finally receive salvation.