The Church

By Late Apostle Bishop Randolph Goodwin Formerly Of Bishop S.C. Johnson

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What is The Church? Is it a natural building or is it a spiritual building? Let us see, what the Bible says. I Peter 2:5 "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house." (this means the saints).

Now, we can see here, that The Church is not a building of mortar and bricks, but that it is the body of Christ. Col. 1:24 "Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is The Church."

The body of Christ is The Church and it consists of baptized believers according to Acts 2:38. Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

No one can get into The Church without the New Birth of the water and of the spirit as spoken by Jesus in St. John 3:5. "Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto you. Except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God."

1 Cor. 12:12-14 "For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many are one body; so also is Christ. For by one spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentile, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one spirit. For the body is not one member, but many." 1 Cor. 12:27 "Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular."

Who is in The Church? Let us look at Eph. 2:19. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God, (household of God does not mean brick and mortar) and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone. (This stone means spirit, not brick and mortar or a natural stone building, but the spirit which is Christ.) In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord, In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

1Cor. 10:4 "And did all drink the same spiritual drink; for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them and that rock was Christ." Matt. 16:18 Jesus said, Upon this rock, I will build My Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Dear reader, you see God's building is not a natural building of brick and mortar, but it is the believers that are baptized in his name and filled with his spirit. Notice the word growtheth unto an holy temple in the Lord. This is God's Church, the saints in Christ. Notice, in whom ye are builded together for an habitation of God through the spirit. This means God's spirit filled believers.

My dear reader, you can see, in order to get into God's Church, you must be born into it by water and spirit as Jesus told Nicodemus in St. John 3:5. "Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." (And to stay in it, we must continue to build steadfastly in the doctrine of the apostles according to Acts 2:42.) And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and in fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

The doctrine puts us in the building and the doctrine keeps us in the building, and if we neglect to obey the doctrine, we are out of the building.

1 Cor. 3:9-11 "For we are labourers together with God; ye are God's husbandry; ye are God's building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon, but let every man take heed how he buildeth thereon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ."

We can see from these scriptures, God's Church has but one foundation and that is Jesus Christ and our bodies are the members of Christ. I Cor. 6:15 "Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ?" Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you which ye have of God, therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. 1 Cor. 6:19.

Dear reader, you can see plainly that God's building in the New Testament is The Church, and is not a natural building of bricks, mortar, stone, and metal. We are being built upon none other than God himself. For God is a spirit and they that worship him, must worship him in spirit and in truth. John 4:24.  Read More