Faith in Action: The Christian Church
The Forgotten Gift
The Christian Church has done more measurable good for the world than any other institution, yet it is one of the least appreciated.
It’s also true that the Christian Church, throughout the centuries, has given the world plenty of reason to be suspicious.
The scandals, the crusades, the political manipulation, the loud voices spouting bad theology…
If one were to focus on the negative, there’s plenty of reason to fear the Christian Church, let alone appreciate it.
In that sense, the Christian Church is like every single other human institution. All of them are flawed by the people who belong.
But when we begin to look at the positive, measurable contributions, the Church stands head and shoulders above all else.
Here’s a short list of institutions which have positively impacted the world:
The nuclear family - we might call this the first institution in the world.
The University - incredible potential for good.
Hospitals - ask anyone who’s ever needed one.
Charitable foundations - I’m just focusing on secular charities here. Thank God for them.
The Rule of Law - almost by definition a boon to those who desire good.
Every one of them has had its scandals, manipulations, and yes… bad theology.
And setting the nuclear family aside for a moment, every one of them is a fruit of the Christian Church.
Depending on how you define the “Church”, you could even make the argument that the institution of the family owes its foundation to the Church. Yes, that requires an explanation, but maybe by the end of this article it’ll be more obvious.
My point is this: The Church’s goodness is so deeply woven into the world that people easily overlook its impact. Once measured, it’s hard to imagine why anyone wouldn’t want to be a part of it.
Faith with Hands and Feet
The usual definition for “Church”, which is quite useful, focuses on the assembly of a people called together by God.
But let’s augment that.
The Church is the practical continuation of God’s work in the world of His own making.
He made the world. He put people in it for upkeep and service.
Theoretically, every person should understand this. Not all do.
Thus, there is a “Church”, and there is a “not Church”.
Insofar as Adam and Eve were put into the world to keep and serve it, they are the first “Church”, the first “Family”, the first “Hospital”, “University”... the first institution.
They are the proto-church, created even before the world needed it. And the world soon would.
Seen this way, the Church shouldn’t be regarded as an organization, it is an organism in God’s world, an integral part of the world’s proper functioning.
When it functions badly, it is likely because it is treating itself as an organization.
The crusades, for instance, are not an example of the Christian Church doing God’s work in the world.
The crusades are an example of the Christian Church defending itself as an organization.
A defense it never needed, because God did not build a world without putting His Church into it, and He will never allow His Church to cease to exist so long as there is a world.
When the Church is functioning as it should, it is the incarnational presence of God.
It is perfected by His power, enlivened by His Spirit, sent by His Son.
Too bad people just see it as another religious organization. That is something it should never be.
A People Formed by Word and Sacrament
When viewed as an organization, the Church tends to focus on activism or dogma or growth and success… all good things… all aspects of the organism.
But the organ itself is not animated by any of those activities. The institution may be, which is the danger.
But the organism called the Christian Church is empowered by God’s Word, by the means of His Grace, and by His very presence.
Consider the power at work.
Now you can begin to understand how it has contributed so very much to the world.
It pleases God to have Hospitals, Universities, Charities, and Families. So God works through the Church to give those things into the world.
But of course the Church’s work is not done. We’ll know when it is… we’ll see Jesus face to face.
Until then, there’s more work to be done.
Light to the Nations (Again)
Nearly everything we said last week about the Israelites can be said about the Church. They are truly one-and-the-same-people.
The only real difference is the point in history into which they were called by God to serve and keep the world.
The Israelites were called to point forward to Jesus, the Church is called to point forward from Jesus.
The work is the same. Care for the orphan and widow. Invite people into the saving work of God. Serve the world. All the good stuff.
When the Church places its focus on the Church, that’s when the good stuff gets corrupted.
That’s when people begin to focus so much on the growth of the congregation that they begin to compromise the organism’s lifeblood.
Or they focus so much on being active in service that they loosen their commitments to those doctrines which make the Church so distinct among all other active service institutions.
The Church is always at its best when it focuses so much of its attention on the saving work of God in Jesus Christ that it cannot help itself but build hospitals, universities, charities, and families.
The Church is the Church by faith in Jesus Christ.
The Church is called by that same faith into action.
The Ongoing Story
If you are part of a Christian Church, you are both part of the problem and key to the solution.
The only reason the Church isn’t more highly regarded is because of Christians.
And yet it is Christians that God puts into the Church for the sake of the world.
Go figure.
Here’s the thing: Christians are no better or worse people than anyone else, on average.
We have been guilty of the worst crimes and the finest acts of love.
The world’s means of redeeming itself is to work harder at getting better.
Christians do that too, but not for the sake of redemption.
Christians do that because of redemption.
Christians are redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ which is freely distributed in the Church for any and all who come.
Then… redeemed…
And I mean factually and fully redeemed, not just having a guilty conscience ameliorated by stacking up more and more good deeds to counterbalance the bad ones…
Redeemed by God Himself, the Church can and will accomplish exactly what it has been created for:
Ephesians 3:10–11 — “That through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known… according to the eternal purpose realized in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Only the Church can do that.
And if you aren’t part of a Christian Church… what are you waiting for?
I’ll speak for my little church in Gainesville, Georgia when I say, “all are invited”, because God has said so.
If you’ve drifted from the Church, come home. The same Lord who founded her still fills her, for your sake, and for the sake of the world.
