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#Post#: 46--------------------------------------------------
Question: "What is the purpose of thechurch?"
DIR By: lastdayschristians
Date: November 22, 2012, 12:45 am
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Answer: Acts 2:42 could be considered a purpose statement for
the church: “They
devoted themselves to the apostles'
teaching and to the fellowship, to the
breaking of bread and to prayer.”
According to this verse, the purposes/
activities of the church should be 1) teaching biblical
doctrine, 2) providing a
place of fellowship for believers, 3)
observing the Lord’s supper, and 4)
praying. The church is to teach biblical doctrine so
we can be grounded in our faith.
Ephesians 4:14 tells us, “Then we will no
longer be infants, tossed back and forth
by the waves, and blown here and there
by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of
men in their
deceitful scheming.” The church is to be a
place of fellowship, where Christians can
be devoted to one another and honor one
another (Romans 12:10), instruct one
another (Romans 15:14), be kind and compassionate to one another
(Ephesians
4:32), encourage one another (1
Thessalonians 5:11), and most
importantly, love one another (1 John
3:11). The church is to be a place where
believers can observe the Lord’s Supper,
remembering Christ’s death and shed
blood on our behalf (1 Corinthians
11:23-26). The concept of “breaking
bread” (Acts 2:42) also carries the idea of having meals
together. This is another
example of the church promoting
fellowship. The final purpose of the
church according to Acts 2:42 is prayer.
The church is to be a place that promotes
prayer, teaches prayer, and practices prayer. Philippians 4:6-7
encourages us,
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in
everything, by prayer and petition, with
thanksgiving, present your requests to
God. And the peace of God, which
transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your
minds in Christ
Jesus.” Another commission given to the church
is proclaiming the gospel of salvation
through Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:18-20;
Acts 1:8). The church is called to be
faithful in sharing the gospel through
word and deed. The church is to be a “lighthouse” in the
community, pointing
people toward our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ. The church is to both promote the
gospel and prepare its members to
proclaim the gospel (1 Peter 3:15). Some final purposes of the
church are
given in James 1:27: “Religion that God
our Father accepts as pure and faultless is
this: to look after orphans and widows in
their distress and to keep oneself from
being polluted by the world.” The church is to be about the
business of ministering
to those in need. This includes not only
sharing the gospel, but also providing for
physical needs (food, clothing, shelter) as
necessary and appropriate. The church is
also to equip believers in Christ with the tools they need to
overcome sin and
remain free from the pollution of the
world. This is done by biblical teaching
and Christian fellowship. So, what is the purpose of the church?
Paul gave an excellent illustration to the
believers in Corinth. The church is God’s
hands, mouth, and feet in this world—the
body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12-27).
We are to be doing the things that Jesus Christ would do if He
were here physically
on the earth. The church is to be
“Christian,” “Christ-like,” and Christ-
following.
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