Church – the word in Greek is ekklesia, which means an assembly, a gathering of people. Therefore ‘Church’ is not a place or a building; it is people! A people called out of this world and called (to come) together as God’s people!

Think of the Exodus. The people of Israel were slaves in Egypt, in bondage to Pharaoh. God brought them out of Egypt and to Mt. Sinai to worship Him and to make them His people. The Exodus is a picture of a people called out and called (to come) together. 

Colossians 1:13 describes the spiritual ‘Exodus’ of God’s people in this way: He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love. Note that there is a deliverance from and a conveyance to! 

• Do we claim to belong to the church? Then do our lives show that we have been “called out of the world”? Are we like or unlike the world?
• The church is not just a called-out but also a called-together people. Do we gather with God’s people? Do we belong or are we lone-rangers?

The Church is said to be ‘holy’. This word means ‘separated and consecrated’. 

In the Old Testament, things can be said to be ‘holy’. For example, from a set of ten bowls, one bowl was separated from the rest and devoted to the use of the Temple. That bowl is said to be ‘holy’. It does not mean that suddenly, the bowl has a halo above it or a special shine around it. It basically means that it has been separated from the rest and consecrated to God. 

In the New Testament, all God’s people are said to be ‘holy’, called to be saints! It means the same thing – we are not any different from the rest of the people, but by God’s electing grace, He separated us from the rest and put His name on us. We are His, entirely devoted to His use.

Is that true of us? Do our lives reflect our devotion to Him, that we are not our own, but we belong to Him? Whose will get done daily — ours or His? Are we truly and really ‘holy’?

The Church is said to be ‘catholic’. This word means all-inclusive and all-embracing. (This has nothing to do with Roman Catholic Church).

To say that the Church is catholic is to recognize that God’s people can be found everywhere in this world, not confined to one locality or race. This is elaborated by the phrase “the communion of saints”. 

Never mind the skin colour, the language, the social and financial status, the educational background . . . . God’s people are one – one body, one spirit, one hope, one faith, one baptism, one because of Jesus Christ! Our oneness is founded, not on traditions, rituals, practices, or even doctrines. It is founded on a Person – Jesus Christ, the Son of God!

To Remember

• The church is people – called out and called together.
• The church is holy
• The church is catholic

To Ponder

• Take time to read and ponder over 1 Peter 2:4-12. How can you better live out the truths taught in these 9 verses?

WEI En Yi