Articles
The Individual and the Church
A common mistake in practicing Christianity is making assumptions. Sometimes we just assume (or better, presume) what pleases God without ever consulting His word. Even when we start with the Bible, sometimes we make assumptions in our efforts to apply it.
What is the work of the church? Is it anything we want it to be, anything we deem to be good? Is it anything the Bible commends, regardless of context? A common assumption is that whatever an individual Christian may do, the church may do. Some say that because the church is composed of Christians, anytime a Christian does something it is the church doing it. There is no difference at all.
The Bible says that the church is the body of Christ (Colossians 1:18, 24). Christians are members of that body (1 Corinthians 1:12), but the body is not a Christian: “For the body is not one member, but many” (v. 14). When a Christian says, “I am the body,” that is as nonsensical as a sheep saying it is the flock or a cow saying it is the herd! Not everything a soldier does is the army doing it, not everything a teacher does is the school doing it, and not everything a Christian does is the church doing it.
The simple difference between a Christian and the church is illustrated in Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 18. The Lord says, “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother” (v. 15). So far, we just have two Christians in the picture, and hopefully that is the end of the matter. But it might not be. “But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed” (v. 16). Now we have four or five people involved. Is this the church? Not yet. Jesus continues, “If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector” (v. 17). Four or five Christians have been acting, but only now is the church involved. Can you see the difference between individuals and the church?
If we want to know what the work of the church is, we need to look at examples of churches in action or instructions that pertain to Christians acting as a group, not those which govern individual conduct and activity. A Christian is not the church, and it is a mistake to assume that whatever an individual may do, the church may do.
