Which church is the true church?

 

Which church—that is, which denomination of Christianity—is the “true church”? Which church is the one that God loves and cherishes and died for? Which church is His bride? The answer is that no visible church or denomination is the true church, because the bride of Christ is not an institution, but is instead a spiritual entity made up of those who have by grace through faith been brought into a close, intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8–9). Those people, no matter which building, denomination, or country they happen to be in, constitute the true church.

 

In the Bible, we see that the local (or visible) church is nothing more than a gathering of professing believers. In Paul’s letters, the word church is used in two different ways. There are many examples of the word church being used to simply refer to a group of professing believers who meet together on a regular basis (1 Corinthians 16:9; 2 Corinthians 8:1; 11:28). We see Paul’s concern, in his letters, for the individual churches in various cities along his missionary journey. But he also refers to a church that is invisible—a spiritual entity that has close fellowship with Christ, as close as a bride to her husband (Ephesians 5:25, 32), and of which He is the spiritual head (Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 3:21). This church is made up of an unnamed, unspecified group of individuals (Philippians 3:6; 1 Timothy 3:5) that have Christ in common.

 

The word church is a translation of the Greek word ekklesia, meaning “a called–out assembly.” The word describes a group of people who have been called out of the world and set apart for the Lord, and it is always used, in its singular form, to describe a universal group of people who know Christ. The word ekklesia, when pluralized, is used to describe groups of believers who meet together. Interestingly enough, the word church is never used in the Bible to describe a building or organization.

 

It is easy to get ensnared by the idea that a particular denomination within Christianity is “the true church,” but this view is a misunderstanding of Scripture. When choosing a church to attend, it is important to remember that a gathering of believers should be a place where those who belong to the true church (the spiritual entity) feel at home. That is to say, a good local church will uphold the Word of God, honoring it and preaching faithfully, proclaim the gospel steadfastly, and feed and tend the sheep. A church that teaches heresy or engages in sin will eventually be very low on (or entirely bereft of) those people that belong to the true church—the sheep who hear the voice of the Shepherd and follow Him (John 10:27).

 

Members of the true church always enjoy agreement in and fellowship around Jesus Christ, as He is plainly revealed in His Word. This is what is referred to as Christian unity. Another common mistake is to believe that Christian unity is just a matter of agreeing with one another. Simple agreement for the sake of agreement does not speak the truth in love or spur one another on to unity in Christ; rather, it encourages believers to refrain from speaking difficult truths. It sacrifices true understanding of God in favor of a false unity based on disingenuous love that is nothing more than selfish tolerance of sin in oneself and others.

 

The true church is the bride of Christ (Revelation 21:2, 9; 22:17) and the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:12; 1 Corinthians 12:27). It cannot be contained, walled in, or defined by anything other than its love for Christ and its dedication to Him. The true church is, as C. S. Lewis put it, “spread out through all time and space and rooted in eternity, terrible as an army with banners.”

What does it mean that God “will be a wall of fire” around Jerusalem (Zechariah 2:5)?

 

In Zechariah 2:5, God sends a message to the Israelites through the prophet Zechariah, saying, “I myself will be a wall of fire” around Jerusalem. The “wall of fire” symbolically refers to God’s protection and presence. To better understand the phrase in its biblical context, we must turn to the book of Zechariah for some background.

 

Zechariah’s prophetic ministry was set in the time after the people of Israel had experienced captivity in Babylon. While in exile, their homeland had been laid waste and completely taken over by foreign nations. Zechariah served a small population of returned Jews living within the ruined city of Jerusalem.

 

The Israelites were re-organizing to resume their work of rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem. The initial reconstruction had already begun (Ezra 3:10–12) but was stopped when opposition from neighboring enemies arose (Ezra 4:4–5). So Zechariah, along with the prophet Haggai, encouraged the Jews to restart their efforts (Ezra 5:1–2; Zechariah 4:9).

 

It was at this time that Zechariah experienced a series of night visions. The third vision (Zechariah 2:1–13) highlights the significance of Jerusalem in God’s restoration plan for Israel. In this vision, a man begins to measure the city’s perimeter to reconstruct its ruined walls. But an angel stops him with a message from the Lord: “Run, tell that young man, ‘Jerusalem will be a city without walls because of the great number of people and animals in it. And I myself will be a wall of fire around it,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will be its glory within’” (verses 4–5).

 

Part of the message of the vision is that God’s plans and purposes stretch beyond the boundaries of what humans believe is possible (Matthew 19:26). The Lord’s plan for the future of Jerusalem involved an exceedingly large population dwelling in safety and security. The vision tinged not only the current rebuilding of the city but also pointed to the New Jerusalem—a future, heavenly city protected not by stone walls but by God’s powerful, all-consuming presence (Revelation 21:1–4).

 

In ancient times, a city without walls was vulnerable to enemy attacks (Ezekiel 38:11). The “wall of fire” around Jerusalem in Zechariah’s vision illustrated God’s protective presence. When the Babylonians demolished Jerusalem and its temple, it had nothing to do with the city’s physical fortifications. The city was overtaken because God had withdrawn His shielding presence (Ezekiel 10:18–19).

 

Thus, the primary message of this vision is that God’s people should be encouraged, because God Himself would be “a protective wall of fire around Jerusalem.” Likewise, God promises that He Himself will be the glory filling the inside of the city (Zechariah 2:5). The vision continues with the Lord reassuring His people, “Anyone who harms you harms my most precious possession. I will raise my fist to crush them, and their own slaves will plunder them” (verses 8–9, NLT). “Shout and rejoice, O beautiful Jerusalem, for I am coming to live among you,” promises the Lord (verse 10, NLT).

 

Throughout the Old Testament, fire is associated with the Lord’s presence. The Lord speaks to Moses through a burning bush (Exodus 3:1–22). God appears as a consuming fire at the summit of Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:17). The Lord’s presence materializes as “a pillar of fire” to lead and guide the Israelites (Exodus 13:21–22).

 

In the New Testament, the writer of Hebrews says that “our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29, ESV) and His angelic messengers are “a flame of fire” (Hebrews 1:7). On the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit rested on the disciples as “tongues of fire” (Acts 2:3).

 

When we remember God’s promise to be a wall of fire around Jerusalem, we can be assured that He takes care of His own. We can believe the Lord’s protection and the fullness of His life and power dwelling within us (Romans 8:11). By His power, He accomplishes infinitely more than we can imagine (Ephesians 3:19–20). What’s more, God’s pledge to be a wall of fire around Jerusalem makes us look forward with hope to a glorious future city: “And now the LORD says: I am returning to Mount Zion, and I will live in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the Faithful City; the mountain of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies will be called the Holy Mountain” (Zechariah 8:3, NLT).

How can we confidently say, ‘I will fear no evil,’ as in Psalm 23:4?

 

 

In one of the most consoling passages of the Bible, we discover this confident claim: “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4). The psalmist, King David, has learned that God’s presence with him overcomes even the very worst things he can face in life.

 

Psalm 23 introduces us to the Lord as a faithful, loving, and compassionate Shepherd, an image that’s familiar throughout both the Old and New Testaments. As we get to know God as our Shepherd, we begin to see how He guides us, cares for us individually, and protects us. We realize that we lack nothing because our Shepherd is with us, directing our path and looking out for our every need. Even if He leads us into a dark valley we, like David, can say, “I will fear no evil.”

 

The word translated “evil” in the original Hebrew language means “that which causes harm, misfortune, trouble, danger, destruction, or injury of any kind.” Even in the most challenging times, David says he would not fear any harm. We don’t have to be afraid because the Lord our Shepherd walks with us through the dark valleys of life. He is with us in times of loss, illness, injury, and grief. Even in the blackest seasons of life, we don’t have to fear harm because God is with us.

 

God has repeatedly given this reassurance to His faithful followers throughout the Bible. To the patriarchs, God said, “Fear not, for I am with you” (Genesis 26:24, ESV; see also Genesis 15:1). To the armies of Israel, the Lord promised, “When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours, do not be afraid of them, because the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with you” (Deuteronomy 20:1).

 

As Joshua and the people of Israel prepared for battle against enemy nations in the Promised Land, God said through Moses, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6; see also 31:8). Through the prophet Isaiah, God proclaimed, “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand (Isaiah 41:10, NLT; see also 41:13; 43:5). The writer of Hebrews reminds us of God’s promise, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).

 

Fearing evil and trusting God don’t mix. When we are confident in God’s goodness, we can say with the psalmist, “The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1). If we believe that God is on our side, we acknowledge, “The LORD is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?” (Psalm 118:6, NLT). When we start to experience fear, we know it’s time to put our trust in God (Psalm 56:3). As we turn to Him in prayer, He will free us from fear and fill us with His supernatural peace (Psalm 34:4; Philippians 4:6).

 

In our darkest, most trying times, we must remember that God is near (Psalm 34:18). He is our Shepherd, and we are in His constant care. Throughout our lives and even in death, His goodness and love will never fail us (Psalm 23:6). Only when we are secure in the knowledge that our Good Shepherd is with us can we confidently say, “I will fear no evil.”

What does it mean for Christians to be in the world but not of the world?

 

 

The phrase, derived in part from John 17 that believers need to be "in the world but not of it" is often used, but perhaps certain of its nuances bear further scrutiny.

 

First, believers need to be "in the world." It could be taken for granted that believers are in the world; we reside on Earth, after all. However, being in the world implies more than simply inhabiting it. We need to actually be involved in our societies. Jesus told His disciples to "go therefore and make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:19). They were not to set themselves up apart from the world and expect others to come to them to hear truth. They were told to "go." Similarly, in John 17:15 Jesus prayed regarding His disciples, "I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one." His disciples needed to stay in the world, not be removed to heaven. Acts 1:8 and Isaiah 43:10 tell us that we are to be witnesses to the world. Matthew 5:16 tells us that our light is to shine before others to point them to God. Allowing our light to shine requires us to be around people. There are certain Christian sects (such as the Amish) who believe in a "Christ apart from culture" model of evangelism; however, such separation is not the biblical norm.

 

To be "not of the world" requires us to be free of worldly influence. This does not mean that we do not participate in government or typical social processes. It means that we do not act as the unsaved world does. We are not slaves to our sinful natures but act in accordance with righteousness (Romans 6:6, 11). We are told to put to death things that are of our sinful natures and to flee from immorality (Colossians 3:5-10; 1 Corinthians 6:18; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 5:3-11). We "train [ourselves] for godliness" (1 Timothy 4:7); we are "imitators of God" (Ephesians 5:1); we have nothing to do with "unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them" (Ephesians 5:11). We submit to authorities and prepare ourselves for good works (Titus 3:1). In essence, we act according to the new nature we have been given rather than the sinful nature of the world (2 Corinthians 5:17, 21; Titus 3:3-8). "We are ambassadors for Christ" (2 Corinthians 5:20), spreading His fragrance (2 Corinthians 2:15-16) through the world.

 

First Peter 2:9 says, "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the Excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." We live in a world of darkness, but we are not part of that darkness. We are not of the world because we are in Christ; we have the light. And while we are still in the world, we are called to be set apart, to shine the light that others might know Him and be saved (Matthew 5:13-16).

How can I have assurance of my salvation?

 

Many followers of Jesus Christ look for the assurance of salvation in the wrong places. We tend to seek assurance of salvation in the things God is doing in our lives, in our spiritual growth, in the good works and obedience to God’s Word that is evident in our Christian walk. While these things can be evidence of salvation, they are not what we should base the assurance of our salvation on. Rather, we should find the assurance of our salvation in the objective truth of God’s Word. We should have confident trust that we are saved based on the promises God has declared, not because of our subjective experiences.

 

How can you have assurance of salvation? Consider 1 John 5:11–13: “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” Who is it that has the Son? It is those who have believed in Him (John 1:12). If you have Jesus, you have life. Not temporary life, but eternal.

 

God wants us to have assurance of our salvation. We should not live our Christian lives wondering and worrying each day whether or not we are truly saved. That is why the Bible makes the plan of salvation so clear. Believe in Jesus Christ (John 3:16; Acts 16:31). “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). Have you repented? Do you believe that Jesus died to pay the penalty for your sins and rose again from the dead (Romans 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:21)? Do you trust Him alone for salvation? If your answer to these questions is “yes,” you are saved! Assurance means freedom from doubt. By taking God’s Word to heart, you can have no doubt about the reality of your eternal salvation.

 

Jesus Himself assures those who believe in Him: “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand” (John 10:28–29). Eternal life is just that—eternal. There is no one, not even yourself, who can take Christ’s God-given gift of salvation away from you.

 

Take joy in what God’s Word is saying to you: instead of doubting, we can live with confidence! We can have the assurance from Christ’s own Word that our salvation will never be in question. Our assurance of salvation is based on the perfect and complete salvation God has provided for us through Jesus Christ.

What does it mean that ‘the two shall become one flesh’ (Genesis 2:24)?"

 

Genesis 2:24 gives us a picture of the marriage bond before sin entered the world: “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24, NKJV). “One flesh” echoes the language of the preceding verse when Adam first meets Eve and exclaims, “This one is bone of my bone, and flesh from my flesh!” (Genesis 2:23, NLT). Two becoming one in marriage involves uniting two whole and separate people into a new, God-designed and God-purposed life.

 

The two shall become one flesh clause expresses the original purpose of marriage: to seal a permanent relationship between a husband and wife. Jesus spoke of this union in a conversation with the Pharisees about divorce: “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate” (Mark 10:6–9; see also Matthew 19:4–6).

 

Marriage was intended to be an unbreakable, lifelong union. Termination of marriage in divorce was not considered before sin came into the world (Genesis 3). The Bible teaches that all instances of separation and divorce were because of sin (Deuteronomy 24:1–4; Ezra 9—10; Malachi 2:14; Matthew 5:31–32; Luke 16:18). When God said, “And the two shall become one,” His ideal objective was for the man and woman to join together in an inseparable and exclusive union.

 

Husbands and wives become “one flesh” in sexual intimacy, as reflected literally in their children’s lives. A child is one, new, whole, individual and separate life created through the physical union of two people—a man and a woman. God’s idyllic design for the sexual union in marriage is to be exclusive: “Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery” (Hebrews 13:4, NLT; see also Ephesians 5:22–33; 1 Timothy 3:2, 12 and Titus 1:6).

 

Two becoming one in the sexual aspect of marriage means caring for and fulfilling one another’s physical needs with respect and mutual consent (1 Corinthians 7:1–5), not exploiting one another (1 Thessalonians 4:3–7), and delighting in one another (Proverbs 5:15–19; Ecclesiastes 9:9). God’s design for physical intimacy in marriage is portrayed with beauty and dignity in the Song of Solomon.

 

Of course, oneness in marriage reaches far beyond the physical level. The original Hebrew word translated as “flesh” refers to much more than a person’s physical or sexual composition. It relates to the whole human existence. The biblical view of “one flesh” communicates a unity that covers every facet of a couple’s joint lives as husband and wife. In marriage, two whole lives unite together as one emotionally, intellectually, financially, spiritually, and in every other way. The “two shall become one” in purpose. They are so close that they function like one person, balancing each other’s strengths and weaknesses so that together they can fulfill their God-given calling.

 

In Scripture, marriage is viewed as a covenant relationship between a man and a woman (Malachi 2:14–16; Proverbs 2:16–17). The two people become dependent on each other and responsible for one another. This human bond in marriage is a metaphor for God’s relationship with Israel (Ezekiel 16:8) as well as a picture of the union between Christ and the church: “But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit” (1 Corinthians 6:17; cf. Ephesians 5:31–32).

 

Nevertheless, since the fall of humankind, the marriage relationship has failed to measure up to its God-intended ideal. Apart from salvation in Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit’s sanctifying work, husbands and wives cannot even begin to live in mutual harmony and accord. Yet, in Christ, believers discover the unconditional love of God (1 Corinthians 13:4–8)—a supernatural love that enables them to make a lifelong commitment to care for their spouse as Christ loved His bride, the church, and sacrificed Himself for her (Ephesians 5:25).

 

The two shall become one flesh expresses the heart of the Bible’s conception of marriage. By entering into marriage, a husband and wife take solemn vows to become permanently one flesh—to love, honor, and cherish one another until they are parted by death.