Church and State: Differing Roles Under the Ultimate Authority of God – Part 2 tagged: , ,

Church and State: Differing Roles Under the Ultimate Authority of God – Part 2

Posted by in Bible & Theology

It was fairly disappointing that no one wanted to interact with me on the first posting of this series. I guess I am either preaching to the choir, or no one wants to play with me. This however will not deter me from finishing these posts. I am convinced that a better grasp of these concepts in the Body of Christ will help us to better understand the issues that we are surrounded with as both Christians and citizens in a state instituted and propped up by God and His power.

I discussed last time here what the primary purpose of government is: to keep most of us safe from the eruption of evil doers by being the hand of God that dispenses His “justice” often with “vengeance”. What are then the primary purpose(s) of the church?

“Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”  He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.” Matthew 16:13-20 ESV

“Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code. ” – Romans 7:4-6 ESV

“From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” - 2 Corinthians 5:15-21 ESV

As we have seen previously, the government is a framework that allows the Spirit of God to keep order on the earth in a dark and sinful world. The church then is God’s beacon of Light for that same world in darkness to see Jesus:

1. Jesus is the Lord of Heaven, the Light of the World, and the Word of Life (John 1).

2. Those who have renounced sinful darkness and have claimed His work on the cross for themselves by faith are now children of God (John 1:12) – and this truth about Jesus is revealed only by God the Father to humanity (Matthew 16:17).

3. Those who are “born again” by the Spirit (John 3:3;16) have become a new creature in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21) and are then the Ambassadors of His Kingdom both as individuals (2 Corinthians 5:20) and as that collective known as “the Body of Christ” (the reference in verse 20 is to “us” meaning the Body of Christ – those who have been redeemed through His Body by both His death and Resurrection – Romans 6:1 and 7:4).

4. The redeemed then are the “Body of Christ” – the Church – based upon Peter’s profession represented in both “the saints of all times and all places” and that locally identifiable “Body of Christ.” The Scriptures tell us that we are not “like” the Body of Christ – we ARE the “Body of Christ” (1 Corinthians 12). What does this mean?

  • We who have been delivered from darkness and light are a part of the family of God – with brothers and sisters, and a Heavenly Father (1 Corinthians 12:12). We should then give our very bodies as a sacrifice to God for His service in Christ’s Body (Romans 12:1).
  • Christ is the Head of the Body – those who are redeemed make up the “parts.” In the eyes of God, our very essence, both our physical bodies and spiritual selves become a part of the Body of Christ. Under the direction of the Spirit of God (John 16:13-14), as we abide in Him, He abides in us (John 15:4-5) to perform His will “on earth as it is in heaven.” As Jesus departed to heaven, He gave instructions to His followers that His work should continue through them (Matthew 28:18-20). He remains here in the redeemed by His Spirit to continue this His ministry. He has determined to use us, a body of millions worldwide and in the local church who are mere flesh and blood, to fulfill His work of ministry to humanity until the end of the age. In summary, He uses believers (the church both local and universal) to accomplish this ministry task, His Body, to do His work.

What then is the task(s) of the church? We only need look at the Gospels as the focal point of these tasks. The question becomes not “What Would Jesus Do” but “What DID Jesus Do“. It is by the accomplishment of these tasks and through prayer that we can determine what Jesus Is Doing today and what He desires to do through us as a Body tomorrow:

  • Jesus taught and preached that the Kingdom of God was at hand in the Here and Now through Him (Mark 1:14-15)
  • He taught that only by Him alone could one know the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, connecting the person of Himself as the God of the Passover and the Torah – and that He was not only for the Jews, but anyone who claimed redemption through Him (John 3:16-18; 8:56-59; 14:6).
  • He feed the hungry (Matthew 14:13-21), healed the sick and the blind (Matthew 14:14; Mark 10:46-52), raised the dead (Luke 8:11-17; John 11), and gave comfort to the masses who were “sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:6; 11:28)
  • He gave His life for both His friends (John 15:13) and His enemies (Romans 5:8) to be both the basis of salvation of those who believed (John 3:16) and the condemnation for those who would not (John 3:17-18) – He came not to condemn the world, but that the world would see His light and join His life.

How then are we to do what Jesus did and thus fulfill the purpose of the church – remember He said that greater works we would do than even He did?

  • Proclaim the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand by lifting up the name of Jesus to all of humanity, proclaiming that Jesus is the only way to heaven, the only way to God – and by that proclamation we are ready and willing to be persecuted for it, even if it means our own deaths that someone may live.
  • Feed the hungry, comfort and heal the sick, tend to those who are dead in their trespasses and sins. Offer physical and spiritual help to those who are dead and and suffering around us, showing them that Jesus seeks to save that which is lost. Our target should be anybody within any group be it old, young, poor, rich. The message of Jesus was never confined to a specific target – yet Jesus will target to whom He is leading and drawing to Himself.
  • Have faith that no matter the cost and sacrifice, God is in control. Our bodies are now being sacrificed so that both God’s friends and enemies will one day with bended knee proclaim Jesus as Lord.

This list is not exhustive – many things could be added to it. Again, what do you think? What have I left off in your opinion?