On Church

The Reformation pressed the concept of the invisible church into the minds of Protestants during the past five hundred years. Configuring this along with a Roman Catholic emphasis on the visible church brought heightened awareness of the church universal to everyone. One can observe the global church, both visible and invisible, more pragmatically at the local church level. In the New Testament, the reader is aware of the network of churches, but prominence is given to selected local churches.

The world teaches her inhabitants to focus on self in the personal quest for gratifying individual needs. Moreover, the labors of sinful man produce even greater rebellion against God, who created man and established a way for him to live right before God and his fellow man. Man strives with his neighbor, made in the image of God, while the harmony and unity of humanity is found to be very fragile.

The church of Jesus Christ, a community of people occupied by the Holy Spirit, is commanded to live differently than the world. The alternative vision is corporate, not individualistic. As individuals are called out of the world, their residual carnality poses a threat to community life in the church. The process of transforming each individual begins with the mind. God has ordained both ordinary and extraordinary means for a new believer’s transformation into conformity with the image of Christ.

Preaching the Bible, ordinary yet extraordinary, is primary in the process of calling sinners to repentance. The Gospel calls people to change alignment from a distorted worldview to a Kingdom of God view to life and death. Those who submit to kingdom rule, an invisible operation of Spirit-led obedience, find themselves in communion with the body of Christ (a.k.a. church). This visible identity was affirmed at the Reformation by both Luther and Calvin. Preaching the Word and proper administration of baptism and the Lord’s Supper are the key marks of a true assembly of God’s people.

The Holy Spirit has brought the community into existence and adds individuals by regenerating each elect soul. The church recognizes this work of the Spirit and catechizes the born again believer toward the waters of baptism. Here is the visible entrance into the visible community. This reflects the invisible work of the invisible God in adding to the invisible assembly of His gathered ones. They mature spiritually, thus increasing their visibility as worshipers of Christ.

Christ Jesus is the Word of God incarnate, who bears witness to the Scriptures as the written Word of God, which bears witness of the person and work of Christ. The self-emptying work of Christ is observed most vividly in the regular re-telling of the redemption story. Christ, the power of God, denied His human flesh and offered Himself a sacrifice for the sins of His people. Christ died for us, the church, which is now ushered into worship of the resurrected Son of man, who is the Son of God seated on the throne of God at the right hand of God the Father.

Christ Jesus is the icon of the perfect man because He is the very icon of God. God is pressing His image upon the unformed clay of our spiritual lives. By the wisdom of God, Jesus Christ, a mould has been revealed. The Word and the Spirit are setting the clay into the mould. The end product in the eschaton, following the fiery trials of this world, will boast of the handiwork of the Master craftsman as the structure and all its member parts are found blameless on the day of Christ — a day of judgment.

The standard test by fire will show forth precious materials employed to build a lasting corporate structure. Each member will have his place for which he was designed, crafted, and fitted into place by the One who said, “I will build my church.” Each material piece, chosen by the Builder and trademarked with the seal of Christ, at the messy work site in these difficult days waits in hope of a sure future, “We will be beautiful when we are finished.” In that day, disunity will be completed in unity; deformity will be culminated in conformity; raw material will be finished product; the scrap will be removed; and this eternal house will forever reflect the immeasurable beauty, strength, and glory of the Builder, who is Christ the Lord.

David Norczyk

Lakewood, California

July 14, 2021