The Church’s One Foundation

GOLDEN TEXT: “He is the Head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the pre-eminence.” —Colossians 1:18

MATTHEW 16:13-19; EPHESIANS 2:19-22

THE word “church” in the New Testament translates the Greek word ekklesia, which simply means a calling out, or a “called out” class. So the church is a class called out from the world to be associated with the Master in the outworking of the divine plan for the blessing of all the families of the earth, as God promised to father Abraham. (John 15:19; Gen. 12:3; 22:18) God promised Abraham that his “Seed” would be the channel of blessing, and Paul explains that Jesus, and those associated with him, “baptized into Christ,” constitute the promised “Seed” of Abraham.—Gal. 3:8,27-29

The “church” is not the building in which the Lord’s people meet for worship, although Paul (Eph. 2:19-22) uses a building to illustrate the church, a “building” in which Jesus Christ is the “chief corner stone,” “in whom,” he says, “all the building fitly framed together groweth into an holy temple in the Lord: in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.”

Paul uses the typical temple of Israel to symbolize the church, and the divine purpose in the church. The typical temple was the meeting place between God and Israel, and Paul says that the church is a “habitation of God through the Spirit.” Through Christ and his church God will meet with and bless mankind throughout the thousand years of the coming kingdom.

Jesus’ statement to Peter, “Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church,” is quite in harmony with the general testimony of the Scriptures that Jesus himself is the foundation of the church. (I Cor. 3:11) The “rock” referred to by Jesus, upon which his church was to be built, was the great truth referred to by Peter in his confession, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”—Matt. 16:16

Of special interest is Jesus’ further statement concerning the church, that the “gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (vs. 18) “Hell” in this instance is a translation of the Greek word hades, the great prison-house of death. Certainly the church would not be storming the gates of hades in an effort to enter this prison. Instead, the thought is that the gates of hell will not be able to hold the church in death, for all will be restored to life in the “first resurrection,” hell, or hades, not being able to hold them prisoners in death.

And Jesus’ promise implies even more than this. As we have seen, Jesus and his church constitute the “seed” of Abraham through which all the families of the earth are to be blessed. Throughout all the centuries the “families of the earth” have been going down into death. In order for these to receive God’s promised blessings they will have to be awakened from the sleep of death.

Jesus and his church will be empowered to accomplish this mighty miracle on behalf of mankind. Jesus said, “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, … and have the keys of hell and of death.” (Rev. 1:18) Jesus will use these keys to unlock the prison-house of death, that is, hades, or hell. Jesus raised some of the dead while he was on earth in the flesh, and he said to his disciples, “He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”—John 14:12

In Isaiah 49:8,9 we read, “Thus saith the Lord, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; that thou mayest say to the prisoners [of death], Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Show yourselves.” In II Corinthians 6:1,2 the Apostle Paul quotes from this prophecy and applies it to the church. So we know that the church will share with Jesus in the work of releasing the prisoners of death. The gates of hell will not prevail to hinder this work of restoration.

Our Golden Text refers to Jesus as the “Head” of the church “which is his body.” (Eph. 1:22,23) This is a different illustration, of course, than the foundation stone. Nevertheless, it emphasizes Jesus’ pre-eminence in all things relating to his disciples, his followers. It reminds us that there should be no human headship in the church.

QUESTIONS

What is the church, and what is its function in the divine plan?

What did Jesus mean in saying to Peter, “Upon this rock I will build my church”?

What did Jesus mean by the statement that the “gates of hell” would not prevail against the church?

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