What does The Church Mean to You - Part 1

If we ask that question to 20 people, we will likely get 20 different answers.

Some live their lives without the church since they don't believe it is important. Others view it as a social club, a benevolent society, or the keeper of community values. Still others view it as a hindrance to doing "one's own thing." Of course, differing views about the church are nothing new. Just look at the bible.

The Jewish leaders regarded the church as a mere "sect" of Judaism. "We desire to hear of you what you think; for as concerning this sect, we know that everywhere it is spoken against' (Acts 28:22.) The Jews had many sects among them: the Pharisees, the Sadducees,the Herodians, the Essenes. Now the church of our Lord was not designed to fall in line as just another sect of the Jews. The church was not to be a new patch on an old garment (Mark 2:21.) Jesus is the mediator of a NEW covenant (Hebrews 8:6) built on a new and different foundation (Hebrews 9:15.) Today, many consider the church as a sect among "Christendom." But Jesus didn't build it that way either. He prayed for unity (John 17:20) and commanded it ( I Corinthians 1 :10.) The church was not a sect in the first century and that means it cannot be so today.