In my previous article, we considered Ephesians 3, where it’s crystal clear that the church doesn’t exist for you; nor for me. The church exists by God’s design and will, to display his wisdom. To glorify him. Therefore, when picking a church your main concerns shouldn’t be what the church does for you. That’s not what churches are for. Instead, you should ask whether that church makes much of God. So in this article and the next, we’re going to consider what kind of church you should desire. In other words, we’re going to ask how churches display God’s manifold wisdom (Ephesians 3:10).
In this article, I’m going to describe a desirable church, one that glorifies our God. Churches can do that in many ways. But fundamental to them are three traits: selflessness, unity, and service.
1. Selflessness
Firstly, let’s consider selflessness. A church full of selfless care and concern for one another is a clear display of God’s work of grace. Scripture tells us that because of the fall, man is selfish and self-seeking. We have an epic example of this in Genesis 4. That story of the two brothers reveals mankind’s tremendous selfishness. Cain couldn’t just do the right thing. Instead, he chose to kill his brother, Abel. Why? Because Cain saw Abel as an obstacle to his own acceptance before the Lord.
Listen to what God says to him. “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it” (Genesis 4:6-7). But Cain saw another way, easier perhaps. So he killed his brother (Genesis 4:8). While Cain’s actions are clearly wrong, it’s worth seeing what drives them: selfishness.
God makes selfish people into selfless servants.
Today, we have countless warring factions around the world. Despite pleas from other parts of the world, those sitting on either side of these conflicts refuse to reconcile. They refuse to work together. And in many instances this is nothing but the result of self-seeking attitudes. Selfishness.
On the other hand, people of different ethnicity, social status and economic backgrounds serve each other lovingly, in the church. Importantly, they don’t do this in order to be accepted. Nor to receive something in return. No, churches that embody selflessness are those that have experienced God’s love in salvation (Romans 5:8). History has even seen Christians laying down their lives for others, for no reason other than knowing the grace of God in their own life. Indeed, in his gospel God makes selfish people into selfless servants (1 Thessalonians 4:9-12).
If you’re looking for a church that displays God’s manifold wisdom, then look for one that demonstrates selfless love.
2. Unity
Next, the church glorifies God when it is marked by unity. The church that lives in relational unity displays God’s manifold wisdom to a world marked by division. After all, as Paul writes, Christ worked to kill hostility between people. His atoning work on the cross doesn’t only reconcile us to God. It works towards bringing divided people together (Ephesians 2:15).
In his priestly prayer, our Lord Jesus Christ said that when his disciples live in unity it would testify to the unity within God. It would also authenticate that Jesus Christ was sent by the father. “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me” (John 17:20-21).
This unity is undoubtedly one of the ways that the world might marvel at God’s grace.
When the world sees unity despite diversity in the church it witnesses the wisdom of God. This is undoubtedly one of the ways that the world might marvel at God’s grace at work. People should look on the church and walk away acknowledging that there is none like him. In other words, they walk away glorifying God. Linked with the previous point and anticipating the next, unity can only be maintained when believers seek to advance the interests of others instead of their own (Philippians 2:3-4).
A church that lives in unity is a church I desire to be a part of, for it is a church that displays the manifold wisdom of God.
3. Service
Finally, the church displays the manifold wisdom of God when its members are actively participating in the work of ministry (Ephesians 4:12). For Christ equips all of his people for service in the church (Ephesians 4:7). God took the initiative. He enables men and women who would have nothing to do with service if left to themselves Romans 3:9-18, 23).
God’s people dedicate themselves voluntarily to the service of God and neighbour.
In most organisations around the world, what they accomplish is directly proportional to how many people they pay. Very few can rely on volunteers. Yet the church is sustained by them. The church keeps moving forward because of God’s grace that empowers his people for service (Philippians 2:13). This is also how the message of the cross advances. The voluntary service of believers in carrying out the work of ministry is always the outworking of God. It’s by his grace. He quickens the spiritually dead and gives them new hearts, willing to live for his glory. Out of gratitude, God’s people dedicate themselves voluntarily to the service of God and neighbour (Titus 2:11-14).
Believers who’ve experienced the saving grace of God in Christ Jesus will be passionate about telling and serving others. This might mean evangelism. And it will certainly mean edifying other believers, encouraging them to persevere, while embodying Christ’s selfless service towards all people. This is the church I desire to be a part of. A church where each individual believer knows they have a responsibility to the whole community. And they gladly discharge that responsibility by embracing the attitude of Christ (Mark 10:45; 2 Corinthians 5:11).
