Believing the Truth: The Church

Hi, I’m David Feddes, and this talk is about believing the truth about the church.

The Christian Leaders College and Institute Statement of Faith says: The church is the one body of God’s people throughout all generations and from all nations. Jesus gives two signs and seals of God’s grace—baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

Let’s think about those statements a little more.

The Church as the Body of Christ

When we say the Church is the Body of Christ, we’re echoing something the Bible says again and again. Romans 12 says: “For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ, though many, we form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”

“Now you are the body of Christ, and each of you is a part of it.” 1 Corinthians 12 develops that more fully. Sometimes a part of the body might think it’s more important than another. But if the eye says to the ear, “You’re not really part of the body,” where would hearing be? If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of smell be? You need eyes, ears, nose, hands, feet—every part.

One part can’t say, “I don’t need those other parts.” And if you have an inferiority complex—“I wish I were someone else; I’m useless”—that’s a mistake, too. Being part of the Body of Christ means every part matters. Even parts not very noticeable can be of great importance. If one part suffers, the whole body suffers.

Think of Shaquille O’Neal in his Lakers days—7'1", a mountain of muscle, MVP. The team was great—until his toe hurt. For about 30 games the team did poorly because Shaq’s toe kept him from playing. If you think you’re “just a toe,” it can still hurt the whole body if you’re not functioning. So it is with the Body of Christ: the “less important” members are very important still.

God “placed all things under Jesus’ feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way.” If we’re the Body of Christ, never forget who the Head is. Jesus is the Head. The church universal does not need another head. Sometimes people have said the bishop of Rome is the vicar of Christ, ruler of the whole church. No—we believe in the Body of Christ with Christ as its only Head.

That also means if you’re entrusted to be the pastor of a local congregation, you’re not the head of that church. Christ is. It’s not really “my church.” It’s God’s church with Jesus as the Head.

The Church’s Glory and Its Flaws

The church universal is amazing. The Bible says God chose to display His manifold wisdom to the principalities and powers through the church. The church is how God shows His wisdom to the angels—both in the wonders of the Head and in how He brings many different parts together to work and do wonderful things.

The Bible also uses other images: the church is the Bride of Christ, showing how much Christ treasures and loves His church, and what He gave to make her a radiant bride. The church is very precious to God.

Even when we see the flaws of the visible church, don’t forget the glory of the invisible church. In the visible church, some are not truly converted, and ugly things can happen. Others are truly converted but far from what they will be when glorified. So on this side of glory the church has flaws. But it is still the Body of Christ and the Bride of Christ—precious to Christ—and we who seek to be leaders ought to treasure it and humbly serve under Christ our Head.

One People from All Nations

The church is not just one little group here or there. It is from all nations. “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.”

No matter your country, nationality, skin color, or culture—if you belong to Jesus Christ, you are Abraham’s seed because He is the Seed of Abraham. We all belong to Father Abraham; we’re all one in Christ Jesus.

Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations.” He wanted all nations to know Him, and His glory to be reflected by all kinds of peoples. The vision of the new creation is “a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.” There is no room for racism in the church—only room for all the nations God has redeemed by Jesus’ blood.

The Church’s Ministry and the Two Signs

In the church, God gives preaching, fellowship, and many means of building each other up. He also gave two ordinances—sometimes called sacraments—baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

Baptism

Jesus commanded: “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” The church baptizes because Jesus said to baptize.

There is “one body, one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all.” Baptism is a sign of our unity under God, a sign of being washed by the precious blood of Christ, a sign of being buried with Him and raised with Him to newness of life.

Christians have disagreed about the mode of baptism and who should be baptized (children of believers or only professing believers). But don’t let disagreements hide the unity: we belong to Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; we’re washed in Christ’s blood; when we put faith in Jesus, we’re born again. Baptism is a sign and picture of that—and also God’s way of making it more official, confirming it to our hearts and encouraging us by His seal.

The Lord’s Supper

The Lord’s Supper comes directly from Jesus. “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me… This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this… in remembrance of me. For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.”

The Supper keeps our minds on Him—not as a distant figure, but as the One who saved us by His death, who reigns now and gives us life by His Spirit, and who is coming again. Remembrance is not just thinking back; it is bringing to mind the present reality of Jesus Christ. We smell, touch, taste—tokens of His body and blood—so our faith feeds on Christ.

The Lord’s Supper is a sign and seal—a picture of what Jesus has done by His body and blood, giving nourishment for our faith by the Holy Spirit. Whenever we do it, we profess our faith again and receive from Him by faith the gracious gifts He earned by His sacrifice.

Conclusion

The church is the one body of God’s people throughout all generations and from all nations.

Jesus gives two signs and seals of God’s grace to His church: baptism and the Lord’s Supper. These seal the promises of the gospel preached in the church. They never replace the Word, but they confirm that gospel Word to God’s people from all nations.