What institutions on earth has God given authority? We read in the scriptures that God gave the state the power of the sword and the fathers the power of the stick. What about the church?
We often end up seeing the church as a club, discuss the cons and cons, and judge whether we join this or that church, yet I want to propose a more biblical way of thinking about the church, I want to reflect on the concept of authority and belonging of the church through the Gospel of Matthew.
- One of the great questions of the Gospel of Matthew is who represents paradise here on earth.
- Matthew speaks a lot about heaven.
- The coming of the kingdom of heaven.
- The search for God’s will in heaven.
- The collection of treasures in heaven.
- Etc.
- Meanwhile.
- The earth is presented in Matthew 4 as Satan’s dominion.
- This is because.
- With the fall of Genesis 3.
- The heaven and earth that were together before separated.
- Matthew 28.
- We read that they gathered in Christ: every authority in heaven and on earth was given to the Savior.
Above this topic is the issue of regime change. In the Old Testament, Israel represented heaven, but now there is a change (3. 8-9; 8. 11-12). The question then is: who on earth speaks in the name of God?
We read in Matthew 3:17 that Jesus represents heaven:? And behold a voice of heaven which saith, This is my beloved Son, in whom I delight.
Matthew 16:13-20?13 When Jesus went to Caesarea of Philips, He asked his disciples, Who said that the people are the Son of Man?14 And they said, Some say, John the Baptist; others: Elias; and others: Jeremiah or one of the prophets. 15 But you, he went on, who do you say I am?16 Answering Simon Peter, he said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 Jesus said unto him, “Blessed art thou, Simon Barjonas, for it is not the flesh and blood that hath revealed unto thee, but my Father who is in heaven. “18 I also say unto you that thou art Peter, and on this rock I will build my church. and the gates of hell will not prevail against her. 19 I will give thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven; Everything you connect on earth will have been connected to the heavens; And whatever you disconnect from the earth will be disconnected from heaven. 20 Then he warned the disciples that no one should say that he was the Christ.
In this text, Jesus asks who the people say he is, so he is interested in who and what: the right confession and the good confessor; Peter therefore, on behalf of the apostles, gives the correct answer and Jesus declares who Peter is. and that your profession is correct. Look, then, that Jesus says that He would build his church on this “stone”, this kind of person: the just confession and the good confessor.
Then Jesus gives the keys of the kingdom of heaven to the apostles. Is the authority of the keys the authority to judge and discern who and what from the gospel?Just like Jesus did.
In Matthew 18, we see that this power is given to the Church, the last court of appeal of disciplinary proceedings. Now the local church has the authority of heaven to keep the who and what of the gospel, which represents the heavens. Did Jesus allow the local church to listen to confessions and discern people and make a judgment about the fact that this confession was correct and whether the confessor was right?In the same way Jesus did to Peter: “Who do you say I am?[ ?] My Father, who is in heaven [revealed it]. ?
When we go to Matthew 28, we see these same elements of authority. We often read this text disconnected from the rest of the book; in other words, the Great Commission is carried out under this authorization of Christ. The Savior gives the Church the authority to make disciples and baptize them.
However, we must understand that the Church does not have the authority to create or define the gospel or a Christian, but to recognize them. Think of a judge, he does not determine the law or find someone guilty or innocent, but discerns him only. based on the law.
Think of an embassy, which makes no one a citizen, but publicly recognizes that person as a citizen; In the same way, the Church does not save, it makes someone Christian, but it has the power to publicly affirm who the citizens of the Kingdom are.
What is a local church? It is not a building or a club, but where the flag of the Kingdom of Heaven is waved, affirming the citizens of the Kingdom through baptism and dinner and living the culture of heaven through evangelism and discipleship. Earth, represents paradise.
In this way, membership in a church is a declaration of citizenship. Church membership is a covenant among believers, in which they affirm the profession of faith of others through ordinances and agree to oversee the discipleship of others.
We must understand that the Church is not only a people, but a people who are under the authority and structured responsibility of a heavenly covenant. Authority and relationship must go hand in hand if we are to exercise them with integrity and love.
In addition, we submit to a church not only in terms of authority, but also as a son to other family members, a sheep to a flock, a stone to a temple, and an arm to a body. The church is so amazing that we need all these metaphors to describe it.
This leads us to conclude that we must be careful in our accession process. Throughout the Bible, we read that there is a clear distinction between God’s people and those outside. Think of the Garden of Eden, the Ark of Noah, the Egyptian people. we must maintain a clear line between those inside and outside the church.
Make sure that people who come to church understand the gospel, who you are as a church, and what you expect from it. Membership classes are perfect for this.
To be a member of the Church, a citizen of the Kingdom living in the embassy, is to seek to protect and proclaim the gospel; Therefore, each member must learn the gospel and help others live worthy of the gospel and also be open to being taught and exhorted. This means that the person must live a life of discipleship and meet the church to hear the Word of God.
The leaders of Israel and Israel were removed from office because they were disobedient and closed the door of heaven in the face of the people. So that doesn’t mean the church should only receive perfect people. This is the type of person the church should receive: the poor in spirit (5. 3), who confess Christ (10. 32), who humble themselves as little children (18. 4).