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The Mission of the Church
J. Roy Vaughan
The church revealed in the New Testament is the kingdom of God, the house of God, the body of Christ. There are some things that cannot be included in the mission of the church. It is not the primary mission of the church to give social prestige, financial standing or entertainment to the members. The church is not primarily a money raising organization, nor is its mission to promote politics. It is not a government agency or primarily an organization to promote charity. While indirectly the church may influence all of these things, the Lord did not plant the church on the earth to promote these things primarily.
Many of the people misunderstood the Lord and his work while he was on the earth, and today many people misunderstand the true mission of the church. Because the Lord disappointed them, many turned back on one occasion and followed him no more. John says. "Upon this many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Jesus said therefore unto the twelve, Would ye also go away? Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life." (John 6:66.) The Lord doubtless understood why many "went back and walked no more with him." He had made a remarkable statement and they had stumbled over it.
The Lord knew why they turned back. He knew their motives for following him. He knew that they did not clearly understand his mission on earth. In order to sift the chaff from the wheat he preached a sermon in which he declared himself to be "the bread of life." "The bread which I will give is my flesh," he said. This was not what they expected of the Messiah and because they could not accept it they turned away.
Some men saw in Christ a great physician who would heal all their infirmities. Some wanted a free dinner, while others saw in him a political hope and would make him their king. So it is today, many misunderstand the true mission of the church that the Lord Jesus planted on the earth, and often because it does not meet their expectations, they too turn away and follow the Lord no more. Because the church will not be turned away from its God given mission and assume as its primary work what they think the church should do, they criticize the elders and denounce the church.
Some men are disappointed because they do not find the church to be a hospital or at least provide hospitalization for them when they are sick. Christianity will cause men to help the sick and the needy, but this is not the primary mission of the church. Some men are disappointed because they do not receive enough personal attention. When sick they expect the church to make them comfortable and when they attend the services of the church they expect others to make an ado over them. When they do not receive the attention they expect the church to give them, they turn away and follow the Lord no more. Such people simply do not understand the mission of the church.
Some men expect the church to feed them. True, giving to the poor is "lending to the Lord," but the Lord rebuked the multitude that followed him merely for the loaves and fishes. (John 6:26.) Some men expect the church to solve all the social and domestic problems. Christianity in the heart of man will right wrongs and correct problems, but this is not primarily the mission of the church. One day when a man came to the Lord for help in solving a problem, the Lord answered, "Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?" (Luke 12:14). The church is not supposed to legislate with reference to labor and capital, this reform or that reform. But when the church refuses to be swayed from her mission on earth, many are disappointed and turn away and follow the Lord no more.
Some fathers and mothers expect the church to train their children. The church can and should teach boys and girls the word of God and encourage them to fear God and serve him, but it is not primarily the mission of the church to serve as a "baby sitter" for our children. It is not the mission of the church to provide entertainment for our children. Some apparently would like to turn the church into a YMCA. They might as well join the YMCA for all the good they receive from the church, if this is their conception of the mission of the church. What then is the mission of the church? The mission of the church is the same as was the mission of the Lord Jesus Christ. "The Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost." (Luke 19:10.) Many material blessings may flow from the work of the church, but the church, God's kingdom, is a spiritual kingdom, and it is primarily interested in the salvation of lost souls. And when we turn the work of the church into material benefits primarily, we have turned the church away from its divine mission on the earth. It becomes no more than a YMCA or an insurance agency or a place for the "bread line" to be served.
The Lord said, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor." (Luke 4:18.) It belongs to the church to preach the gospel of Christ and when the church fails, there is nothing left to carry the gospel to lost men. Paul said, "These things I write unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly; but if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how men ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth." (1 Tim. 3:14, 15.) Nothing else is or can be the pillar and ground of the truth. God gave the church this glorious mission to support the gospel, and no material needs of man should ever be placed above the salvation of lost souls. Paul was sent to the Gentiles, "to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive the remission of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith." (Acts 26:17.)
It is the mission of the church to edify the children of God. "Wherefore exhort one another, and build each other up, even as also ye do." (1 Thess. 5:11.) "So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, being edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord." (Acts 9:31.) "Neither give heed td fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith." (1 Tim. 1:4.) "We exhort you, brethren, admonish the disorderly, encourage the fainthearted, support the weak, be longsuffering toward all." (1 Thess. 5:14.)
It is the mission of the church to glorify God. "Unto him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus unto all generations for ever and ever," said Paul. (Eph. 3:21.) "Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." (1 Cor. 10:31.) "Ye are not your own; for ye were bought with a price; glorify God therefore in your body." (1 Cor. 6:20.) "As it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord." (1 Cor. 1:31.) "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches; but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he hath understanding, and knoweth me, that I am Jehovah who exerciseth loving-kindness, justice, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith Jehovah." (Jer. 9:23, 24.) It does not behoove Christians to boast over their much learning and high degrees, their expensive church buildings, their large membership and programs that appeal to the flesh, rather let the Christian boast of his understanding, that he knows God and is known of God, and walks humbly in the fear of the Lord "to the glory of God."
It is the mission of the church to remember the poor. "As we have opportunity, let us work that which is good toward all men, and especially toward them that are of the household of the faith." (Gal. 6:10.) Paul said that Peter, James and John gave to him and to Barnabas the right hand of fellowship as they went to the Gentiles with the gospel, "only they would that we should remember the poor; which very thing I was also zealous to do" (Gal. 2:10)
The Lord Jesus glorified the Father while he was on the earth and as he came to the end of his days here he said, "Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that the Son may glorify thee. . . . I glorified thee on the earth, having accomplished the work which thou hast given me to do." (John 17:1-4.) In so many words he said, "Father I have accomplished the work you sent me to the earth to do. This I have done and glorified thy name, now I am ready to return to heaven." Should not this be the aim, the mission, the work of the Lord's people also?