All Christians, both past and present, are members of God’s church, sometimes referred to as the universal church. Christians must also spend time studying, praying, worshiping, and serving those who share their beliefs. We refer to this as the local church.
The Body of Christ
As the head of the Church, God refers to it as His body. The various organs, limbs, and cells that make up a human body each have a distinct purpose. Similar to this, there are a variety of persons in the church. Each of us has a distinct role and responsibility within the Body of Christ, and the Holy Spirit has bestowed unique abilities upon each of us to enable us to carry out these duties (Romans 12:6–8; 1 Corinthians 12:4–12).
The Bride of Christ
God also calls the church the Bride of Christ. No man wants to marry a prostitute or someone who has slept around but he wants a woman who is pure, and has eyes for just one man and kept her virginity specifically for him. The same is true of the Bride of Christ. God desires that we will be pure having eyes for no one else and living solely for Him, to please Him, worship Him and serve Him alone. Many people were involved in idolatry or sins of many different kinds that displeased God before they became Christians. But when we become Christians He cleanses, forgives and begins a work of transformation in us so that when He looks upon us He sees us as pure. Together with every Christian of the universal church we will stand united before God on the last day, and be completely united with Christ as a man and woman on their wedding day.
Salt and light
We are also Salt and light. The local church should be part of the community and living out the life of Christ in their separate communities so that everyone around them who does not know God will be affected. Just as darkness cannot exist where light is and as bacteria and germs cannot exist where salt is, the church should have a cleansing, brightening effect on the community. The local church should be made up of Christians who live near each other. It should be led by godly leaders who should seek after God, his will and hear his voice, and they will look after the Christians in their care as a family cares for brothers, sisters, children, and the elderly. The leaders should teach them from God’s word, lead them by the example of men and women who hear God’s voice and obey him, so that every Christian in the local church will come to maturity, and becomes a disciple of Christ, and themselves have a close relationship with God.
Worship and prayer
As a result of the church’s collective worship and prayer, there is a desire to serve one another and reach out to the lost. This mission begins with the people in the immediate community and extends to sending representatives of the church out into the world to spread the good news of the gospel. As a result, believers start local churches, which in turn produce disciples who begin local missions efforts before expanding worldwide. This is a result of Jesus giving the first disciples—the first local church in history—the great commission (Matthew 28:18–20).
If you consider yourself to be a Christian, you belong to the worldwide church and have an obligation to locate a local church to participate in worship, pray, receive instruction, develop into a mature follower of Christ, and use the gifts God has given you to serve the church and the Lord. Without guidance, support, and encouragement during acts of worship, praise, and prayer, no Christian can endure isolation. A Christian’s life will wither without this. This is the church’s purpose.
