The Church and Understanding its Character:

Descriptions of the Church and Its Purpose

1 Peter 2:5,9,11 “you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” “Dear Friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.”

 Dealing with the purpose and ministry of the church in the world, Peter addresses his readers as: (1) living stones who were being built up for a spiritual house, (2) a holy and royal priesthood, (3) a people belonging only to God, and (4) aliens and strangers (1 Pet. 2:5, 9, 11). This is done to call attention to who and what the people of God are, but there is another purpose as well. Peter also wants us to see what the people of God ought to be doing.

So what are we to do? I believe we are to be building up this spiritual house, offering spiritual sacrifices in the worship of God, proclaiming the excellencies of God to a world lost in darkness, and abstaining from worldly lusts so that we can keep our behavior, our manner of life and testimony, excellent before an unbelieving world.

Throughout the New Testament, numerous ways are used to call our attention to the nature and identity of the church. The church is compared to salt, light, sheep, a bride, a spiritual temple, a household, members of Christ's body, branches in the vine, athletes, soldiers, and heavenly lights. Its people are called children of God, adopted sons, priests, servants, bondslaves, stewards, and partners with Christ, just to name a few.

      Why so many descriptions? Look at each of these, they all imply action and ministry. They describe the character, conduct, and calling of the church. God has painted such pictures in Scripture in order to challenge, motivate, and charge us into what? ACTION! The most important thing is that we see the vision of who we are as God's people, where we are, and why we are here-God's representatives in an alien country. And the hope of God is that we become motivated by this truth for if not we will fail to see and respond to the purpose for our lives.