The church that is built by the Lord Jesus Christ is a representation of the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth (Matthew 16:13-19). The church as a representation of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth has characteristics as follows:
1. Have power over the gates of hell.
And so I tell you, Peter: you are a rock, and on this rock foundation I will build my church, and not even death will ever be able to overcome it (v. 18).
Church that is built by Jesus Christ will not be overcomed by death or the gates of hell. On the contrary, the church which has power over the gates of Hell.
The Church can stop all activities of the power of death, but the gates of hell can not stop what is done by the church. THAT IS CHURCH!
2. Have the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven.
“And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (v. 19).
Church that is built by Jesus Christ has the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. The church can bind to what needs to be bound and loose what needs to be loosed in this world, and Heaven will support and execute it.
Whereas what has been bound and loosed by Heaven in the spirit world, the church will execute it in the real world. Thus, none of the rulers of heavenly world that can hinder the Kingdom of Heaven be established on earth.
There will be no closed doors, because the church can open them with the keys of the kingdom. THAT IS CHURCH!
The church that its congregation don’t have both of these traits can not be called a church, no matter how big the building and no matter how many its congregation. THAT IS NOT CHURCH!
How a church that would be a representation of the kingdom is built:
1. Not built on man’s opinion (vv. 13-18).
The church that is built on a man’s opinion will be a weak church and can not represent the Kingdom of Heaven. The church should not be built on man’s opinion.
2. Built on a dimension of knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ (v. 16).
Church should be built on the knowledge of the Lord Jesus, not man’s opinion. Every congregation should have a dimension of an accurate knowledge of Jesus, not from his personal experience but from the Father’s throne. Church must accept the revelation of Jesus as: The Christ, The Son, The God, The Living.
When church is built on the dimensions of an accurate knowledge of Jesus, each congregation will live in victory. Just as Jesus, the Head, has already won, His body surely wins. It is impossible if the head wins, but the body loses.
Church that its congregation do not live in victory can not be called as the body of Christ, because Christ as the head has won. If we are Christ’s body, then just as Christ has won, we surely have become winners! THAT IS CHURCH!
3. Built on a revelation from the Father’s throne (v. 17).
Church should be built and formed by the revelation from the Father’s throne. Sermon delivered in every meetings must be derived from the word that is received from the Father’s throne, not from books, internet, or from other sources.
Church that is built by the revelation of the Word of the Father’s throne, its congregation will be strong and mighty, invincible, unstoppable. The gates of hell can’t overcome them. THAT IS CHURCH!
4. Built on the life of a leader who has changed (vv. 17-18).
As the leader, so does the congregation. If a church is led by a leader who has not experienced a change of life as God wants, then his church will be filled with congregation that don’t change. Jesus can only build His Church upon Peter, not Simon.
Leaders who have not changed will lead with Simon’s ways. Simon means weeds. Weeds will only move according to the direction of the wind. If there is no wind, they don’t move.
Many leaders do not know where to move until there is ‘wind’ that blows, whether it’s the insistence of the congregation, or the ongoing trend. As long as the church is built according to the ‘wind direction’, its congregation could never be strong like a rock, but the church as a representation of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth will be strong like a rock.
Leaders must accept the revelation of the Word and the revelation of the Word has to change his life. Leaders who have changed due to the influence of the revelation of the Word that they received from the Father’s throne will lead with Peter’s way.
They will not follow the direction of the wind, but follow the ‘wind of the Spirit’. They focus on the revelation of the Word that they had received from Heaven and build their church on top of that revelation.
They are not tempted to follow every wind that blows. Revelation of the Word that has changed the lives of the leader, in turn, will change the life of the congregation. So as the leader has become strong like a rock, the congregation will be strong like a rock.
Church like this will be a church that is secure, and not shaken by anything. The gates of hell can not overcome them! THAT IS THE CHURCH as a representation of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth!
IS THIS A NEW KIND OF CHURCH? THIS IS A REAL CHURCH!
Also read: The First Adam or The Second Adam.
