The fact that the church should only be the church of Jesus emphasizes that the center of the Christian faith is Jesus Christ. This means that we must be faithful to the teachings and ministry of Jesus and that a community must be formed and operated centered on his work of salvation. Here's a detailed explanation of why and how.
1. The importance of Jesus Christ
1) Center of Salvation
Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation, and salvation comes through faith in Him.
- John 14:6 :“Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
2) Foundation of faith
Jesus is the foundation of faith, and the faith built on Him is the true Christian faith.
- 1 Corinthians 3:11 :“For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
2. Characteristics of a Jesus-centered church
1) Center of worship and praise
Placing Jesus Christ at the center of worship and praise and exalting His name is the core of a Jesus-centered church.
- Hebrews 13:15 :“Therefore through Jesus let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, the fruit of our lips that bear witness to his name.”
2) Center of the Word
It is important to spread the teachings and gospel of Jesus, and to deeply understand and follow Jesus through the Bible.
- 2 Timothy 3:16-17 :“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
3) Practice of love and service
The characteristics of a Jesus-centered church are to practice the love of Jesus and to build a community that serves one another.
- John 13:34-35 :“A new commandment I give you: Love one another, just as I have loved you. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
3. The role of the Jesus-centered church
1) Spread the Gospel
Spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ is the essential mission of the church.
- Matthew 28:19-20 :“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And, lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
2) Raising disciples
It is important to raise disciples of Jesus and help those who follow his teachings grow.
- Ephesians 4:11-13 :“He gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ. "
3) Social responsibility
The church must fulfill its social responsibility by practicing the love of Jesus. It is about helping the poor, liberating the oppressed, and achieving justice and peace.
- James 1:27 :“Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”
4. How to build a Jesus-centered church
1) Powerful preaching and education
We help believers grow into disciples of Jesus through powerful preaching and education centered on the teachings and gospel of Jesus.
2) Community life
We encourage believers to love and serve one another and practice the love of Jesus through community life.
3) Continuous prayer and spiritual training
We provide training and support to churches and believers so that they can continue to pray and grow spiritually.
4) Mission and service
We actively engage in missionary and volunteer work to spread the love of Jesus in our local community and around the world.
conclusion
The reason the church must be the church of Jesus is because Jesus is the only way to salvation and the foundation of faith. A Jesus-centered church must practice worship, praise, words, love and service, spread the gospel, raise disciples, and fulfill social responsibilities. To achieve this, we must enable believers to grow as disciples of Jesus through powerful preaching and education, community life, continuous prayer and spiritual training, and missionary and volunteer work.