The Church-city of God

The church began in the Garden of Eden where God instructed Adam to “multiply and fill the earth,” building cities and civilization out of the resources of Creation. The civilization of earth was intended to glorify God. Adam was given every gift needed to accomplish this endeavor for he had been created in the image of God and had been given dominion over creation. But Adam failed; he instead sought his own glory.

Jesus, the second Adam, is succeeding in building this Church-city unto God’s glory. Even in Genesis Jesus began to build the City of God even through the traveling city of Abraham’s descendants. In fact, the writer of Hebrews says that Abraham sought a city “whose builder and maker is God” (Heb 11:10). All nations would be blessed because of the Life of this civilization.

Jesus had David and Solomon build a civilization that became world-renown and respected. The Psalmist called Jerusalem, “the joy of the whole earth” (Psalm 48:2), but she is only a sign of the city of God which is heavenly and which is to come. All true believers even now have as their mother,”the Jerusalem that is above, is free” (Gal. 4:26). Look at Revelation 21-22! God’s future redeemed world and universe is depicted as a “city” the New Jerusalem. In fact, the elect themselves are the city coming down out of heaven and inheriting the earth. And flowing in the city is a river with the Tree of Life growing on its banks bringing healing to the nations of all their wounds and the effects of the divine covenant curse.

The City of God, the New Jerusalem, is the fulfillment of the purposes of the Eden of God. God’s people began in a garden but will end in a city.

Jesus said in Matthew 5:14, “You are the light of the world. A city set upon a hill cannot be hidden.” Jesus calls his disciples to form a community of faith that is an alternate “City of God” within the “Cities of Man.”

Likened unto a city, the church is the true place of refuge and safety. The weak should find strength. The guilty should find mercy and forgiveness. The troubled should find protection from the enemy of our souls.

Likened unto a city, the church is the true place of cultural development. The church is a community of faith where sex, money, arts, scholarship, communication, commerce, and power are used in life-giving ways, where diverse people form a brotherhood. The church develops culture where artists and professionals show it is possible to produce cultural products that bring hope to people rather than just despair.

The Church is the true place to meet God. The Church should be a place where spiritual seekers are welcomed and can find answers. The Church should be the place where all religions are challenged biblically and the gospel is taught in such a way to win every religious person to Christianity… and every non-religious person.

The Church should be the place that demonstrates a new world, a new culture, a new creation, a new worldview, a new way of life where people of all nations find an ultimate purpose and that is to glorify God, our Creator and Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.

The Church should be that Garden of Eden where we learn to utilize all the resources that God has given us.

The Church should be that New Jerusalem, that City of God, that continually heals the nations and unites God’s people in worship.