Article March 31, 2014 Issue

The Church Christ is building

Barbara Vining

The first mention of Church in the Bible came from Jesus after Peter identified him as “the Christ, the Son of the living God.” This correct identification of Jesus’ eternal identity as the Christ explained his healing power, and Jesus said, “Upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (see Matthew 16:15–18).

Actually Jesus had been building his church on Christ-healing from the beginning of his ministry. And he expected his followers to grow his church through Christ-healing—through the regenerating, transforming, and saving power of God—which would eventually unite all humanity in one harmonious fellowship.

Jesus’ consciousness of the Christ—his identity as the Son of God—embraced the true identity of everyone. It enabled him to see each individual as a dearly loved son or daughter of God, rather than as a mere human organism and personality shackled with sinful tendencies and physical vulnerabilities. The Christ, the divine manifestation of “the living God”—working in Jesus’ thought and life—is what healed and saved others through him. And this same Christ is here to work in you and me and everyone to heal and save us individually and collectively, and to reflect the healing power of Christ in our lives.