"On This Rock I Will Build My Church": Understanding the Church Through the Protestant Reformation
“And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Matthew 16:18
Where does the church of Jesus Christ exist? The answer might be obvious to us. The church exists anywhere that Christians meet for worship, fellowship, and service. Historically, the answer has been more complicated, however. At times various segments of the church have argued over which branch of the church was the “true church.” Behind such arguments was the belief that some churches stood outside the bounds of the faith. At the time of the Protestant Reformation, this was a particularly urgent question. The existing church said that it alone was the true church and all who departed from it were heretics and schismatics. The reformers, on the other hand, believed that they were true Christian churches, even though they had left the “mother church.”
The reformers developed three essential marks of the true church. These three marks were necessary, they believed, if a church were to hold to true doctrine, maintain Christian unity, and live worthy of the gospel. The three marks were the preaching of the Word, the right administration of the Sacraments, and the faithful practice of mutual discipline.
What is important about the preaching of the Word? It is the Word of God that forms the church. God calls it into being through his promises and through the proclamation of the gospel. The preaching of the Word is a central aspect of Christian worship. Whereas for some branches of the church the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper is the heart of worship, for Reformed Christians it is the preaching of the Word. The first and central response of every person is to hear God’s word and respond in faith. We proclaim the written word of God that gives witness to the incarnate Word of God, Jesus Christ.
The mark of preaching does not depend on the preacher, however. The Spirit’s illuminating work is necessary both for the one who preaches and for those who listen. The Spirit guides the preacher so that his words, though human words, become the word of God for the gathered people. God speaks through him or her to call his people to faith, service, and love. The true church exists where the Word of God is rightly preached and where it is heard and obeyed by the people.
What is important about the faithful practice of mutual discipline? The community of the church practices discipline in order to help one another along the path to new life, speaking the truth in love to one another, bearing one another’s burdens, and offering to one another the grace of Christ. We mutually encourage, challenge, and support one another so that the church of Christ truly reflects his character, will, and purposes.
Though the church is imperfect, it works to fulfill God’s purposes in the world. We proclaim the gospel for the salvation of humankind. We nurture the people of God in Christian fellowship. We maintain divine worship and preserve the truth of the gospel. We promote social righteousness and exhibit the kingdom of heaven to the world. Thanks be to God for the gift of the church. Because of it we are not alone, but walk alongside others in our journeys of faith.