There are no people in the world who are so far from and so ignorant of the real meaning of their profession, as members of the church in general. Their misconception of Christs teaching, and their loose way of living, constantly remind one of the Savior's words: "Straight is the gate and narrow is the way to life and few be they that find it." The reason of this is twofold. First, they do not care to know what it is to be a Christian; second, they do not have the gospel held up before them and explained in its simplicity, nakedness and reality. The Bible in many respects is the easiest book to be understood of any book in the world, if one's heart is only right. Christ did not come into the world to tell us all that God knows, but to show us his love and how to be saved and glorify his name. And the Bible, especially the New Testament, is quite plain on that point. The simplest and greatest of all things ever spoken or written, are the first four books of the New Testament; and the remainder is the unfolding and application of its germinal simplicity. Amidst the conflicting interests and numerous facilities in church work, we cannot keep too definitely before us the specific aim of the individual and the definite mission of the church. And as a stimulant to our flagging spirits we should constantly recall the particular results we are supposed to be aiming at. Now what is, that one thing we hope to do, and result we hope to see? I say that I am a member of the church, and that that church is both Christian and the Church of Christ! What in my estimation does that church stand for? and what purpose have I in sustaining that relation to it? I am a Christian--what does that mean to me? It there is any meaning of worth in those terms to me, would it not be of equal worth to others? Is my connection with the church telling on me--in what way? Is it something that works through me into the lives of others? In what way is it affecting others--none liveth unto himself. What is Christianity, and what is the church for? How shall we answer such questions as these?

      If the average man of the world had no better conception of the design of the enterprise in which he is engaged, than does the generality of the professed followers of the Savior, he would be bound to fail in business. The church has a mission, and a mission that is peculiar to itself, a work that is above every other work to be found in any other institution on the earth. Why encumber the world and tax the energies of his people with another institution, if it have not a work paramount and done by no other institution in the world? The church has a work that justifies its existence in the eyes of all right thinking people. THE ONE MISSION OF THE CHURCH IS TO SAVE THE LOST OF EARTH. There is no other body of people that has for its distinct mission to save the people from their sins. There are many good things and works outside the church, but they do not [15] have the power to forgive sins against God. The work of the church in saving from sin, involves preaching the gospel and building up the church in love. The church is the body of Christ; hence, it is the working force of the Lord in all that he can do for the world through man on the earth. The members are variously endowed with natural and acquired functions for all the work that he would have man do. While the members are carrying the gospel to the lost of earth, and thus working out their own salvation, Christ "work's in them to do his good will and to work his good pleasure." Thus he hides himself from the world in his body in which he dwells with "all the fulness of God." What an enviable position of honor to be a member of the body of which Christ is the head! An honor that can be had in no other relation in life. Think of it! Christ, the one by whom the worlds were created, at the right hand of God, the Savior and the judge of the world--he is the head of the body of which I may find a place as a member! That of itself ought to be motive sufficient to stimulate any one of his members to exert themselves to their utmost endeavors to accomplish his purposes on earth. Of no other institution or body can it be said that Christ is its head. The best the world can do, or even man-made religions, is to exalt some man and make him the head. This is not one of many bodies of Christ, but THE body of Christ.

      Jesus was once upon our earth, and spent his time while here preaching the gospel to the people and preparing men to take up his mission when he personally withdrew from the struggle, healing the people of their diseases and doing good in all the ways that the suffering needed help. He he is not here in visible form doing those needed works now. Whatever of those good works are done now will be done through his people--the members of his body. He is preaching the gospel to the poor wherever men are doing this work; he is feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, caring for the widow and the orphan, wherever men are faithful to him. if I could save one from death by informing him of the plot of an enemy, but keep sinfully silent, I will have another sin to answer for. "To know to do good and not to do it, to him it sin," and may be death.

["The Purpose of the Church." Word and Work 9 (January 1916): 15-16.]

      The electronic version of W. J. Brown's "The Purpose of the Church" has been produced from microfilm of Word and Work for 1916.

      Pagination in the electronic version has been represented by placing the page number in brackets following the last complete word on the printed page. Inconsistencies in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and typography have been retained; however, corrections have been offered for misspellings and other accidental corruptions. Emendations are as follows:

            Printed Text [ Electronic Text
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 p. 15:     from their sins.. [ from their sins.
 

      Addenda and corrigenda are earnestly solicited.

Ernie Stefanik
Derry, PA

Created 26 January 2002.
Updated 6 July 2003.