God’s Beautiful, Imperfect Church

by Dr. John Koessler

Reprinted from the November 2020 “Today in the Word”

The book of Acts provides a snapshot of what life was really like in the early church. According to Acts 2:42; “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”

Luke describes what might sound like a utopian community. They shared their possessions. Their meetings were characterized by gladness and sincerity. No wonder many people think the church today should go back to its New Testament roots!

Yet we should not ignore the imperfections. In the book of Acts, we see the real-world flaws of this remarkable community. We discover that some of its members were hypocrites; “But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, and with his wife’s knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet.” — Acts 5:1-2. We witness the church’s first significant organizational change when some of its older members were being neglected, possibly due to cultural prejudice; “Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution.” — Acts 6:1. And we see the church’s reluctance to accept the newly converted Paul because of his former life; “And when he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple.” — Acts 9:26. Its members displayed human weakness and a full range of emotions. Some were upset after they heard Peter had met and dined with Gentiles; “So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.” ” — Acts 11:2-3. Paul and Barnabas had a disagreement so sharp that they went their separate ways; “And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus,” — Acts 15:39. Some needed further doctrinal instruction; “He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.” — Acts 18:25-26. And Paul warned that some of them would become false teachers; “and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.” — Acts 20:30.

If you need more evidence of the early church’s imperfections, all you have to do is read the New Testament. But a day is coming when the church will be presented to Christ; “so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.” — Ephesians 5:27. Until that day, God calls us to worship and serve together with His beautiful, imperfect church. Paul advises; “bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” — Colossians 3:13.

instead of searching for the perfect church, we should find one that values God’s Word and proclaims the gospel. If the church practices; “But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into him who is the head–Christ.” — Ephesians 4:15. Such a church is built upon the truth.