There was a time when I thought that a church was a place where people could come to watch a service, listen to singing, and pray before icons. In my understanding, a church had to have domes, preferably gilded ones. I associated the concept of a church with a religious building. I could not imagine anything else under this name. I considered any religious gathering of people outside a church building to be a sect, and those attending it to be sectarians. But the Lord decided to reveal to me the true meaning of this word and establish me upon the foundation of His Church.
I crossed the threshold of a church building for the first time in my life when I was fifteen. I was skipping classes with my classmates, and they suggested going into the Alexander Nevsky Lavra to look at the believers. I thought that there were no such people in our country, but I went. I was quite surprised that admission was free and that no one checked us or drove us out. I walked around the church and looked at the icons, trying to understand which one depicted God. I did not intend to believe in anything, but I began to regard that place with reverence. A theological seminary was located nearby, and its students wore clothing that seemed strange for that time, which made us laugh.
But the time came when my understanding of the Church changed radically. I began studying the Bible and realized that the Church is a gathering of people united by faith in Jesus Christ. This understanding was revolutionary for me. I suddenly saw that the Church is not tied to a particular building but exists wherever like-minded believers in Jesus Christ gather. Yet as I continued studying the Word of God, I understood that the Lord had a plan to create His worldwide Church, of which He Himself would be the Head. In His love, He even compares this people to the bride of Christ, which speaks of the believers’ very close relationship with the Lord.
By virtue of my baptism, I was an Orthodox Christian, but I did not understand what that meant. My mother told me that she had baptized me in infancy and that from then on I was a believer. I found this amusing, and until I was twenty-one I considered myself an atheist and was proud of it.
But a life of sin brought no peace, and I began to wonder whether God existed. Fortunately, I learned that He does exist and that He has a plan for me as well.
When starting a family, I decided to go through a church wedding ceremony. I was surprised by the minister’s requirements, but I fulfilled them all, and we were married in the church. I had never experienced a more boring and incomprehensible event, although I believed that it was better to have it than not to have it. In the movies, everything happened differently.
When I attended Orthodox churches, I did not even understand that the Church is a family and that it involves very personal spiritual relationships with fellow believers. I did not see this in the places I visited, and it never even occurred to me that I had brothers and sisters in the faith. No one tried to get acquainted with me, much less become my friend.
But the Lord sent me light: I received the book The Great Controversy as a gift. I learned what the true Church is and read about its history, its apostasy, and its reformation. I understood that God has a people who are very closely united, who have close relationships, and among whom love is at work. All this seemed very strange to me because my stereotypes about the Church were deeply rooted. I did not want to change anything, yet I decided to find such people and see whether they truly existed. And I began to search.
By that time, in 1993, I had come to believe in Christ as my Savior and rejoiced greatly in this, but I did not know what to do with it or how to live from then on. I began asking God to show me the community in which I could find like-minded believers. I met people who, like me, studied the Bible but did not observe everything written in it, although they were very close-knit. After three months of fellowship, I could no longer attend that gathering because I saw that the people did not live according to the commandments and sometimes went into frenzied behavior during the meetings. I could not share their teaching, which contradicted the Word of God, so I left them.
I wanted to find the community that keeps God’s commandments and has faith in Jesus. I already knew where they gathered, but I was very cautious so that I would not fall into another sect. At that time, my wife and I moved to Germany, where we have lived ever since.
In search of my spiritual family, I visited all the places of worship in the surrounding area. When I found those who took an interest in us, I began attending their worship services, and a year later I decided to be baptized so that I could become a full member of the body of Christ.
From Scripture, I already understood that the Church is the Body of Christ and that we are all its members, each with a particular duty and function. Every believer does his part in building this temple, being a living stone in this structure. Even as I conduct the classes of our school, together with my brothers and sisters I am carrying out our common work—fulfilling Christ’s mission by preparing a people for His Second Coming. He will come for His bride, who is us, my friends, united by love for one another, by faith in Jesus, and by biblical truth. We are the living Body of Christ.
And now, together with our brothers and sisters in the faith, we unite for worship, fellowship, the study of the Word of God, the celebration of the Lord’s Supper, service to all humanity, and the proclamation of the Good News throughout the world. This is the Church of Christ in all its various functions and manifestations. We understand in Whom we believe, Whom we serve, and Whom we worship. We are all different, but in Christ we are one. We have a common mission, but each person makes his own contribution according to his understanding and abilities. Some grow quickly, while others have stopped growing, but we are alive, and God accepts us when we come to Him.
The Church of Christ is the most stable unit of society. It has passed through all earthly crises, regimes, and trials, preserving its purity and its teaching. During this time, it has experienced many divisions and apostasies. The enemy of souls has created many counterfeits that contain a portion of truth mixed with error and have a form of godliness but do not contain love.
The Church of God is a foundation of faith and the place for the soul of a follower of Christ where it will meet its Lord at His triumphant return. The believers will stand before Him as a glorious Church that has remained faithful through all ages, redeemed by His blood, having neither spot nor blemish, holy and blameless.
It brings me great joy that God has established me upon this foundation of faith and convinced me of this understanding.
I also realize that love is the most beautiful adornment of the Church of Christ and the finest testimony about God to this world and to all Heaven.
Agape love for God and for one another is what binds us together into one living organism that lives and breathes and acts in this world according to God’s will and God’s plan.
The Lord did not plan for me to be alone in my spiritual growth and development. We are God’s garden, branches on His vine and olive tree. We all receive nourishment from Him; in Him we live and exist. We have fellowship and relationships with our Lord and with one another. And this plan of God is at work.
Eternity has its own laws, and they are already at work in God’s Church. When we come to Heaven, we will not be surprised by the new order, but will continue to love and to know our Lord and one another, rejoicing in salvation every day of eternity. God Himself will be our God, and His love will be our eternal adornment.
Questions for Reflection
Please read Genesis 12:1–3; Exodus 19:3–7; Matthew 16:13–20; 18:18; 28:19–20; Acts 2:38–42; 7:38; 1 Corinthians 1:2; Ephesians 1:22–23; 2:19–22; 3:8–11; 5:23–27; Colossians 1:17–18; and 1 Peter 2:9 in the light of this chapter. What was revealed to you in this chapter? How do you understand the term “Church”? What is it? Why did God decide to unite His children? Why is the Church needed? What does the Church give me? Can I be saved on my own? After all, so much useful material can be found on the internet, and there is no need to go anywhere. Why are believers called brothers and sisters? God is our Heavenly Father. Does He have grandchildren?