As we continue our series on the New Testament Church, the question we will strive to answer today is—to whom does the church belong? This seems like a simple question where everyone would know the answer, but a quick look around any town or city reveals something that is quite troubling.

The buildings that should house the “church” are littered with names which do not belong to Christ but to other individuals and methods. We claim to belong to Christ, but scarcely do we see His name on a sign or building which claim to be His meeting place. The church belongs to Christ, and no other name but His and/or God’s should be attached to His church. Jesus laid ownership to the church when He proclaimed to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18b). The pronoun “I” clearly denotes that the speaker is the builder, and the pronoun “My” clearly distinguishes to whom it will belong. Therefore, Jesus proudly and rightfully proclaimed the church to be His and placed His name upon it.

There is significance in a name, and in earthly matters, we understand the concept of laying ownership to something by putting our names on it. When we buy a car, our name gets written on the title. When we build or buy a house, our name is written on the deed. Any two parties purchasing a house or car together sign a deed/ title with both names, showing ownership by both. This can be done in two ways—by signing “and,” showing that both parties are needed for 100 percent ownership and/or selling, or they can sign an “or” between the two names, showing both parties are equal in ownership and either one can sell it. In both cases, both parties have at least partial claim by placing their names on the title/ deed.

For the church, if there is another name that shares the sign or the building, it is proclaiming at least partial ownership to the property, which rightfully 100 percent belongs to Christ. If you do not believe there is significance in a name, then the next time you purchase a house, car, or boat, place or add someone else’s name on the title or deed instead.

The significance of a name is also demonstrated when an object is stolen. What happens when someone steals is—they are placing their name upon the object, claiming it belongs to them. This action erases the proper name and replaces it with an improper name. The rightful owner of the object has the right to place his name upon it, because he has either built it, purchased it, inherited it, or it was gifted to him. Therefore, when it is stolen, the owner rightfully feels violated and robbed of its value, because his name is no longer attached to it, which suggests he no longer owns it and rightfully angers him.

Jesus purchased the church at a very high cost—the sacrificing of His life and the shedding of His blood (Mark 10:45; Acts 20:28). Therefore, when His name is not on His church, it rightfully angers Him, because it was stolen from Him and suggests that at least partial ownership belongs to someone else. When something of great value is stolen, the owner feels the pain and anger of its loss. In the Old Testament, the children of Israel were robbing God of tithes and offerings, causing Him great pain and angering Him. “Will, a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation” (Mal. 3:8-9).

The tithes and offerings belonged to God and should have had His name placed upon them, showing His ownership, but His people were not willing to remove their names, so God cursed them. When we place a name other than Christ’s on His church, we offend God by placing another name on property that does not belong to us; thus, we have stolen God’s property. The church was purchased by Christ and belongs to God, so it should wear no other name.

Just something to consider.