The word church mean “called out”. The question is- called out of what?
Matthew 16:
13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea (Severed) Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”
14 So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.19 And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
20 Then He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ.
Jesus gave the disciples a revelation of who the called out ones are. They are those who Our Heavenly Father reveals “Christ”. These called out ones are also the ones who are given the keys of the Kingdom.
Just prior to giving the disciples this revelation, Jesus rebuked the Pharisees and Sadducees who understood the “letter” of the Law but failed to understand the “Spirit” of the Law. They were the ones who were always seeking signs:
Matthew 16:1 Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven. 2 He answered and said to them, “When it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red’; 3 and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times. 4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” And He left them and departed.
There is a severing occurring. Those who are called out are coming out of man’s assemblies called churches. These are the ones coming into unity with Our Heavenly Father’s Divine Intent. The called out ones are pressing in like never before, anticipating the fullness of Christ in them to be a light unto the world, shining brighter than the noonday sun. They are no longer satisfied with types, shadows, signs, etc. but are focused on the ONE they are all pointing to. Being called out does not mean you have arrived yet. The called out ones are ascending to meet Him. They are journeying toward full maturity and perfection. They are coming into Christ’s assembly- the true church.
Hebrews 12 states it well:
22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.