God moved my address when I declared, “I’m in.” When I emerged from the waters of baptism God’s computer changed my address from earth to Church. My feet still went to my Second Street address to sleep, but my heart and my allegiance had a new home.

I was now a member of God’s Church—one of those he set apart to live with him eternally in the restored garden. Did I write that so quickly I missed it? Let me write it again. I am now a member of God’s church established through the blood of His only son, so that I can be set apart as one of God’s chosen sons to live with him eternally in the restored garden.

God’s Church is the most important organization on earth and in heaven. In fact, it is the only perfect organization on earth.

God’s Church is perfect. It is spotless. It is the bride of his son the Christ. It is Jesus’ body. Jesus has a perfect body. Jesus’ body does not have frail health. His body is not cancerous nor eaten by leprosy. God’s Church is perfect. I am a member of God’s perfect church.

Wait a minute. That doesn’t sound much like the earthly church I know. I see a church of frail men and women who sometimes fight more than they praise. I see a church that proclaims its love for sinners while building all sorts of protective walls to keep sinners at a distance. I see a body whose cancer sometimes gets more press than its health.

OK, let’s assume I am a member of a healthy assembly of God’s people. They are a people who love one another and who love and serve the world about them. There is no need to play games. God’s church on earth is composed of fallen people who still are far from perfect. How is it possible for me as a member of an imperfect church full of imperfect people to claim I am a member of God’s perfect church?

I have to refocus on the hill outside of Jerusalem. When Jesus assumed the sin of the world, he made it possible for God to see me through blood-stained glasses and see the image of his son without sin. That is the way God sees his church. It is perfect only because its members are perfect in his sight due to the powerful blood of Jesus. My friend Allen Dutton was right in the use of one of the statements he often repeated while living on this earth: “The blood of Jesus runs deep—real deep.”

While on the last stretch of my journey toward the restored garden, I find comfort and feel at peace with God and with myself as I live within the security of God’s Church. I belong to a perfect church because it is God’s Church.

What are your reflections? Do you belong to God’s church? – Gary Sorrells