Before looking at what the Church should be, it will be helpful to first ask the question: What is a Christian? The most definitive definition of a Christian, from God's perspective, is someone to whom he has given his Holy Spirit. On the Feast of Pentecost, Peter declared to the inquiring crowds, " Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38). Paul wrote to the Ephesians, "You put your faith in Christ and were given the promised Holy Spirit to show that you belong to God" (Ephesians 1:13).

When someone acknowledges their sinfulness and need of forgiveness, turns in repentance to God, puts their trust in the Saviour who died for their sins, and surrenders to him as the Lord of their life, then God commits himself to that person by coming to live within him or her in the person of the Holy Spirit. This experience of being reconciled to God is variously described as being "born again" (John 3:3), "born of the Spirit" (John 3:5), crossing over "from death to life" (John 5:24), receiving the gift of "eternal life" (Romans 6:23), receiving "Christ Jesus as Lord" (Colossians 2:6) or being "raised with Christ" (Colossians 3:1). It means that, in some intangible though very real way, God himself has come to dwell in me, his Spirit united with my spirit. My body becomes his temple (1 Corinthians 6:19).

It is the Holy Spirit, the third person in the divine Trinity, who imparts to me the benefits of Christ's death and resurrection, incorporating me into God's family. Paul calls him "the Spirit of sonship" (or "Spirit of adoption" - Romans 8:15). "Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, 'Abba, Father'"(Galatians 4:6). "Abba" is the Aramaic word that any Jewish child would use to address his or her father. Jesus used it to express his own relationship with God the Father (Mark 14:36). In other words, having received his Spirit, I now have the right to call God my Father, depending on him for protection, guidance and the provision of my daily needs. The unique relationship that Jesus had with God the Father, he now shares with me. Jesus becomes my elder brother - "the firstborn among many brothers" (Romans 8:29 - see also Hebrews 2:10-18). It means also that I have a lot of new brothers and sisters, others who are also members of God's family. That brings us to the next question: What is the Church?