Christ's Church as Seen from the New Testament
Other "concepts" regarding the Church:
(1) The Kingdom--Colossians 1:13, 14,
(2) The Church (ecclesia-[Greek]--"called out ones/assembly")--Matthew 16:18, Acts 2:47
(3) The Body of Christ--Ephesians 1:22,23, 5:29-30
(4) The Flock--Acts 20:28
(5) God's Family--Romans 8:16,17, Matthew 23:9
(6) The Bride of Christ--Ephesians 5:25
The Church belongs to Christ & He is the Head: Matthew 16:16,18, 1 Corinthians 3:11, Ephesians 1:22
Names of God's People--Corporately as His Church:
"Churches of Christ"---Romans 16:16, Matthew 16:18,
"Church of God"---1 Corinthians 1:2, Acts 20:28;
"The Church"---Acts 14:27,
"The Church of the Firstborn"---Hebrews 12:23,
"Body of Christ"---Colossians 1:18, 24, Ephesians 1:22,23
"Bride of Christ"---Romans 7:4, Revelation 21:2,9
"House of God"---1 Timothy 3:15
Names of God's People--Individually as His People:
"Christians"---Acts 11:26, 26:28, 1 Peter 4:16,
"Disciples"---John 15:8, Acts 11:26,
"Saints"---Romans 1:7, 1 Corinthians 1:2, Philippians 1:1,
"Brothers"---Luke 8:21, Galatians 6:1,
"Children"---Galatians 3:26, 1 John 2:1,
"Priests"---1 Peter 2:5
Organizational Structure:
"elders/bishops/pastors/presbyters/overseers"---Acts 20:17-38, Ephesians 4:11, Philippians 1:1, 1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9, 1 Peter 5:1-4;
"deacons"---Acts 6:1-6, Philippians 1:1, 1 Timothy 3:8-13;
"evangelists"---Ephesians 4:11, 2 Timothy 4:5;
"teachers"---Hebrews 5:12, James 3:1, Acts 8:4;
"members"--Acts 2:41-47, Colossians 1:13, 1 Corinthians 1:2
Plea for Unity of all Believers: John 17:20,21, 1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 3:1-9, Romans 16:17,18, Galatians 5:19-21 *Unity can be achieved when we discard man-made teachings to follow the simple truths of God's Word. We are not to be clones and identical in all facets of our spirituality. God made us all as differing individuals, but a wise and healthy expression says this: "in matters of doctrine, Unity; In matters of opinion, Liberty; but in all things, Love."
Aspects of Corporate Worship:
"Breaking of Bread/Communion/Lord's Supper"--Acts 2:42, 20:7, Luke 22:19, 1 Corinthians 11:20-29;
"Apostles teaching"--Acts 2:42, 5:42, 20:7;
"Prayers"--Acts 2:42, James 5:16, Ephesians 618, 1 Thessalonians 5:17
"Singing"--Colossians 3:16, Ephesians 5:19;
"Fellowship"--Acts 2:42; Hebrews 10:24,25;
"Giving of Tithes and Offerings"--1 Corinthians 16:2, Acts 20:35, 2 Corinthians 8:6-9, 9:6,7;
How must mankind be saved:
(1) What was man's original state? Adam & Eve were sinless and in complete harmony in an intimate relationship with God in the Garden. God has always desired to have a close relationship with mankind, but we continue to sin and push Him away. He, in His holy state, must necessarily distance Himself from sin.
(2) What is sin? Sin is a willing disobediance to the laws of God. God has created our world and knows what is best for all concerned. When we decide to turn from Him and try it our own way, we will get hurt and our proud attitude will separate us from God. All have sinned, except for the Lord Jesus, and come short of God's plan. The wages of sin is death. BUT....God didn't want us all to die and go to hell, so He sent Jesus.
(3) Who was/is Jesus?---See the Teaching Page on this site about "the Existence of & Deity of Jesus of Nazareth." Spend some time & get to know Him! JESUS is the Key to it all!!
(4) What must I do to be saved? Jesus took the first step in the salvation process by coming here as one of us. His crucifixion on Calvary provided the blood to wash us clean in God's sight. Now, what must we do to avail ourselves to that blood?
[a] Faith in Jesus as the Christ (God's annointed Prophet, Priest and King)--Mark 16:16, John 3:16, Hebrews 11:6, Acts 8:37, 16:31, Romans 1:16, 10:17; *NOTE--Not "faith alone"--James 2:14-16 shows that faith & works must necessarily go together;
[b] Repentance (a desire to turn from the world and worldy ways to think, speak and do in God's ways)--Acts 2:38, 3:19, 2 Corinthians 7:10, Luke 13:3, Acts 17:30, Romans 6;17,18, 1 Peter 3:11, Ephesians 4:23,24;
[c] Public Confession of Faith in Christ--Mark 8:38, Acts 8:37, Romans 10:9,10, Matthew 10:32,33, 1 John 4:15, 1 Timothy 6:12;
[d] Baptism (water immersion into Christ)--John 3:5, Acts 2:38, 22:16, Romans 6:3-11, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:27, 1 Peter 3:21, Colossians 2:12;
[e] Faithful living with Growth in Christ and active participation in His Body, the Church--1 Peter 3:18, Revelation 2:10b, 22:18-19, Hebrews 10:21-25, 2 Peter 1:5-12, Matthew 15:9, 13, Galatians 1:6-8, 2 John 9
What is the Purpose/Mission of the Church: Luke 19:10 (Seek & Save the Lost), Matthew 28:19,20, Mark 16:15,16, Luke 24:47,48, John 20:21, Acts 1:8 Matthew 5:13-16, John 15:8,16, 1 Timothy 4:16, 2 Timothy 2:2, Hebrews 5:12, Acts 8:4
The All Sufficiency of the Bible as our only Creed, Statement of Faith and Practice: 2 Timothy 2:15, 3:16,17, John 20:31, 2 Peter 1:3, James 1:21, Galatians 1:6-9 "The Bible only will make Christians only."
Why should people regularly attend church?
(1) We have a "vertical" relationship with God as our Father, but also a "horizontal" relationship with other Christians as brothers & sisters. We must communicate & actively fellowship with both
(2) We are commanded to assemble ourselves on the first day of the week to worship (see above).
(3) We want to follow in the footsteps of the early Christians, who gathered together, regularly each Lord's Day.
(4) We need the encouragement from the time in God's presence & with other Christians.
(5) We can get so much more accomplished for the Lord by working together with others in our Mission for Him.
(6) We are to observe the Lord's Supper weekly, which is harder to do at home, at work, the lake or the golf course....
(7) We need to bring our tithes and offerings into the storehouse (our place of worship). We must not rob God of what is His.
(8) We are gifted by the Holy Spirit to serve within the Kingdom. We have an obligation to use His gifts for His glory
(9) Any entity that is cut off from its source will die; a limb (tree or human), or a burning ember are good examples of this principle.
(10) Who do I turn to when I'm sick, in the hospital, need married or buried?---Billy Graham? Pat Robertson? Robert Schuler? or even Max Lucado? They won't come to your house in your hour of need---the local church is my safety net on my life's journey.
Does membership in a local congregation matter? Official membership in a local congregation is not a direct Biblical Command....but the principle behind it seems to be presented in connection with the identity of the local church.
(1) When we are immersed into Christ, we are brought into Him, His Church universal and Christianity at large. The Church, however, can be only recognized by the local congregations that meet in different geographical areas. These local churches have a Biblical pattern for their organization and are to function as effectively as possible to perform the Lord's will in that particular area. Paul appointed elders for these local bodies, and they were/are to be shepherds for their flock. How do they know who is in or not in their particular flock? Some statement as to whether a commital or just a time of observation must be made. The elders of a local body don't have any responsibility to shepherd people outside of their flock, but a sheep outside the flock is easier prey for the enemy. Hebrews 13:17 says we are to be in submission to elders--which ones? See also 1 Timothy 5:17, Hebrews 13:7 and 1 Thessalonians 5:12,13. These elders are to be specific men serving in specific congregations of people in their flock. A person needs to verbally, publicly acknowledge their desire to participate with a local congregation.
(2) When a person moves to a new area, they ordinarily transfer their banking/electric/phone/gas/water/cable, school, voting registration, magazine subscriptions, taxes, etc, etc. They notify the 'old' of the 'new' address so they can begin to use and commit to the new local resources/agencies.
(3) A person may attend meetings of the Rotary, Lions, etc, etc, but must transfer membership to officially get involved with the new chapter.
(4) Common Law Marriages---When a man & woman live together long enough, many states will recognize them as being 'married,' even without any vows or signs of commitment being publicly spoken. Does a 'wedding ceremony' make a couple any more of a couple or are they merely making a public recognition of their love and desire to be together?
(5) One cannot hold membership at a church they used to attend and be committed to. Church participation demands active, regular commitment right now! Who is ministering to the present needs? Where is the storehouse in which to bring our tithes and offerings? Where we are or where we were?
(6) Some people say they want "Jesus, but not the church," but the two are inseparable! He died for her (Ephesians 5:25) and though she is made up of humans who often are weak and fail, ideally, She is God's plan for the continual salvation process for the world. Many get disillusioned by the institutional set-up of the Church and criticize from a distance, not willing to get in and give of themselves to make it work. As Christians, we are a priesthood of all believers and must get into and be involved in a local body of believers.
(7) "Non-member attenders" usually do not feel like they're part of things and may or may not feel an obligation to be loyal to that group, to help out that group in a time of need, to help others commit to the cause of Christ and that body, and even at times that they don't have any accountability to anyone. There is (or should be) an accountability between the local family of God---for sickness, spiritual, financial & family needs
(8) If anyone cares for and about any cause or movement, they commit to be part of the team to make it work---School PTO, Community groups, etc, etc. By publicly announcing intentions, people are encouraged to see your commitment to the Greater Cause as a whole, but the local effort specifically.
(9) If the Church is to be a "family" (Romans 8:16,17, John 1:12), we should reflect a real family in entrance as well. Physically, a family is enlarged by birth, adoption or marriage (See #4 about Common Law Marriages). These all happen with great effort and joy and public recognition. A family doesn't grow just because a child brings over a good friend real often. He may be there a good bit of the time and eat a good bit of your food, but he is still not your kid!
(10) Not placing membership makes the congregational people wonder, "Why not?" "Are we not being friendly?" "Have we offended them in some way?" "Do they disagree with us in some doctrine or opinion?" "Are they going to stay or are they just looking around to check us out?" The elders wonder if they have an obligation to Shepherd them--if the elders don't respond in a time of need, the attenders could claim neglect, but if the elders do respond without the O.K., then they claim that the leaders are sticking their noses in to their business. Everyone feels awkward because it's never been stated exactly what the relationship really is.
It seems wise, prudent & appropriate to place membership as soon as possible with the new congregation as your new church home. You would then
(1) be eligible to vote on congregational matters,
(2) be able to teach and serve in various ministry opportunities through that church,
(3) be under the caring eye of the congregation's Shepherds and
(4) be brought into a loving, caring family of faith in your current local community.
What's the differences between the denominations about how one is saved? We do not sprinkle babies--Babies are born in innocence. The theme of Ezekiel 18 is that "the soul that sins will perish." The parents are not accountable for the wickedness or righteousness of their parents or their own children. If we cannot inherit the sin or the merit of our parents or grandparents or children, how then can we be born carrying any "original" sin that is supposedly connected all the way back to Adam and Eve? Jesus had a high view of children, as is seen during His ministry---see Matthew 18:1-9, 19:13-15, 21:16. There is no reference at all in the Bible about sprinkling babies--no command, no example, no precedent. This practice was adopted much later by the Catholic church due to the corrupt belief in "Original Sin." We do not pray to God for Jesus to come into our heart and save us--once again, there is no Scriptural Authority for this view. There is no command, example or precedent of anyone saying an alleged "sinner's prayer" to receive Christ. Some will look to Revelation 3:20 where Jesus stands and knocks at the door waiting for us to open & let Him in. If one examines the greater context in that passage (3:14-22), Jesus is speaking to the Church of Laodicea who had become so steeped in surface religion and self-righteousness, He was no longer even in their midst [and they apparently didn't realize it!]. This is in regards to a cold, lifeless church, not an individual seeking salvation. Some may also look to Romans 10:9-11, but again, there is no prayer for Salvation. This passage mentions faith in the person of Jesus as Christ and His death, burial and resurrection. It also refers to a verbal confession of Jesus as the Christ, which is also discussed in Matthew 10:32,33, and Acts 22:16, when Saul/Paul called upon (confessed) the name of the Lord in connection with his baptism. Some may also want to look to the Thief on the Cross at Calvary, alongside our Lord, as one who was saved without immersion. Jesus told him to his face he'd be with Him in Paradise, but this all took place under the Old Covenant of Judaism, because Jesus had not yet died. There was no baptism into His death, burial and resurrection simply because these had not yet taken place.
Modern Innovations While we try to support all that we believe, teach and practice by the Word of God, there are current issues that are not directly addressed by Scripture. Biblical principles can be used to make application to modern issues. Smoking cigarettes, abusing drugs and gambling may not be "directly" addressed, but principles such as:
(1) Christian's bodies being the Temple of the Holy Spirit, and
(2) Christians trying to live holy and pure lives, and
(3) Christians relying on the power of God to help us through difficulties and
(4) Christians being an example to the world around us could all be used to give direction in these & other areas. As time changes and progresses new issues must be examined in light of Biblical principles as well as of course, direct Biblical addresses. The Bible does speak to current issues such as: divorce, adultery, prostitution, fornication, abortion and homosexuality, condemning each one.
Also, in regards to our corporate worship, new innovations have been introduced. While not Biblically endorsed, they are nonetheless, helpful for worship and the advancement of the local church. The Bible does not speak of church buildings, hymn books, church vans/buses, Sunday School/VBS/Church camp, musical instrumentation, choirs, puppets, drama, video projection, etc, etc. Some see this Scriptural silence on such issues as a prohibition that these may not be used for the advancement of the local congregation. We understand this silence as, not a prohibition, but a freedom to use whatever creative methods may be deemed effective to enhance the work of the local church. They may be "un-Biblical" concepts, meaning that they are not found in the Bible, but they are not "anti-Biblical," meaning that they do not go against anything found in God's Word. We intend to remain faithful to the old Gospel message but use any methods available to promote the Gospel message to as many people as possible. Paul said he would become all things to all people, to the strong, to the weak, to those under the law, to those not having the law---all things to all men, so that he might save as many as he could (1 Corinthians 9:24-27). We must maintain that attitude of flexibility and variety of methodology to keep the church relevent in this age.