| Upon Peter's
confession of faith that Jesus was the Christ Jesus replied that
this fact was the rock upon which He would build His church
(Matthew
16:16-18) And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the
Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and
said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and
blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in
heaven. 18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and
upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell
shall not prevail against it.
As you read the
passage, you get the idea that Jesus thought that He was
announcing something of great importance: "I will build My
church".
WHAT
DID JESUS BUILD?
The word
"church" in the Bible never refers to any kind of
physical building, denomination or group of denominations or to
any kind of human religious hierarchy. The church which Jesus
built is a spiritual building made up of redeemed people. Its
foundation is the fact of Jesus' identity as God's Son and the
gospel is the tool used to build it
(Romans 1:16)
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the
power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the
Jew first, and also to the Greek.
(2 Thessalonians
2:14) Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of
the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The term
"church" is a collective noun like the words
"flock" or "crowd" and is made up of
multiple parts. The church is made up of all people who have
answered God's call. They have been redeemed from sin by the
blood of Christ. The church consists of all people who are
disciples of Jesus.
(Acts 8:3) As
for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every
house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.
(Acts 9:1) And
Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the
disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
The word
translated "church" simply means "called
out". Those who make up the church have been "set
apart" or "sanctified". All disciples are called
"saints".
(Acts 9:13) Then
Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how
much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:
(1 Corinthians
1:2) Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that
are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all
that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord,
both theirs and ours:
The answer to
the age-old question "must one be a member of the church to
be saved?" becomes obvious when one realizes that the
church is the saved and the saved are the church; those who have
been purchased by the blood of Christ.
(Acts 20:28)
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over
the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the
church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
Notice that the
word "church" is used in both a local as well as
general sense in the Bible. In the local sense it refers to the
saved at a particular city or place who have joined together to
work and worship
(Romans 16:1) I
commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the
church which is at Cenchrea:
(Romans 16:5)
Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my
wellbeloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto
Christ.
(Romans 16:16)
Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ
salute you.
The Bible shows
that these groups of people are locally organized and
independent of one another. But in the general sense there is
only one church made up of faithful disciples everywhere. Most
of the references that we will consider use the term in the
general sense.
GOD
DESCRIBES HIS CHURCH
We can see the high
value God places on His church by the terms He has chosen to
describe it. He refers to the church as His family or household
(Ephesians
2:19-20) Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners,
but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and
prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
Members of the
church are part of Christ's Kingdom
(Colossians
1:13) Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath
translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
They are
referred to as members of Christ's body over which Jesus is the
Head
(Ephesians
1:22-23) And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to
be the head over all things to the church, 23 Which is his body,
the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
Since God dwells
in His church it is also called His temple
(1 Corinthians
3:16) Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the
Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
See how
important the church is? If it is important to you to be a child
in God's family, a citizen of His kingdom, a member of Christ's
body and for God to dwell in you, then it will be equally
important to be a member of the church of Christ!
JESUS
AND HIS CHURCH
Jesus is the center
of God's purpose. When we see His special relationship to His
church we will also learn more of the church's importance.
Jesus gave
Himself up for the church and loves His church
(Ephesians 5:23)
For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the
head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
The church has
always been a part of God's plan to bring about eternal
redemption through His Son. Far be it from us to dismiss it as
not essential
(Ephesians
3:9-11) And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the
mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in
God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: 10 To the intent
that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places
might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, 11
According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ
Jesus our Lord:
THE
MISSION OF THE CHURCH
The purpose of the
church is to bring glory to God. "To Him be the glory in
the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations..."
(Ephesians 3:21)
Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all
ages, world without end. Amen.
The church
sounds forth the word of the Lord
(1 Thessalonians
1:8) For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in
Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to
God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any
thing.
When the local
church assembles it is for the encouragement of its members
(Hebrews
10:24-25) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love
and to good works: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves
together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another:
and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
The church must
not fail to uphold the truth
(1 Timothy 3:15)
But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to
behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the
living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
It seems today
as if many churches are engaged in about whatever business you
can imagine. It is time to get back to the basics!
UNITY
AND THE CHURCH
Jesus prayed for
His disciples' unity. However, it was not to be unity at any
cost! It was to be based upon a mutual acceptance of His word.
It was to be the kind of oneness that Jesus had with His Father
(John 17:11) And
now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I
come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those
whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.
(John 17:17)
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
Did you know
that religious division and the things which cause it are
strongly spoken against in the Bible? Some think it is fine to
have so many differing denominations with various creeds,
organizations and leaders. The word "denomination"
means "division" and while having so many offers us a
greater selection it does not please God and that ought to be
our foremost priority! What does God think about this division?
(1 Corinthians
1:10-13) Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there
be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined
together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 11 For it
hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which
are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul;
and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. 13 Is Christ
divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the
name of Paul?
How many faiths,
religious bodies and so forth can we have and still find God's
approval? Only one!
(Ephesians
4:4-6) There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called
in one hope of your calling; 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all,
and in you all.
The fact that
men became religiously divided did not surprise God. He forsaw
it
(1 Timothy
4:1-3) Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter
times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing
spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy;
having their conscience seared with a hot iron; 3 Forbidding to
marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath
created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe
and know the truth.
THE
LOCAL CHURCH
When the Bible
speaks of a group of God's children in fellowship with one
another as a church, it does so in a local sense. When they
could, Christians in the first century joined or associated
themselves with a local church
(Acts 9:26) And
when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to
the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not
that he was a disciple.
This was and is
God's will.
But not every
local church is pleasing to God. Even in the New Testament some
churches were warned that if they did not return to the way of
the Lord that He would refuse to recognize them any longer
(Revelation 2:5)
Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and
do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and
will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou
repent.
We must exercise
care in identifying with a local church.
CONCLUSION
Of which church
should you be a member? It is according to what your purpose is.
If it is to please God, then you will insist upon a church that
accepts Jesus' authority in all matters because it recognizes
Him as its only Head. It will recognize no church law other than
His. It will involve itself only in those works that the Lord
has given to it. According to Jesus, anything less renders
worship vain and separates one from God
(Matthew 15:9)
But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the
commandments of men.
(2 John 1:9)
Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of
Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ,
he hath both the Father and the Son.
LESSON #10 is
entitled "KEPT BY GOD'S POWER". It concludes this
series by looking at how Jesus gives hope to His disciples. We
will see the need for endurance and consider God's warnings
about falling away. We will also discuss the wonderful security
in Christ.
CAN
YOU ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS?
Using this
lesson and your Bible, please look up the passages cited, then
answer the following questions.
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Last revised:
February 22, 2007 . |
