The Nature of the New Testament Church

            Two thousand years after the institution of the Lord’s church, the ideal pattern for the New Testament church has almost become lost.  In a world where an individual can find a denomination that believes and practices almost anything, it has become increasingly difficult to identify the New Testament church.  To identify the Lord’s church in the midst of all this denominational chaos, we must first identify what the church is not.

Not A Building.   The Church of Christ is not composed of walls, ceilings, and pews.  The bold martyr Stephen proclaimed, “God does not dwell in temples made with hands…” (Acts 7:48-50).   Even during the time of the Israelites God did not want his people to trust in the temple.  In Jeremiah, the people were crying out “The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord” (Jer. 7:4).  Yet, their trust in the building did not save them from the impending Babylonian exile (Jer. 25:9-12).  Buildings burn, temples fall, yet the church of the living God will stand forever because it is comprised of individuals (1 Cor. 12:27).  May we never let our sanctuary become our cemetery. The Church of Christ is not a building.

Not a Denomination.  The word denomination by its very definition is in direct contradiction with the New Testament pattern.  Denomination means to call by or name something after another.  In the New Testament, the idea of naming the church after a person other than Christ is strongly condemned.  Paul said to the Corinthians, “Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Cor. 1:10).  In this context, Paul is dealing with the root problem of denominationalism.  Some were saying, “ I am of Paul, or I am Apollos, or I am of Cephas” (1 Cor. 1:12).  Paul points out that denomination is division by asking them, “Is Christ divided?  Was Paul crucified for you?  Or, were you baptized in the name of Paul” (1 Cor. 1:13)?  For anyone who desires to have a church named after them, Paul sets down two simple criteria.  First, one must be crucified as a sinless sacrifice for his followers. No person on earth today can serve as a sinless sacrifice (Heb. 10:12,Rom. 3:23).  Second, the leader of any group must have the God given authority to command baptism in his name.  In the New Testament there is no authority for baptizing into any man’s name, except Christ (Matt. 28:18-20).  Therefore, denominationalism violates the pattern of the New Testament church.  The Church of Christ is not a denomination.

 Today, we can and must be the church of the first century.  To identify the New Testament church we must put aside all bias, denominationalism and human creeds.  We must go back to Bible, and study the original blueprint in restoring the New Testament church. Is your congregation following this original blueprint?

The Nature of the New Testament Church

        Simple laws of logic and reasoning tell us that a thing will be made according to its kind.  In Genesis chapter one the phrase “according to its kind” or a similar statement occurs 18 times.  In this phrase, God is trying to tell us that a creation naturally follows its pattern.  For example, birds are not created after monkeys and giraffes do not follow the pattern of a whale.  Each creation follows and represents its maker’s pattern.  This lesson is extremely important when it comes to the nature and pattern of the New Testament church.  In this article we will again notice what the church was not meant to be to better help us identify the church of the Bible.

Not a Social Club.  To many people, the church is nothing more than a glorified social club.  It is a place to dress exquisitely for and be seen rubbing elbows with the elite of society.  For some, going to church is nothing more than a good public relations move.  It is very interesting to note just how faithful candidates for political office become around election time.  The Jews had the mindset that their religion could be used for social purposes, but Jesus strongly rebuked them.    Jesus condemned the Jews because they wore elaborate clothing, loved the best seats, and the cleric title “rabbi” (Matt. 23:1-12).  This same rebuke is true to those who today who want to make the church into nothing more than a modern day civic club.  To understand that the church is not a social club, we need to realize that we are not the center of worship.  God is the center of our worship and we must make him the focus of our worship services, not ourselves (Jn. 4:24).

Not an Afterthought.  With the recent rise in premillenial fiction books such as “Left Behind” and others, the church is being looked at more as an afterthought, than an original plan.  Many in the premillenial camp believe that God planned to set up a 1000 year reign on earth, but His plan was thwarted and the church was created as an afterthought until the original plan could be set up.  While this may be an attractive view to many, the Bible teaches the church has always been God’s original plan.  Paul said God was making his power known to princes and principalities through the church, which was “according to the eternal purpose” (Eph. 3:10-11).  This passage clearly teaches that the church has been in the mind and plan of God from all eternity.  The church is much more than an afterthought.  It is the forethought and divine plan of God that will last until Christ comes to receive it unto Himself (1 Cor. 15:24, Matt. 16:18-19).

            The church of Christ was never meant to be a club for the elite of society and it definitely was not quick fix in the mess-up of God’s plans.  Is the church that you are going to a more of a social club than a place of worship to God?  Is it considered a mistake in the plans of God?  If so, then it is high time to return to the pattern of the New Testament Church.  If you are looking for a congregation that is striving to be the church of the first century come and worship with us at the McLish Avenue Church of Christ.

The Nature of the New Testament Church

            If a group of people on an unknown island found a Bible, read it  and decided to do exactly what it said, what church would they set up?   These people would not be able to set up many of the denominations we have today because they have no knowledge of the restoration or reformation movements that occurred in our country.  Their only safe option would be to try and establish the church of the first century, and nothing more.  Let us consider two characteristics needed to set up the New Testament church.

The Established Period.  The Bible tells us exactly when the church of the Lord would be established.  In Daniel 2:44, we are told that in the time of the fourth kingdom God would set up a kingdom which would never be destroyed.  Beginning with the time of Daniel in Babylonian rule and going through the Medo-Persian, and Grecian empires there was no new kingdom set up.  God’s people were still under the Old Covenant kingdom.  But, in the time of the fourth kingdom (the Roman empire) God did establish a new kingdom.  Jesus promised He would build His kingdom, which is the church (Matt. 16:18-19).  On the day of Pentecost the preaching of the gospel opened up the “new” kingdom and the Bible says, “The Lord added to the church daily… (Acts 2:47).  From this information we can learn that the church of the Bible was established on the day of Pentecost in A.D. 30.    This is very important to note because most modern man-made denominations began between 1500-1800 A. D.  Most modern churches were established 1500 years too late.  If the church you are a part of was established some other time than A. D. 30, it is not the church of the New Testament.

The Established Place.  The Bible also tells us where the church of the Lord would be established.  In Isa. 2:1-4, God promised that the “Lord’s house” would be established in Zion, which in context is Jerusalem.  It is very important to note that Isaiah cannot be talking about the Old Testament Temple because it was still in existence during the time of Isaiah’s writing.  What is this “house of the Lord” that Isaiah is speaking about?  This phrase refers to the church of the Lord.  In 1 Tim. 3:15 the Bible says that the “house of the Lord…is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of truth.”   In Jerusalem, on the day of Pentecost, the Lord’s church was established when we are told for the first time “the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:38-47).  Did the church you are a part of begin in Jerusalem or somewhere else?  Please remember that most denominations in existence today began in either the America’s or England.

            Today, it must be our goal to go back to the Bible and establish the first century church.  Remember, the Bible says the church began in A. D. 30 at Jerusalem.  We must stand behind the teaching of the Bible on the one church and its nature!!