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The Distinct Nature of the Church
Introduction:
A. Think of how many different churches there are in our world today. Why are there so many? How did they all get started? Do they all belong to Christ? Do any of them? Which if any should a person be a member of? Or, does it even matter?
B. It makes a big difference what church you are a part of (Ps. 127:1; Matt. 15:13-14; 1 Peter 3:15).
C. How should we decide which one is right (Prov. 16:25; Isa. 55:8; Jer. 10:23)?
D. How is identity determined (must have standards in life; 1 Thes. 5:21; 1 John 4:1; 2 Cor. 13:5; Acts 17:11; Heb. 12:23; Col. 3:17; 1 Cor. 4:6; Heb. 8:5).
I. The Lord’s Church is Identifiable!
A. How do we identify objects? By their identifying characteristics. (Your Car, Wife, Jn 20:25).
B. We can know what it is (people not building; 1 Cor. 12:25; Acts 7:48-50; called out).
C. We can know it is of divine origin (Eph. 3:8-11; who started it).
D. We can know it belongs to Christ (Matt. 16:18; Col. 1:18—Head; Eph. 5:23—Savior; 1 Cor. 3:11—Founder; Eph. 5:25—gave self for it; Acts 20:28—purchased it; Eph 5:22-28—his bride).
E. We can know the church is Christ’s Body (Col1:24; Eph. 1:22-23).
F. We can know Christ and His church are inseperable (Gal. 1:13; Phil 3:6; 1 Cor. 15:9—persecuted church; Acts 9:4—persecuted Christ).
G. We can know Christ only has one church (“one body”—Eph. 4:4, 2:16; 1 Cor. 12:12-13; 1 Cor. 10:17; Rom. 12:4-5; Col. 3:15; Note 1 Cor. 12:20—“There are many member, YET BUT ONE BODY.”
II. The Lord’s Church is Reproducible.
A. How is the church reproduced (Luke 8:11; Matt. 13:38; according to its kind)?
B. How long was it to last (Dan. 2:44; Matt. 16:18; Eph. 3:21; Heb. 12:28; Luke 1:33).
C. We still have the seed of the Kingdom today (Matt. 24:35; 1 Peter 1:23-25).
III. The Seed would produce the N. T. Church Only
A. Suppose a person took the Bible and had never heard about modern denominations. If he took his Bible and reproduced the church of the NT what would it be like? Would it be called by denominational names?
B. What would the NT church be called (Acts 8:1—“the church”; 1 Cor. 1:2—“church of God”; 1 Tim. 3:15—“church of the Living God”; Acts 20:28—“church of the Lord”; Rom. 16:16—“churches of Christ”).
C. What would members of the NT church be called (Christians—Acts 11:26, 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16; members—Rom. 12:4-5; disciples—Acts 20:7; children of God—1 John 3:1; sons of God—Rom. 8:14; servants—Rom. 6:16; brethren—1 Cor. 15:6).
D. What doctrine would they follow? (Acts 2:42; 1 Tim. 1:3; 1 Peter 4:11; Titus 2:1; NO DOGMA OF FAITH—2 Peter 1:3; If a creed contains less than the Bible, it contains too little; if it contains more than the Bible it contains too much; if it contains the same as the Bible why have it?
E. How would the church be organized? 1. No earthly headquarters (Psalm 119:89; Matt. 16:19). 2. No man made head (Eph. 1:22, 5:23). 2. Governed by elders (Acts 14:23; Heb. 13:17).
F. How would it worship? 1. Lord’s Supper every first day of the week (Acts 20:7) 2. Giving every Sunday (1 Cor. 6:1-2). 3. No use of instrumental music (Eph. 2:14-15; Col. 3:16-17; Eph. 5:19).
IV. Does such a church exist today?
A. Just having the name “church of Christ” or “Church of God” does not make one a faithful NT church; Max Lucado & Oak Hills Church.
B. The Lord knows those who are His (2 Tim. 2:19; 1 Cor. 4:17).
V. How Does one enter the NT church?
VI. Must one be a member of the NT church to go to Heaven? A. Absolutely! (Heb. 12:23—The church is the general assembly & only those who are a part of the church have their names written in Heaven; 1 Cor. 15:24—Christ is coming back to deliver the kingdom to the father, since the kingdom is the church, if I want to be with the father it is essential that I be in the Lord’s church). B. What about all those good people who thought they were doing right? (Rom. 10:2; Prov. 16:25). |