Tell Us Plainly About the New Testament Church Plainness of speech is a mark of the gospel and its teaching (Acts 20:20-21). Much confusion has resulted from the councils, creeds, confessions and consciences of men concerning the church. Plain Bible teaching removes this confusion. 1) The church of Christ belongs to Christ. Men have built many churches, all claiming to belong to Christ. In contrast to the many denominations of men, the New Testament church belongs to Jesus. The church belongs to Christ because: (a) Christ built the church. After Peter confessed belief that Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the living God” the Lord plainly said, “on this rock I will build My church” (Matt. 16:16-18). The church does not belong to us to do with as we see fit. (b) Christ died for the church. The church was purchased with the blood of the Son of God, shed as the redemptive price for the sins of the word (Acts 20:28; Eph. 5:26-27; 1 Pet. 1:18-19). (c) Christ is the head of his church. No vicar, no president, no king or queen possesses authority in or over the church of Christ; His authority over the church is complete (Matt. 28:18-20; Col. 1:18; 3:17). (d) Christ is the Savior of the church. Salvation is only through Jesus Christ, and he only saves His body, the church (Acts 4:12; Eph. 1:22-23; 5:23). The church of Christ belongs to Christ; the denominations belong to the men who built them and rule them. 2) The church of Christ is composed of those who are saved in Christ. The church is not a club to join, a business to operate or a social organization to administer a social agenda. “Church” translates the Greek word ekklesia meaning an assembly of called out ones. The gospel calls sinners out of the darkness of sin into the marvelous light of God’s Son (1 Pet. 2:9-10). The church of Christ is the assembly of the saved; God’s people on earth whose citizenship is in heaven (Heb. 12:22-23). The Bible plainly says that one cannot be saved without being added to the church by the Lord (Acts 2:47). The church is composed of Christians, not churches. The church is not an assembly of churches; it is the assembly of the saved (Heb. 12:22-23). 3) There is only one church of Christ. Jesus plainly said “I will build My church” – not, “I will build My churches.” Considered universally, all the saved (all Christians) constitute one body, the church of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23; 4:4). Considered locally, Christians gather in different places to form independent congregations. Thus, we read of the “churches of Christ” (Rom. 16:16; see also 1 Cor. 1:2; Gal. 1:2; 1 Thess. 1:1; Rev. 1:11). Each congregation has its own organization and is fully equipped to do its own work without the oversight or sponsorship of another church (Acts 14:23; 1 Pet. 5:2-3; Eph. 4:11-16). 4) The Lord adds you to the church of Christ when you are saved from your sins. The murderers of Jesus heard the gospel call and believed Jesus to be “Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36-37). They were told to “repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins”, and about 3,000 who did so were added together (Acts 2:38, 40-41). The church began that day and the Christians continued to grow in faith and service to Christ (Acts 2:42). The church of Christ exists today. The Lord will add you to His church when you will believe, repent and be baptized for the remission of your sins (Acts 2:37-38, 47).
Posted on: Sun, 03 Nov 2013 23:38:49 +0000
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