Identifying the Church of the New Testament, Part 1
A. Is it possible to rediscover the church of the New Testament
in todays world? Many
sincere people have never considered that possibility. Church
is church and one church is
as good as another. After all, we all worship the same God in
our own way, and thats
all that matters. But, is that, almost universal assumption,
really true?
In 2001, the national news was dominated by the story of Shandra
Levis affair with Congressman Gary Condit and her mysterious
disappearance. Over and over again, her physical description was
published. Photographs her height, hair color, eye color,
and
distinguishing characteristics. By virtue of that detailed description,
there was hope that if
someone should see her, she could be identified and brought home
to her worried family.
a. Every day in our lives we encounter occasions in which we have
to identify certain
objects. We go to the mall and we return to the parking lot, we
have to identify the
particular vehicle that belongs to us. If a mother gets separated
from her child at the
mall she can provide an identifying description to enable the
child to be found.
(A) The most important application of that principle is this:
Is it essential that we be
able to identify the church of the New Testament? The one that
God planned, and
the one that Jesus purchased by the shedding of his blood. Is
it important that we
be able to identify that spiritual body? Yes! Can it be found
in todays world?
Many sincere religious people operate on the assumption that it
really doesnt make any difference what church one belongs
to, so long as it is under the general umbrella of Christendom.
But is that a valid premise upon which you can safely rest your
soul?
(a) If the church is something important in the mind of God
and it is, the
Bible says, in Eph. 3:10-11, It was a part of the divine
plan from eternity.
And because Christ shed his blood to purchase that church, as
stated in
Acts 20:28. Then it is important enough to need appropriate identification.
One doesnt just haphazardly run around picking a church
as if playing the childrens game of pin the tail on the
donkey. Rather, the conscientious person wants to know, intellectually
and biblically: What is the church of the Bible? Where is
it? Am I a member of it, or am I not a member of it?
Example: Suppose one is asked to identify a mammal. What is a
mammal? Look in a scientific dictionary. Mammal is a creature
characterized by certain physiological traits. It has hair. It
is warm?blooded. Mammals nurse their young. The English word mammal
derives from a Latin word, mamma, which is the term for breast,
having to do with the suckling of the offspring.
A dog is a mammal. A dog has hair, is warm?blooded, and suckles
its
young. A cat is a mammal. Human beings are mammals according
to
this definition a bird is not a mammal. A bird is warm?blooded,
it does not
have hair, and it does not nurse its young. A caterpillar is not
a mammal.
A caterpillar has hair, but does not nurse its young.
Whats the point of the analogy? There are many churches
in our community which have some of the traits of the New Testament
church. But just as a mammal is not a mammal unless it has all
of the qualities that are mammalian, even so, a church is not
the church of the Bible unless it consists of folks who have done
precisely what God requires in becoming a Christian, as stated
in the Bible.
(2) Moreover, to have Heavens sustained approval, a group
of Christians must
attempt to conform to those particular qualities that characterized
the church as it
functioned under the guiding hand of the inspired leaders of the
first century.
(1) It is obvious that any desire to be a Christians will make
us want to think very
seriously about this matter. I want you to look into your heart,
look into your life,
look into your personal history, your experiences and answer
this question: Am
I a member of Christs church? Or am I simply a member of
a church?
(1) First of all, I would raise this issue. When was the church
of Christ
established? It was established 50 days after the death of Jesus.
The
record of this is found in the book of Acts 2:1-42. The time is
specifically
identified as the day of Pentecost. At that point in history,
the power of the
Holy Spirit was poured out supernaturally upon the apostles.
(2) And for the very first time, in all of history, they began
to proclaim the basic facts of the gospel message. And that message
was threefold: 1) That Jesus had been crucified for the sins of
humanity and He had been buried in a tomb. (2) That on the third
day, he arose from that tomb. 3) forty days later He ascended
back into heaven to be at the right hand of God.
The apostle Peter, stated a true fact, that those assembled in
the city, the Jews, were responsible for having put Christ to
death and, therefore, they were guilty of sin. He then said to
them in Acts 2:38, Vs. 41.
(a) From that time on, in the book of Acts, we read that the church
is in
existence. Prior to that time, all references to the church are
in the
future tense. Jesus said in Matt. 16:18, I will build my
church.
That was about six months before he died. But from Acts chapter
2 onward, the church is in existence.
(3) We conclude that the church was established at that time.
The year is
approximately A.D. 30. The day was Sunday. They became the church
by obeying the gospel message. Those who attempt to become Christians
in any other fashion are not members of Christs spiritual
body.
(1) Now, what about the church of which you are a member? Was
your church established in the city of Rome, several centuries
after the New Testament was completed? Was your church established
in Germany in the 1500's or England, or somewhere in Europe in
the 1600s or 1700s or in America? If so, it is not
the church of the New Testament.
(2) The church of Jesus Christ traces its origin to the events
recorded in Acts chapter 2 twenty centuries ago.
(3) Acts 20:32.
Spur - 04/28/2002 am
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