1
The Lords church
The church of the 1st Century
2

• Definition and uses of the word church
• From Greek word ekklesia
• compound word from ek meaning out and kaleo
  meaning to call
• ancient secular Greek use any general assembly
  (legislative)
• Septuagint (Greek translation of OT) used for
  general gathering of people
• NT used in technical sense of a people who have
  gathered for the purpose of instruction and
  worship ( 120 times in NKJV)
• used in two senses
• Local Rom 163-5 1 Thess 11 Col 415 2 Cor
  11, Rom 161
• Universal Matt 1618 Acts 247 Col 118,24
  Eph 122, 524
• Never used in New Testament to refer to
• physical building
• religious orgs governed by variety of
  creeds/sources of authority
• man made secular institutions
• worship activity
• Not as an adjective, nor a verb

3

• Descriptions of the church found in the New
  Testament
• body of Christ (with Jesus as head)
• Eph 122-23, 412, 523 Col 124 1 Cor 1212
  Rom 125
• emphasizes unity of the body and individuality
  of each member
• Jesus guides, directs, and provides this unity
  (John 17)
• temple of God (with Jesus as chief cornerstone)
• Eph 221 1 Pet 25
• emphasizes place where God dwells and is
  worshipped
• Christians are the building stones, Jesus is
  foundation, binds together
• bride of Christ (with Jesus as bridegroom)
• Rom 74 2 Cor 112 Eph 527 Rev 197, 2217,
  219
• emphasizes the love of Christ for his church and
  his full provision for it
• our responsibility to keep ourselves pure and
  unspotted
• kingdom of Christ (with Jesus as king)
• John 1836, Matt 2711, Phil 320, Lk 133,
  John 35, Col 113

4
Descriptions of the church found in the New
Testament (contd)

• flock of God (with Jesus as shepherd)
• John 1011, 16, 27 Acts 2028 1 Pet 225,
  52 Mk 1427
• emphasizes his loving care, feeding, protection
• we are dependant on him as the shepherd
• house (with Jesus as firstborn)
• household of faith Gal 610
• household of God Eph 219 Heb 1021 1 Tim
  315 (of the living God)
• his own house Heb 36 2 Cor 51 (not made
  w/hands not earthly)
• emphasizes family relationship among its
  members
• responsibilities to each other and the
  collective
• pillar and ground of truth (with Jesus as
  source)
• 1 Tim 315, John 146
• No one comes to the father but thru Jesus

These descriptions indicate the most intimate of
relationships between Jesus and his body, bride,
family, flock, temple, household (the church)
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Does it matter?

• It should be important to us because its
  important to God
• He planned it, gave his son for it, provided for
  salvation in it
• (John 316, Acts 412, Tit 211-14)

Remember the plan? (Eph 13-23)

• Over 300,000 religious congregations in the U.S.
  
• (2012-Hartford Institute for Religion Research)
• 183,000 are less than 500 people (94) 177,000
  less than 100 people (59)
• 217 Denominational groups listed in 2006
  (yearbook of American and Canadian churches)

Does this sound like the plan?
How can I recognize the church described in the
NT and become a part of it?
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The New Testament church IS Unique and
Recognizable

• God purposed it from eternity
• Eph 13-20, 310-11, Dan 244
• Founded by Christ on only His authority
• Matt 1618, 1 Cor 311, Eph 122, Matt 2818,
  Col 117
• Began in Jerusalem in 1st century
• Isa 23, Luke 2444-53, Acts 21-4, 47,
  1119-25
• Only the Lord adds to it (Acts 236, 41-47)
• those that are baptized into Christ
• (Gal 326, 1 Pet 321, Rom 61-3)

7
The New Testament church of Christ is Unique
(contd)

• Bible is its only creed governed by divine
  authority
• Rom 116, 2 Pet 13, Acts 1711, Gal 11-6, 1
  Cor 151
• Name is scriptural
• church of God - 1 Cor 12, 1 Tim 315 (of
  living God)
• body of Christ - Eph 122
• bride of Christ - Rom 74
• church of firstborn - Heb 1223
• house of God - 1 Tim 315
• church of Christ - Rom 1616
• Organization is scriptural
• elders with local oversight - Acts 1423, 1
  Pet 52, 1 Tim 31
• deacons serving under local eldership - 1 Tim
  38-13
• members - 1 Cor 1212

8
The New Testament church of Christ is Unique
(contd)

• Members are scriptural
• disciples - John 158
• saints - Rom 17, 1 Cor 12
• brother/sisters - Luke 821, Gal 61
• children of God - Gal 326, 1 John 21
• Christians - Acts 1126, 2628
• Work is spiritual divinely appointed (John
  1836)
• Eph 210, Rom 417, 1 Cor 213, 1 Pet 25
• Worship is in spirit and truth (John 424)
• first day of the week - Acts 207, Heb 1024
• Lords supper on first day of the week - Acts
  207
• pray, sing, teach, admonish - Col 316, Eph
  519
• edifies and evangelizes - 1 Thess 511, 1
  Cor 117, Acts 1042
• benevolence to needy saints - Acts 244, 432,
  2 Cor 96, 1 Cor 161

9
The New Testament church of Christ is Unique
(contd)

• Goal is to praise, honor, and glorify God
• - Acts 247, 1 Pet 13-5, 1 Thess 416-17

What group have you associated yourself
with? Does it look, sound, and function like the
NT church? Is it important? It was Gods plan
from creation, He gave his son for it, it is
Jesus body, bride, flock, household, and
family.. Outside of it, there is no salvation
(Acts 412, Eph 1)