The New Testament church
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Searching the Scriptures
David A. Bass, Rockford Church of Christ
In Matthew 16:18 Jesus promised, “Upon this rock I will build my church.” He loved the church
enough that He gave His life for it.
Ephesians 5:25 reads, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her.” Jesus paid the greatest price possible – His blood. To the Ephesian elders Paul said, “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood” (Acts 20:28).
The church is compared to a body of which Christ is the head.
“And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence” (Colossians 1:18).
The church which we read about in the New Testament is made up (composed) of the saved. We
read in Acts 2:47, “And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.”
The only way to become a member of Christ’s church is to be “added” by the Lord. The New Testament church is made up of those who have obeyed the gospel and whose sins have been washed away (Acts 2:38).
We do not read of anyone being “voted on” or trying to “join the church.” Both of these terms are foreign to the New Testament.
We only find ONE church in the New Testament. Jesus only promised to build ONE (Matthew
16:18). There were many different congregations of Christ’s church. We read of the church in Rome, in
Thessalonica, in Ephesus, etc.
These were not differing churches, but simply congregations of Christ’s church in various localities. They all believed the same thing; taught the same gospel and worshiped the same way. According to Colossians 4:16 the letter that Paul had written to the church at Colossae was also to be circulated to the church in Laodicea.
In the New Testament division was condemned! Listen to I Corinthians 1:10, “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.”
The New Testament church was autonomous (independent). There was no central headquarters or organization. Christ is the head (Colossians 1:18) and every congregation when fully developed is organized having elders and deacons.
We find the qualifications for these men in I Timothy 3 and Titus 1. There are several designations in the New Testament for elders including: bishops, presbyters, overseers, shepherds, and pastors. Elders are given the spiritual oversight of a congregation.
We read in Hebrews 13:17, “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account.”
The authority of elders is limited to the congregation where they are appointed.
The word “deacon” simply means “a special servant.” Deacons work under the oversight of the elders.
The church which we read about in the New Testament relied totally on the authority of Jesus Christ
(Matthew 28:18). They listened to the teaching of the apostles whom Christ had appointed. They did not have any kind of human organization; manuals, handbooks, disciplines, etc. They accepted the teachings of Christ which are now recorded in the pages of the New Testament.
II Timothy 3:16-17 reads, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
Any book that contains more than the Bible has too much, and any book that contains less than the Bible has too little!
“Search the Scriptures” to find out if you are a part of the church which we read about in the New Testament!
