Church 101 What is the church, Biblically speaking? It is not an extension of Judaism (Eph. 3:4-6, Col. 2:14, Heb. 6:6-13) It is not the same as “the Kingdom” (2 Sam. 11:16ff, all the Gospels, Jn. 3)

It is not a denomination It is not a building

It is people, all people, Jews and Gentiles, that have believed in Jesus for eternal life and have been baptized into Him by the Holy Spirit – the Body of Christ. (Eph. 1:22, 5:25; 1 Cor. 12:12-13)

It is people that have believed in Jesus for eternal life, have been baptized into Him by the Holy Spirit, and who gather together in one locality for instruction, fellowship, observing the ordinances, and united prayer – the local church. (Acts 2:42, 1 Cor. 1:2, Phil. 1:1, 1 Thess. 1:1)

When did the church begin? (Gal. 3:6-8; 1 Cor. 12:12-13; Acts 1:5, 1:15-17) The church, both universal and local, began on the day of Pentecost in Jerusalem (Acts 2:1ff, 42ff).

What’s the big deal about the local church? It is both present and prominent in the New Testament. (Acts 2, 8, 9, 13, 14, 18, 20; 17 epistles; Rev. 2,3 Acts 14:23; 1Tim. 3; 1 Cor. 16:2; Acts 20:7, 1 Cor. 5:11,14)

It is God’s plan for the maturation and development of His children in this present era. (Heb. 10:24-25, Acts 2:42, Eph. 4:1-11)

What are some practical implications concerning the church? We ought to be members of the church universal, the Body of Christ. b. We believers in Jesus ought to be members of a local church.

Class dismissed!