SPC

First Century Christianity In the Twenty-First Century The New Testament Church

Definition Of Church ➡ Ekklesia means “to call out.” The church is the “called out ones of God” - 2 Thess 2:14 ➡ Secularly, the term referred to a public forum. ➡ Scripturally, it is rooted in the Jewish synagogue - Acts 7:38

Two Senses Of The Church ➡ The “one church” - Mt 16:18; Eph 4:4; Rom 12:4 ➡ The universal church speaks of the general assembly of all believers who have ever lived - Heb 12:23 ➡ The local church is comprised of members of the one body in a specific area - Gal 1:2

The Universal Church ➡ The kingdom has citizens - Phil 3:20 ➡ The body of has many members - 1 Cor 12:12 ➡ The flock has sheep - Jn 10:16

The Universal Church ➡ The family has children - Eph 2:19 ➡ The building has stones - 1 Pt 2:7-9 ➡ The vine has many branches - Jn 15:1,2

The Universal Church ➡ Consists of every believer and saved person, added by God - Acts 2:42-47; Heb 12:23 ➡ No sin resides in the universal church; it is pure - Eph 5:27

The Universal Church ➡ There is no earthly headquarters, or organization, but Christ as head - Col 1:13-18 ➡ There is no work which it is involved.

The Universal Church “Inspiration gives no indication the universal church was intended to act as a single functional organization. It provides no universal oversight for the decision making that must accompany such action; and no universal treasury to fund such action...”

The Universal Church “...Its influence upon the world is exerted distributively as its members are light, salt, and a leavening power...we must begin to think straight regarding the universal church before we can put the local church in proper perspective.” Robert Turner, Cogdill-Turner Discussion, p. 11

The Local Church ➡ Each local church is autonomous: ➡ Controls its membership - Acts 9:26,27 ➡ Has its own eldership - Acts 14:23; 1 Pt 5:2

The Local Church ➡ Each local church is autonomous: ➡ Controls its own treasury - 1 Cor 16:2; Acts 11:30 ➡ Organized with a plurality of elders, deacons, and saints - Phil 1:1

The Local Church ➡ Worships together on the first day of the week - Acts 20:7 ➡ Works together in: ➡ Edification - 1 Cor 14:26,40 ➡ Evangelism - Acts 13:1-3 ➡ Benevolence - 2 Cor 8 & 9

The Local Church ➡ Worships together on the first day of the week - Acts 20:7 ➡ Works together ➡ Practices discipline - 1 Cor 5:5; Rev 2:14, 20-24

Conclusion ➡ Next lesson: The work of the church in edification of its members. ➡ You may be added to the Lord’s church this very day by being baptized into Christ - Acts 2:42; Gal 3:27