The Lord’s Church
Have you ever heard a preacher say, “Go and join the Church of your choice?” This statement promotes the idea that (at least to some extent) all these denominations that preach and practice different things are separate in doctrine but equal in the eyes of God. In other words, one Church is just as good as another.
This idea is so common in modern religion that few would dare to question it. But before we just accept this theory, we need to consider what God says about the Lord’s Church.
I think that many religious people would be surprised to see how precisely God reveals His plan for the Church that Jesus built. As you read this article, I ask you to lay aside any concerns you might have about being politically-correct, and just listen to what the Scripture says about The Church that Jesus built.
First of all…
I. God’s Plan is for One Church
The concept of denominationalism (with thousands of different churches preaching and practicing different things) is foreign to God’s word. It was never a part of God’s plan. Jesus had no intention of building thousands of different churches.
In Matthew 16:18, He said, “I will build my church.” How many churches did Jesus promise to build? One. He didn’t say that He would build thousands of different churches. He said that He would build His church—one church.
This also taught in
Ephesians 4:3-6 “…endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”
Notice that there are several things here about which Paul says, “There is one.” For the sake of time, let’s just notice a few.
In verse 6, we read that there is “One Father.” This means that there is one God the Father.
In verse 5, we read that there is “One Lord,” Jesus Christ.
In verse 4, we read that there is “One Spirit,” one Holy Spirit.
Also, in verse 4, we read that there is “One Body.”
What is the “one body?” Paul had already answered this question earlier in the book of Ephesians.
Ephesians 1:22-23 “And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body.”
The Church is often called “The Body” in the N.T. With that in mind, let us remember what Paul said in Ephesians 4. “There is one body.” What does that mean? The body is the Church, so this is the same as Paul saying, “There is one Church.”
How do you feel about that? Do you believe that there is only one Church in the eyes of God? We must consider how we feel about what this passage communicates about the Godhead and make sure we interpret it consistently.
Paul says that there is one Father. Is it necessary to believe in only one Father? Absolutely, because God’s word says that there is only one.
How do we identify the one Father? There are different people who believe different things about the Father. Some refer to Him as “Allah,” and they believe that “the Father” teaches them to engage in a so-called “holy war” and kill all non-Muslims. Should we say, “Their view of the Father is just as good as ours”? No. You know why? Because the Islamic view of the Father doesn’t match how the bible identifies the One Father.
We need to believe what this book says about the one Father.
What about the one Lord? Is it essential to believe in one Lord? Yes, because that’s what God’s word says. So how do we identify the one Lord, Jesus Christ? There are different views about Jesus. Some say that He was an imposter. Others say that He was a prophet or a great teacher, but not actually the Son of God. Are their views just as acceptable as what the bible says about Jesus? No. We need to let the bible identify the Lord, and the bible identifies Him as the Son of God.
What about the one Spirit? Is it necessary to believe in only one Holy Spirit? Yes, because that’s what the bible plainly teaches. So how do we identify the one Holy Spirit? There are a lot of strange and unscriptural ideas about who or what the Holy Spirit is. Should we say that one view of the Holy Spirit is just as good as another? No. There is only one correct way to identify the Holy Spirit. We have to let the bible tell us about Him.
Now let’s use that same reasoning with the one Body, or the one Church.
Is it necessary to believe that Jesus only established One Church? Yes. If we’re going to take God at His word, then we’ll believe that there is only One Body or One Church.
So (here’s the next question) how should we identify this one Church? Should we just assume that one Church is just as good as another? No. Not any more than we believe that one view of the Father, or one view of the Lord or one view of the Spirit is as good as another. Just like we do with the Father, the Lord, and the Holy Spirit, we need to let God’s word identify the one Body of Christ.
And it does. God reveals a very clear and consistent pattern for the One Church. Let’s look at …
II. The Identifying Marks of the Lord’s Church
For time’s sake, we won’t be able to look at all of the characteristics of the New Testament Church, but let’s notice 5 major identifying characteristics that set the Lord’s Church apart from man-made denominations.
First of all…
A. The Lord’s Church Is Guided by God’s WORD
There were no man-made creeds or confessions of faith in the New Testament Church. Acts 2:42 says that the early Church continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine. They recognized that God was speaking through the apostles of Christ, so they abandoned the doctrines of the Pharisees and Rabbis. They removed themselves from the uninspired teaching that took place in Jewish synagogues—and just let God’s word be their only guide.
This is exactly what God wanted from the New Testament Church.
Paul told the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 4:6 not to even “think beyond what is written.” In 1 Peter 4:11, Peter gave this commandment to the Church, “If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God.” The Lord’s Church was warned in Revelation 22:18-19 about adding to or subtracting from God’s word. 2 Timothy 1:13 told ancient Christians to “hold fast to the pattern” of God’s word.
And because faithful saints followed the same divine pattern, denominationalism did not exist. Even though there were congregations in different cities, these congregations were united on doctrine. They were all a part of the same universal organization—the One Body of Christ—because God’s word was revealed clearly enough that all of His people all over the world could understand it alike and follow it.
Is that possible today? Is God’s word for His Church clear enough for us to understand it alike and follow it? Can we unite on the bible? Sure we can. Don’t listen to people who say that we can never agree on the scriptures.
Please notice through the rest of this article—as we look at other characteristics of the Lord’s Church—just how clearly God states His will for the Body of Christ.
For example, what does God’s word say about…
B. The Name of the Lord’s Church
The church of the New Testament was called by several names. She is called the house of God (1 Timothy 3:15) and the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 16:19). But over and over, you’ll find that the Church of the bible is identified with Jesus Christ. It is called the “Body of Christ” in 1 Cor. 12:27. It is called the “Kingdom of God’s dear Son” in Colossians 1:13. Congregations of the Lord’s Church are called the “Churches of Christ” in Romans 16:16.
Why shouldn’t the Church wear Christ’s name? He purchased it with His own blood (Acts 20:28). He is the Head of the Church (Ephesians 1:22-23), and in Ephesians 5, the Church is pictured as the bride of Christ.
Husbands, how would you feel if your wives refused to wear your name? What if she said that she wanted to be married to you, but she wanted to wear another man’s name? I don’t know of any husband who would go for that.
Well, how does the Lord feel when a group of people would wear the name of Luther or John the Baptist, or a descriptive term like Methodist, Presbyterian or Catholic, but not the name of Christ?
That can’t please Him. If a church wants to show that they are the Lord’s people, and if a church wants to follow the word of God and call bible things by bible names, then we’ll be more than willing to wear the name of Christ.
Thirdly, let’s look at…
C. The Worship of the Lord’s Church
God has always taken worship very seriously. He has always wanted people to worship from the heart (with the right attitude), and He has always wanted people to worship in the right way—according to His pattern.
In Deuteronomy 4:2, God said, “You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor shall you take from it.”
When God gave Moses the pattern for the Tabernacle and the worship that would take place there, He repeatedly said, “Do all things according to the Pattern (Exodus 25:9, 40).”
In Leviticus 10:1-2, we see two priests who decided to do things differently from what God had authorized. Even though God had told them exactly how to burn incense, they decided to add to God’s pattern. Here’s what we read about this…
Leviticus 10:1-2 “Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them. So fire went out from the LORD and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.”
Maybe these two priests thought, “Well, God didn’t specifically tell us not to worship this way.” But here was the problem. God had specifically told them not to add to His word, and that’s exactly what they did through their profane fire. These two priests learned the hard way that when God said, “Don’t add to my word,” that meant that they must not offer unauthorized worship.
Has God changed His view under the New Covenant, or does He still expect us to follow His pattern?
Remember what the New Testament says about following God’s word. We’ve already noticed in this sermon that God forbids us from adding to or subtracting from His word (Rev. 22:18-19). He commands us to hold to the pattern (2 Timothy 1:13). Specifically about worship, Jesus says in John 4:24 that our worship must be “in spirit” (with the right mindset), and He says that our worship must be “in truth” (according to God’s word). In Colossians 2:23, Paul condemns those who practice “self-imposed religion.” This literally refers to worship that is according to the ideas of man, and not the will of God.
I know that we’ve changed from the Old Covenant to the New, but God hasn’t changed how he wants us to follow His word. Today, God wants His word alone to direct our worship.
Denominations have completely ignored God’s teaching on this subject. In their quest for entertainment and drawing big crowds—or in their search for worship that makes them happy—many groups have completely disregarded God’s N.T. pattern. In doing so, they have distinguished themselves from the Church you read about in the bible. Modern denominations do not worship like the N.T. Church.
But that is the goal of the Lord’s Church. The things that we do in worship that might be considered “different” are not things that we’ve invented—they come from God’s word. We sing and make melody in our hearts because that’s what God commands in Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16; and that’s the practice that is authorized in every New Testament passage that talks about praising God through music.
We follow God’s pattern in how we teach in our public assemblies. Our sisters play a vital role in the work and worship of the Church, but our men teach in our public assemblies of worship because that’s what God commands. God’s teaching is clear:
1 Corinthians 14:34-35 “Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says. And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church.”
I know that this doctrine is offensive to some, but we don’t have a right to change what God says. We must worship according to the truth.
On the first day of the week, we practice the Lord’s Supper, because that’s what the New Testament Church did, according to Acts 20:7. And we practice the Lord’s Supper just like Christ instituted it. He showed the disciples exactly what to do, and according to 1 Corinthians 11:24-25, He said, “Do this (do what I have done) in remembrance of Me.” If we worship according to God’s word, then we’ll practice the Lord’s Supper according to the bible.
Biblical worship is a blessing. Godly worship is described in Psalm 29:2 as worshiping in “the beauty of holiness.” It is indeed a beautiful and sacred thing to enter into a service with reverence, knowing that you’re about to offer worship designed by the Architect of Heaven.
That’s how we know that God is pleased, and that is another way that we can be identified as the New Testament Church.
Fourthly…
D. The Lord’s Church Preached the Truth about Salvation
In other words, they told people what God said about how to be saved from sin. There is nothing more vital than preaching the truth about salvation. In fact, the New Testament shows that preaching God’s way of salvation is the primary mission of the Body of Christ. So if a group preaches error about how to be saved, they cannot be considered a faithful part of the Lord’s Church.
Now, if you went through this area, stopping at different denominations, and you asked, “What must I do to be saved?” you’d get a variety of answers, but here are the most popular…
Some would say, “You need to believe in Jesus, and through faith alone, you can be saved. Then, you need to be baptized after you are saved.”
Others might say, “You need to believe in Jesus and say the Sinner’s Prayer in order to be saved. Then, you need to be baptized after you are saved.”
But what gospel was the New Testament Church commissioned to preach? Jesus said the following words to His disciples:
Mark 16:15-16 “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”
In Acts 2, the apostle Peter preaches the gospel to a group of people. He tells them about Christ, and in verse 37, we read that they were cut to the heart and said, “What shall we do?” These people believed in Christ, and they wanted to know how to be saved from their sins. Peter told them…
Acts 2:38 “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.”
In Acts 8, Philip the evangelist preached Christ to an Ethiopian man. He believed in Christ, repented of his sins and Acts 8:37 shows that he confessed that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. This confession is essential for salvation, according to Romans 10:9. But immediately after this confession, Acts 8:38 shows that he was baptized and went on his way rejoicing as a saved man.
So along with faith, repentance and confession of Christ, the bible repeatedly says that baptism (immersion in water) is essential for salvation. Read the book of Acts, and time and time again you’ll see people told that they had to be baptized to be saved.
Peter’s words are unmistakable:
1 Peter 3:21 “There is also an antitype which now saves us–baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
The popular messages of salvation by faith alone and the sinner’s prayer come from the creeds and ideas of men. The gospel that involves faith, repentance, confessing Christ, and baptism is the only gospel that comes straight from the Word of God. If we want to be identified as the Lord’s Church, then we must preach the pure gospel of Christ and tell people what God says about how to be saved.
Do you see how clearly God reveals His pattern? We can understand what God says about the Name of the Church, the Worship of the Church and the Gospel preached by the Church—let’s just follow the plan that God reveals. That’s the only way we can know that we are a part of the Lord’s Church.
Someone might say, “That sounds so restrictive!” But think about how the apostles dealt with departures from God’s word.
Listen to what Paul wrote about preaching a different gospel…
Galatians 1:8-9 “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.”
Now listen to John’s words in…
2 John 1:9-11 “Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.”
These inspired words of Paul and John stand in stark contrast to the popular idea that says, “There are many paths to heaven, and even though people preach different doctrines, we’re all headed the same direction.” The apostles only wanted God’s word to be taught and followed.
Why were they so restrictive? Because God has a specific plan for the Church, and they knew that when people depart from God’s word, they cease to be a faithful part of the Lord’s Church. Such people simply establish a man-made church.
That’s not what God wants for any of us. He wants us to be a part of the same Church He built—the same Church we find in the scriptures.
What about you? Don’t you want to be in the Lord’s Church? Do you want to read this book about the name of the Church, the worship of the Church and the gospel preached by the Church and be able to say, “That’s the kind of religion that I practice, so I know that I’m a member of the same Church that Jesus died to establish.”?
Brandon Stephens, Evangelist
