Foundations of Faith
THE CHURCH (III)
In the previous two issues we have observed some comparisons between the body of Christ-made up of all true believers in Christ-and man’s physical body. Just as the different parts of our human bodies work to help, nourish, instruct, and protect each other, so the different members of Christ’s body-the Church-do the same for one another.
How does this work? How can we have fellowship with others who are in the body of Christ? The Holy Spirit not only has joined the believers together as members of the body of Christ (Rom. 12:4,5; 1 Cor. 12:12,13), but He has helped believers in cities and communities to be united together in local churches or assemblies. Can you think of the names of local churches mentioned in the New Testament? The apostle Paul wrote letters to several, including the churches at Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi, Colosse, and Thessalonica.
In the days of the New Testament, there were no divisions into separate denominations. There was a unity of all believers in the city of Rome, for example. Because it was a large city, there may have been several small groups of believers meeting in homes, such as the one at the house of Priscilla and Aquila (Rom. 16:5). But a unity of fellowship existed among all these groups, as also among the churches in the different cities.
There are many evidences of this unity among the local churches in New Testament days:
1. When believers from the church in one city visited the one in another city, they carried with them letters of introduction and commendation from their home church or assembly.
2. The apostle Paul when writing to one local church often reminded the believers of their unity with the other assemblies in the Church (Rom. 16:16; 1 Cor. 1:2; 16:1; 2 Cor. 1:1).
3. The more wealthy local assemblies sent financial help to the poorer ones (2 Cor. 8:1-15; 9:1-15). (See Assignment 12)
4. Believers of different ethnic backgrounds-Jews, Samaritans, and Gentiles-were all joined together in one body (Eph. 2:14-18), rather than forming distinct ethnic assemblies in the same community.
5. Care was taken to discuss and resolve differences in doctrine and practice that might arise among the different assemblies (Acts 15).
Clearly God wants every believer to have fellowship with other believers who live in the same city or community. For those Christians who lived in the first century A.D., there was no problem deciding which local church to fellowship with. There was only one to choose from. Or if there were several assemblies in a large city, presumably one would identify with the one closest to home.
Times have changed in the past 19 centuries. Sad to say, believers have divided into thousands of denominations, sects, and groups. How does a newborn child of God decide which group to fellowship with? Some evangelists advise, simply, “Go to the church of your choice.” This suggests that all are equally sound. But the history of the Church reveals that many of these divisions have occurred because of very serious issues of Biblical doctrine or Christian practice.
Some people may be looking for a church with a pastor they find easy to listen to. Others may be looking for a group where they can use their musical talents or where there will be special programs for their children. Still others may be looking for a “friendly” church, perhaps one that will overlook their sinful attitudes and lifestyle.
Here is the counsel of the Bible on this matter:”Follow righteousness, faith, love, peace, with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart” (2 Tim. 2:22). Such Christians would surely exhibit the following characteristics:
1. They would be true, born-again, practicing Christians, not Christians in name only, whose “faith without works is dead” (Acts 2:47; Jas. 2:14-26).
2. They would place the highest possible value on the Holy Scriptures as their authority for doctrine, behavior, and action (see Jan93-Jun93).
3. They would be true to the teaching of the Bible about the Trinity, the nature and attributes of God, and Jesus Christ being fully God and fully man (see Jul93-Apr95).
4. They would be true to the teaching of the Bible that salvation is “not of works” (Eph. 2:9) but comes from placing our trust for eternal salvation totally upon the sufferings and death of the Lord Jesus Christ for our sins (see Jan96-May97).
5. They would love the Lord; their highest motive in life would be to obey, follow, serve, and worship the Lord, and to “do all to the glory of God” (John 14:15; 1 John 5:3; 1 Cor. 10:31).
6. Correspondingly, they would have no love for “the world”-“the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life”-that is going to pass away (1 John 2:15-17).
7. They would love their brothers and sisters in Christ and would desire fellowship with them (John 13:34,35; Heb. 10:25; 1 John 4:11; 5:1,2).
8. Out of their love for the Lord, they would be active in reaching out with the gospel (Mark 16:15; 2 Tim. 4:2,5).
Besides these characteristics, one should look for the following practices resulting from the Bible’s teaching about the one body and the local church (details in the next issues of GROWING):
9. Recognizing that every member of the body of Christ has a spiritual gift and a role to play in the local assembly; at the same time, recognizing that God has not given all gifts to one person.
10. Acting on the truth of the priesthood of all believers, thus, depending on the Holy Spirit rather than an appointed man to lead in assembly worship.
11. Exercising church discipline in cases of wicked teaching or practice.
12. Keeping “the unity of the Spirit” by seeking fellowship with all who “call on the Lord out of a pure heart,” rather than being an “independent” church or assembly.
Running the Race
Assignment 12: (a) Write out verses in Acts 18 and 2 Corinthians 3 that have to do with letters of commendation. (b) Write out two verses in Romans 16 that speak of the apostle Paul introducing and commending another believer to the church at Rome. (c) Write out a verse in Romans 15 and one in 1 Corinthians 16 that speak of one local church helping another.