What Does The Bible Say About Church
The number of people who consider themselves âspiritual but not religiousâ is growing.
Many believe âgoing to churchâ and keeping original biblical commands arenât required to have a relationship with God or to be a good person.
Skepticism of organized religion comes from a history of abuses, scandals, and conflicting doctrines and practices, even among those who claim to believe the same Bible.
What does the Bible say about âchurchâ and does it even matter anymore? Is there an authentic biblical faith? If there is, what does it look like? Where can you find it and what would it require of you? Answers to these questions begin with humanityâs origins.
A Guide To Faith And Life
We United Methodists put the Bible to work. In congregational worship we read from the Bible. Through preaching, we interpret its message for our lives. It forms the background of most of our hymns and liturgy. It’s the foundation of our church school curriculum. Many of us use it in our individual devotional lives, praying through its implications day by day. However, we admit that there’s still vast “biblical illiteracy” in our denomination. We need to help one another open the Bible and use it.
Perhaps the Bible is best put to use when we seriously answer these four questions about a given text: What did this passage mean to its original hearers? What part does it play in the Bible’s total witness? What does God seem to be saying to my life, my community, my world, through this passage? and What changes should I consider making as a result of my study?
From United Methodist Member’s Handbook, Revised
Article V Of The Sufficiency Of The Holy Scriptures For Salvation
The Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man that it should be believed as an article of faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation. In the name of the Holy Scripture we do understand those canonical books of the Old and New Testament of whose authority was never any doubt in the church. The names of the canonical books are:
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, The First Book of Samuel, The Second Book of Samuel, The First Book of Kings, The Second Book of Kings, The First Book of Chronicles, The Second Book of Chronicles, The Book of Ezra, The Book of Nehemiah, The Book of Esther, The Book of Job, The Psalms, The Proverbs, Ecclesiastes or the Preacher, Cantica or Songs of Solomon, Four Prophets the Greater, Twelve Prophets the Less.
All the books of the New Testament, as they are commonly received, we do receive and account canonical.
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How A Former Abortion Doctor Became Pro
As an abortion doctor at Planned Parenthood, Dr. Patti Giebink believed she was helping women. Later, she began reading scripture and God gradually changed her heart on the abortion issue. Patti tells the story of her long journey from abortion doctor to pro-life and encourages listeners to share the message of life with compassion.
Church Two Meanings And Origin
The first sense for which the word church is used, what we call local, is defined by its geographical setting. The churches in the New Testament were identified by the name of a city, never by the name of a country or region. For example, one would speak of the churches of Galatia in plural because Galatia was a region with many cities, and therefore, many local churches. When talking about Corinth, Ephesus, Thessalonica, etc., the singular form is used and the name of the city identifies the church. For example, the church in Corinth or the church in Ephesus each one of these churches was comprised of the Christian residents of the same city.
The second sense, called universal, refers to the collection of believers in Jesus Christ from all times and places. This church consists of both Jews and Gentiles. The first meeting of the universal church will occur during the rapture: For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangels voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are still alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord .
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What Is The Church According To The Bible
People today have certain ideas about what the church is. These ideas have been shaped primarily by religion, history, tradition, and even society.
Some think the church is a special building or place Christians go to worship God on Sundays. Others think the church is an organization of people who agree with the teachings of Jesus. And others think its a group of people who carry out charitable works to benefit society.
But to really see what the church is, we need to go to the Word of God so we can grasp Gods thought concerning the church.
The subject of the church is a tremendous matter in the Bible with many aspects that cant be covered in a single post. Today well look at one initial aspect of what the church is according to Gods Word, with help from notes in the New Testament Recovery Version.
The Spiritual Battle For Your Marriage
God designed marriage to reflect His love to the world and because of this, the enemy wants to destroy Gods beautiful design. Based on his book, Defending Your Marriage, Dr. Tim and Noreen Muehlhoff share about the reality of spiritual warfare against marriages, and how to combat the enemys lies with the truth of God. Couples will be encouraged that theyre not alone in the fight for a godly marriage and better equipped to be a shining example for the world around them.
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Be Sorry And Repent Of Sin
If you are wondering how to get back on track with God, the answer is always the same: repent. Turn back to the truth of Gods Word and turn away from sin. Churches die because of the sinfulness of their members. Buildings cannot repent, but churches atone through the repentance of their members.
For all its shortcomings, Christ offered hope to Sardis: The church could experience eternal life if it returned to obeying His commands . There are no Christians in the area today, but archeology offers hope that Sardis repented. A Byzantine church, which now lies in ruins, was built in the city hundreds of years after Johns death.2
The Finish Of Peters *sermon
The crowd in front of Peter and the *apostles could easilyunderstand what he was saying. As Peterspoke, the *Holy Spirit also spoke. He spoke to peoples hearts and minds and*souls. Jesus said that the *Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth. I will sendthe *Counsellor to you from the Father. He is the Spirit of truth. He goes outfrom the Father. He will speak about me. And you also must speak about me,because you have been with me from the beginning . Notice whatJesus says about the *Holy Spirit. He promises that the *Holy Spirit will tellabout Jesus. The *disciples will do this also.
This is so important for anyChristian to remember. When there is an opportunity to speak to other peopleabout Jesus, the *Holy Spirit helps us. It is even more important for anyonewho *preaches to other people in the name of Jesus. This will encourage them.The *Holy Spirit will be like a witness that is deep inside a person. He willwitness to the truth. Jesus also promised that the *Holy Spirit would work inother ways. Part of John 16 explains this.
John 16:7-11 Unless I go away, the *Counsellor will not cometo you. If I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convince theworld about *sin and *righteousness and *judgement. He will show what *sin is.That is because men do not believe in me. He will speak about *righteousness,because I am going to the Father. You will see me no more. He will speak about*judgement, because God has *judged the ruler of this world.
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Lesson : What Is The Church
Since I plan to spend the next few weeks preaching on what the Bible says about the church, its important that we begin by making sure were all on the same page regarding the question: What is the church? The answer is not as simple as you may think!
If you were to ask people on the street, What is the church? youd probably hear, Its that building on the corner of Beaver and Benton Streets. Sometimes we use the word in that way: I go to the old stone church that is next to NiMarcos Pizza on South Beaver Street. But we all know that the church is not a building, but rather the people who meet in that building. The building may look like a typical church, with a steeple and a cross on top. Or, it may be an industrial building remodeled into an auditorium and classrooms. In many countries, churches meet in houses, as the early church did. So buildings are not the church. Rather, its the people who are the church.
But, even if we all agree that the church is the people, we still need to clarify what the church really is, or at least, what its supposed to be. Some might think that the church is the place where you go to meet other nice people. Hopefully, the church generally has a crowd thats a notch above the local bar! So the church meets a social need.
To be committed properly to the local church, you must understand biblically what the church is.
Bible Verses About Going To Church: 9 Of The Best
For many Americans, Sunday mornings are all about visiting the local church. The positive view of a physical church location is difficult for some to wrap their heads around, either because they were hurt by someone in the church or because they view corporate worship negatively. The truth is that there are many Bible verses about going to church. While the ways in which we worship have changed dramatically over the years, the Bible verses about going to church clearly show that it is a benefit in many ways. The church teaches us how to serve, gives us opportunity for fellowship, and so much else. Here are some of the best Bible verses about going to church.
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Illustrations Of Universal Church
Christ is the Shepherd and we are the sheep –care and security.
Christ is the vine and we are the branches –fruitfulness and strength.
Christ is the cornerstone and we are the stones in the building –Cornerstone gives direction and is laid only once.
Christ is the High Priest and we are a kingdom of priests –we offer ourselves, our substance and our service.
Christ is the Head and we are members of His body –as Head, He directs as members we serve each other through the exercise of the spiritual gifts he has given us.
Christ is the Bridegroom and we are His bride –everlasting love and intimacy.
Christ is the Heir and we are joint-heirs –we will share all His glories.
Christ is the firstfruits and we are the harvest –his resurrection guarantees ours.
Christ is the Master and we are His servants –the servant does his masters will. The master takes care of the servant.
Gods Assembly Is United In Spirit And Truth
A unifying characteristic of faithful disciples is obedience to the Law of God. For example, under the leadership of the apostles and other congregational leaders, 1st Century followers of Christ gathered to hear Godâs word, pray and sing hymns collectively on all the biblical Holy Days wherever they could â in synagogues, in homes, and even along river banks .
As it was then, the âBody of Christâ now includes people from all nations who share a common bond of spirit and truth that transcends differences in time and culture.
Acts 10:35 âBut in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.âJohn 4:23-24 âBut the hour is coming, and now is, when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth for the Father is seeking such to worship him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.â
âEphesians 4:4-5 âThere is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling, 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.â
What binds together Godâs assembly â the ecclesia â is unity of spirit, doctrine, obedience, and faithfulness to true Biblical teachings.
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What Did Jesus Say About The Church
Read Matthew 16:18-19.
Christ spoke of the church as future.
When Christ spoke these words the church was still future, so it did not exist when He was here on earth. Who is the foundation upon which the church is built? Who or what is the rock that Christ referred to?
Peter himself says that Christ is the Rock .
Or it may mean that Peters confession, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God, is the rock, because everyone who becomes a member of the universal church must believe that is the truth about Jesus.
The Principles Of The Local Church
In verse 8, Christ summarizes three principles that apply to every church: open doors for ministry, depending on Christs strength, and keeping the Word of God. Being faithful to Gods Word will lead to open doors for ministry and dependence on Christs power. When the Word of God is the priority, everything else will fall into place.
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Church Definition In The New Testament
The word “church” is mentioned more than 100 times in the New Testament. It is translated from the Greek term ekklesia which is formed from two Greek words meaning “an assembly” and “to call out” or “the called out ones.” The New Testament church is a body of believers that has been called out from the world by God to live as his people under the authority of Jesus Christ:
God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. And the church is his body it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.
This group of believers or “the body of Christ” began in Acts 2 on the Day of Pentecost through the work of the Holy Spirit and will continue to be formed until the day of the rapture of the church.
A person becomes a member of the church simply by exercising faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
The Local Church Vs Universal Church
Local church is a local assembly of the people who believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Local churches are a place to congregate for people of God who are committed to regular meetings, praise and worship, breaking bread, Bible study, fellowship, and prayer.
The universal church refers to all the believers of Jesus Christ in the world under one church. While the universal church might not share one physical building together, they are unified in faith under the banner of Son of the living God, Lord Jesus. The body of believers trust in the word of God and live their lives according to the Bible.
It’s important to remember that the universal church is composed of true believers, while it might not be so with local churches. Local churches often host some nonbelievers, and people often scoff at flawed church leaders. The attendees of the local church are also not perfect, which leads to tension in most local churches.
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Who Are Those Who Have Been Sanctified In Christ Jesus
Now lets look at 1 Corinthians 1:2 again, focusing on the second half of the verse:
To the church of God which is in Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, the .
Who are the sanctified ones that compose the church? To find out, lets read note 4 on the word sanctified in this verse:
I.e., made holy, separated unto God for the fulfillment of His purpose.
The word saint is the noun form of the word for sanctify. So the believers are the called saints, that is, those who are made holy.
How were we believers sanctified, or made holy? We certainly didnt make ourselves holy. The key is in the phrase sanctifiedin Christ Jesus. Note 5 explains what this means:
In Christ means in the element and sphere of Christ. Christ is the element and sphere that separated us, made us holy, unto God when we believed into Him, that is, when we were brought into an organic union with Him through our faith in Him.
When we believed in the Lord Jesus as our Savior, we were brought into a living, organic union with Him. This is just like a branch thats in union with a vine. In this union with Christ, we were sanctified, or set apart, unto God for His purpose. By being joined to Christ, we believers were sanctified and made the constituents of the church.
We believers have been called out of the world and sanctified in Christ. We are part of this wonderful ekklesia that Christ treasures and that is part of the great mystery of God.