T HE N EW T ESTAMENT C HURCH T HE I DENTITY OF THE C HURCH.

THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH

THE IDENTITY OF THE CHURCH

INTRODUCTION• The church is singular in its oneness but

also in its distinction and separateness from every human institution on earth.

• Built by a divine pattern, which must not be corrupted, it is not human in any of its characteristics, but stands out in the world.

• Different in Name, Worship, Doctrine, Work and Organization.

INTRODUCTION• The adoption of human names, creeds,

practices, or organizations will denominationalize the Church and bring those participating therein the displeasure of God.

• The obligations of every Christian to maintain and preserve the separate and distinct character of God’s Church.

• Kept apart from the institutions of men, but also protecting the purity of its character from contamination with ungodliness and worldliness.

BUILD ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN

• God has a pattern and it must be followed in every detail!

• “Who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” {Hebrews 8:5}


• We are workers or builders together with God.

• “Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building.” {1 Corinthians 3:8,9}


• We must follow God’s plan or pattern revealed through:– Teachings of Christ

and Apostles

• “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth... teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” {Matthew 28:18,20}


• We must follow God’s plan or pattern revealed through:– Things received to

be our guide

• “The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.” {Philippians 4:9}


• We must follow God’s plan or pattern revealed through:– Examples of

churches in NT days

• “And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit... For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.” {1 Thessalonians 1:6,9}


• God will refuse to recognize houses built by human plans.

• “But He answered and said, Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.” {Matthew 15:13}



• “Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?‘ And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” {Matthew 7:21-23}



• “Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain.” {Psalm 127:1}

MEASURING THE CHURCH BY HUMAN STANDARDS

• Various reasons are offered to justify existence of sectarian efforts in religion:– “Doing some good.”– “Good people are part of it.”– “Teaches some truth.”– “Enjoyable association.” – “All heading to the same place.”– Such claims can be made for every

fraternal organization and most human institutions in the world.


• Such claims for divine recognition are:–Dishonoring God.– Reduces God’s way to a level with

human ways– “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

Nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” {Isaiah 55:8,9}


• Such claims for divine recognition are:–Disrespectful to His Word.– No justification in part of the truth being

taught when another is being disrespected.

– “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.” {James 2:10}


• Such claims for divine recognition are:– Deceiving to untaught men, satisfying

them with unscriptural efforts which God will not recognize.

– “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.” {2 Timothy 4:3,4}

CHURCH MEASURED BY THE DIVINE PATTERN

• The word of God is the measuring reed.

• “Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, "Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there.” {Revelation 11:1}


• By it the temple is measured.

• When this guide is used—house built on the Rock and will stand!

• “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.” {Matthew 7:24,25}


• Our efforts are to be judged by the Word of God—revealed through Christ.

• “And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him--the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.” {John 12:47,48}


• Our efforts are to be judged by the Word of God—revealed through Christ.

• “For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak.” {John 12:49}


• Compare the church to which you belong with the church described in the New Testament...– NAME

• “Greet one another with a holy kiss. The churches of Christ greet you.” {Romans 16:16}


• Compare the church to which you belong with the church described in the New Testament...– WORSHIP

• “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” {Matthew 15:8,9}


• Compare the church to which you belong with the church described in the New Testament...– DOCTRINE

• “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.” {Galatians 1:8,9}


• Compare the church to which you belong with the church described in the New Testament...– ORGANIZATION

• “Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons.” {Philippians 1:1}


• Compare the church to which you belong with the church described in the New Testament...– MISSION

• “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” {Ephesians 4:11,12}


• Compare the church to which you belong with the church described in the New Testament...– CHARACTER

• “But if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” {1 Timothy 3:15}

LOSING DIVINE RECOGNITION

• The Church is God’s house or family—a people for God’s own possession.

• “You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.” {1 Peter 2:5,6}


• Peculiarity and singularity must be maintained in order to be acknowledged and approved by the Lord.

• “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age.” {Titus 2:11,12}


• Peculiarity and singularity must be maintained in order to be acknowledged and approved by the Lord.

• “Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.” {Titus 2:13,14}


• As good soldiers must not become entangled in affairs of the world.

• Church must not be subservient to political, economic or social purposes

• “No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.” {2 Timothy 2:4}


• To corrupt God’s Plan in any point is to lose identity.

• Church at Ephesus.• Candlestick would

be removed (1:20)• Candlestick

represented the church’s identity.

• “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place--unless you repent.” {Revelation 2:4,5}


• To not be identified with the Lord and His people is FATAL on the last day!

• “Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?‘ And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” {Matthew 7:22,23}

CONCLUSION

• We MUST strive lawfully if we would be crowned when one stands before the Lord!

• “And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.” {2 Timothy 2:5}

T HE N EW T ESTAMENT C HURCH T HE I DENTITY OF THE C HURCH.

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