Join us for a thought-provoking study on the unique marks of identification of the Church and its scriptural beginnings. Jeff Archie presents a compelling case for the singularity of the Church established by Christ, contrasting it against man-made denominations. This episode examines the role of key biblical figures and their contributions to the church’s expansion, inviting listeners to reflect on their own understanding and connection to the broader Christian gospel.
Let’s talk about the church, friends. Let’s see the promise, note the prophecy, and see its beginning on Pentecost. It’s all from the Bible and all for our study today from the International Gospel Hour. We’ll be right back.
SPEAKER 01 :
Hi, this is Jay Webb for International Gospel Hour. We’re so glad you’ve decided to listen to our program today. In a world of challenges, we need God’s Word to help us face those challenges. Thank you for joining us in this period of Bible study with our speaker, Jeff Archie of International Gospel Hour, a broadcast of the Churches of Christ. So let’s listen today. Here’s Jeff.
SPEAKER 02 :
Well, thank you to our J-Web for his kind words and greetings to all of you. We appreciate you being with us today for another broadcast from the International Gospel Hour. We’re thankful to come to you. We’ve been on the air quite a while. Well, I’ll tell you what. Since some of you may be new to us, I want to pause, go back to our J-Web, and hear a few things about International Gospel Hour. Then I’ve got something very special for you coming up. Here is our J-Web.
SPEAKER 01 :
Did you know since 1934 the IGH has been heard over the radio? We are one of the longest running weekly religious programs in the history of American radio. We are blessed to remain on the air through gracious giving of congregations of Churches of Christ, faithful Christians and devoted friends. That’s why you will never hear us asking for money from you, our listeners. Our study material is free, always has been, always will be. Thank you for listening.
SPEAKER 02 :
And speaking of free, friends, let’s begin with our Apologetics Press book giveaway. We’re grateful for our friends at ApologeticsPress.org. We’d love for you to check out their website and see all of their study material, but we are grateful to them for some free books we can share with you, our listeners. And today, our free book is Why People Suffer, written by Dave Miller. All you have to do to receive this book, you don’t have to send us any money, any funds, as we mentioned moments ago. Just call us toll free at 855-444-6988 and leave your name, your address, and just say, suffer. That’s all you have to say. You can also go to our website at internationalgospelhour.com. Click on the contact tab and leave the same information, your name, your address, and just type suffer in the message box. And we will send you absolutely free, courtesy of our friends of apologeticspress.org, why people suffer. It’s a great book, a great study, and maybe it will help you with your suffering in life or something that you may be facing. We hope this study will be of help to you. Before beginning our lesson today, please know that I love the souls of men. To show this love, I must not only demonstrate this love by kindness, but I must present the truth plainly, firmly, and without compromise. In 2 Corinthians 12.15, Paul presents my sentiments when he says, And I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more abundantly, am I loved the less? I call your attention to a discussion of the church. If people universally followed New Testament Christianity, that is all that I would need to say. When someone spoke of the church in the days of Peter, Paul, James, and John, everyone knew what they were speaking about. There was but one church. They did not have this problem of rivals to the church in the same sense that we do today. None of the present-day denominations existed then. And one of their major battles was with those who were rivals to Christ, the head of the church, Colossians 1.18. It should be obvious that when denominationalism becomes a rival to the church, then it becomes a rival to Christ. If the early Christians had been willing to say that Christ was no more than the idol gods, and had they been willing to put a statue of Christ in the Pantheon along with the idol gods, then Christianity would have been accepted as simply another religion. These early disciples were not content to do this. They said that Christ was the way. John 14, 6. There are not many people in this audience who would deny that Christ is the Son of God. Well, in fact, there may not be any of you. But here is the problem we are facing. Although everyone in this audience will admit that Christ is the Son of God, there are those in every audience that will deny that His church is the only church. Now, when the early disciples came preaching that Christ was the Son of the living God, that all must obey Him or be lost, this truth caused those who were not willing to accept the truth to react by, according to Acts 17, 6, crying, These that have turned the world upside down have come to us also. My friends, the apostles and other early Christians were persecuted because they contended that the only way to heaven was through Christ. When I contend that there is one church and only one church, I may encounter opposition. I have been referred to as narrow-minded and many other things far less complimentary, but it is a compliment to be narrow-minded, provided one is just as narrow as the truth. For Christ said in Matthew 7, 13 and 14, Enter ye in by the narrow gate. For wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are they that enter thereby. For narrow is the gate, and straight is the way that leads unto life, and few there be that find it. If you were to ask the average man on the street his conception of the church, well, he would probably say, well, one church is as good as another. But he could not be further from the truth. He certainly did not get that statement, one church is as good as another, from the New Testament. That idea is not there, friends. And such talk does not come from the Bible. But that’s the way some preachers talk. But there is a vast difference in Bible talk and preacher talk. The average philosopher of today probably would claim that one religion is as false as another. Again, such people would be wrong in making this claim. The average politician might look at it like this. He might say, well, if it serves my purpose, I can use one religion about as well as another. If in Utah, play up to the Mormons. If in New York, play up to the Catholics. Now, here is the correct explanation. The church is the people of God who have been called out from the world. A person once asked me, Are you called? I replied, Of course, I am called by the gospel. I then explained that I am called in the Bible sense of the term. Listen to 2 Thessalonians 2, 13 and 14. But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, for that God chose you from the beginning unto salvation in sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth, whereunto He called you through our gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Every Christian is called by the gospel. When he meets the demands of the gospel, he is called. Whether he teaches a class, directs the singing, ministers to the sick, preaches, or whatever he does, he is called, but not in any way separate and apart from the gospel of Christ. There are many people with misconceptions of the church. Friends, there is but one church, and no person has ever read of more than one in the New Testament. But now some of you may be thinking, well, now what about the seven churches of Asia? Well, that’s right, there were seven, but they were not seven different types of churches. They were not different denominations. The Laodicea was one of the congregations, and the Colossian congregation was nearby. They had exactly the same teaching, for Paul said in Colossians 4.16, And when this epistle hath been read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans, and that you also read the epistle from Laodicea. They have the same doctrine and receive the same teaching. Now, this idea of different denominations all teaching conflicting doctrines, but still all going along together, is simply erroneous. They teach differently, or they would not be different denominations. To advocate denominationalism is to advocate division, for that is exactly what denominational rests upon, or denominationalism, rather, rests upon. But God is not the author of such confusion, 1 Corinthians 14, 33. They say, we are all united, but friends, you and I know that neither a Catholic priest nor a Baptist preacher would allow me to come in their building and preach the truth about the one church and the plan of salvation. If everyone taught the same thing, they would not be divided. The seven congregations in Asia Minor that we read about in Revelation were seven churches of Christ located in seven different geographical parts of that country. Now, when we speak of the churches of Christ in this county or parish, or the churches of Christ in this city or town, or the churches of Christ in the United States or whatever country, we do not mean that they are different types. They are simply in different geographic locations. The word church occurs more than 100 times in the New Testament. Now, as we talk about the marks of identification of the church, well, let’s look at this word itself. It comes from the Greek word ekklesia, meaning the called out, or the called out for the purpose of Christ. Christ was the builder of his church, and we have that in Matthew 16, 13-20. The Bible says, When Jesus came into the coast of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I, the Son of Man, am? And they said, Some say that you are John the Baptist. Some, Elias, and others, Jeremiah, are one of the prophets. And he said unto them, But whom do you say that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, for flesh and blood has not revealed it unto you, but my Father which is in heaven. And I also say unto thee that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ. Now friends, these passages from Matthew 16, 13-20 tell us that Christ was the builder of the church. Here he promised to build it, and later we shall see that he did. But I want to call attention to a point that I hope will remain from you from henceforth. All the people that the disciples mentioned as expressing their views concerning the identity of Christ were wrong as to who He really was. Yet, as far as I know from study, they were all honest and sincere. Now, I have no reason to doubt their honesty and sincerity. And likewise, I have no reason to doubt the honesty and sincerity of many people today who are wrong. Nevertheless, they are in error. Now, note again verse 14 of Matthew 16. Some say that you are John the Baptist. Well, friends, Christ was never John the Baptist. Therefore all those who believed thus were wrong as to his identity. Herod the Tetrarch heard the report concerning Jesus and said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist. He is risen from the dead, and therefore do these powers work in him. Now previous to this it is said of Herod that he sent and beheaded John in the prison. Matthew 14.10 Now to tell a man that he is in adultery can cause a preacher to get his head figuratively cut off today. Well, frankly, I’m very much concerned about the increase of adultery everywhere, and among God’s people in particular. Herod, along with all others who thought that Christ was John the Immerser, was wrong. And there was another group that said about Jesus, he is Elijah. Well, they perhaps had misunderstood the application of Malachi 4, 5, and 6, which says, Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Jehovah come, and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse. Now Jesus, of course, in Matthew 11, 14, explained that this reference was to John the Baptist and his work when he said, And if you are willing to receive it, this is Elijah that is to come. And even before John’s birth, the angel of the Lord prophesied of him in Luke 1, 17, And he shall go before his face in the spirit and power of Elijah, saying, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to walk in the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared for him. Now John the Baptist was a fearless, courageous prophet like the great prophet Elijah. The prophecy did not mean that Elijah himself would come back, but rather than John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, the harbinger of our Lord, would be fearless and of great courage, as was Elijah. Now, although some thought he was really Elijah, they were wrong about it, even though they may have been honest to think that Christ was Elijah. Then there were others who believed that Christ was Jeremiah the weeping prophet. Christ was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Isaiah prophesied in Isaiah 53 that this would be characteristic of him. And our Lord said in Matthew 23, verse 37, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that kills the prophets and stones them that are sent unto her, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and you would not. Well, there was a fourth class which said, all of you are wrong. He is neither John, Elijah, nor Jeremiah. We do not know which one he is, but he is just one of the prophets. Now, friends, all of these people erred as to the identity of Christ. Now, let’s make application to the church. There are those who contend for one man-made church and others who contend for another. But Christ has no connection with any man-made church. And friends, the truth is, if a church does not teach Christ’s plan of salvation, worship, organization, and all the other marks of His ownership, such a church does not belong to Christ. For Christ was the founder of His church. Jesus complimented Simon Peter for making the confession, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God, Matthew 16, 16. And Jesus promised to build the church. And I say also unto thee that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it, Matthew 16, 18. Christ promised to build his church upon the rock. The rock, therefore, must refer to either Christ’s confession of Peter or Peter’s confession of Christ. Now, our Catholic friends contend that the reference is to Peter since the word Peter means a rock or stone. But the original language will not permit this interpretation because two different words are used for Peter and rock. For example… Thou art Peter, the word Petros, and upon this rock, Petra, I will build my church. Thus Jesus did not promise to build his church upon Peter or Petros, but rather upon the rock, Petra, the wonderful truth that he was the Son of God. Our Lord pointed out to Peter that he was going to build his church upon the great rock, the solid truth that he was the Son of the living God. But it is not entirely necessary for you to know the difference in these two Greek words in order to know the truth on this subject, friends. For we read in 1 Corinthians 3.11, For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2 and verse 20 says, Being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone. Peter contended that Christ, not he, was the foundation of the church. For in Acts 4, 10-12, Peter says, Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even in him does this man stand before you whole. He is the stone which was set at naught of you, the builders, which was made to the head of the corner. And in none other is there salvation, for neither is there any other name under heaven that is given among men whereby we must be saved. I mentioned previously a discussion with a Catholic priest on this subject. And I gave the difference between those two Greek words, and he did not deny it. I also brought up Matthew 16, 18 and discussed it for the benefit of the couple that was listening. This was in a previous broadcast. The priests could not overthrow the arguments. The truth is, Peter did not have any more authority than the other apostles. It is true, of course, that he was granted the privilege of preaching the first gospel sermon to the people on the day of Pentecost, thus using the keys of the kingdom. In other words, Peter was given the privilege of setting forth the conditions that must be complied with in order to enter the church, the kingdom. All the apostles had the same authority that Peter had. In John 20, 21-23, Jesus therefore said to them again, Peace be unto you, as the Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said unto them, Receive ye the Holy Spirit. Whosoever sins you forgive, they are forgiven unto them. Whosoever sins you retain, they are retained. So friends, Christ, not Peter, was the builder of the church. The church was not built upon Peter or any other man. And let us note that Christ’s church was established at the scriptural time, at the scriptural place. And we learn this from passages in the Old Testament coupled with the second chapter of Acts. For example, in Isaiah 2, 2 and 3 we read, And it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of Jehovah’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow unto it. And many peoples shall go and say, Come ye and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths. For out of Zion shall go forth the law and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem. Now friends, even the place is specified. And I emphasize that any church would not have its beginning in the city of Jerusalem on the first Pentecost following the resurrection of Christ as we read in Acts 2 could not possibly be the Lord’s church. A number of things are predicted in Isaiah. Number one, the mountain of the Lord’s house, also called the house of the God of Jacob, was to be established. Two, it was to be established in the last days, or the latter days. Three, when established, all nations were to flow unto it. And four, the word of the Lord would go forth from Jerusalem. Now please note that these prophecies were fulfilled on the day of Pentecost as recorded in the second chapter of Acts. There we find that Peter referred to that time as the last or latter days, verses 16 and 17. The commission that embraced all nations then became operative, Matthew 28, 19, Luke 24, 44-47. The word of the Lord went forth from Jerusalem, Acts 2, 16-42. And it was on that day of Pentecost the kingdom came with power. The words kingdom and church are often used with reference to the same institution. Now observe first of all that the kingdom was to come with power, Mark 9, 1. This definitely means that the kingdom and power would come at the same time. One would come with the other. Also the power was to come when the Holy Spirit came upon them, Acts 1, verse 8. And the Holy Spirit came when the day of Pentecost was fully come, Acts 2, 1-4. Since the Holy Spirit came when the day of Pentecost was fully come, the power came at the same time, for it was to come when the Holy Spirit came. Notice that the kingdom was to come with power, so the kingdom came when the day of Pentecost was fully come. This Pentecost is referred to as the beginning. When the Holy Spirit fell on Cornelius, Peter compared it with the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost in Acts 11 and verse 15. We also note that this day of Pentecost, therefore, marks the origin of the church of Christ. Statements before this Pentecost pointed forward to the establishment of the church. A short time before he died, Jesus put the origin of the church in the future when he said, Upon this rock I will build my church, Matthew 16, 18. All students of language know that will build is future tense, and thus, the church had not been built when Jesus made the statement. Beginning with the first Pentecost, following the resurrection of Christ, the church was always referred to as in the present, for it was on that day, Acts 2.41, there were added unto them about 3,000 souls, and the Lord added to them day by day those that were saved, Acts 2.47. In fact, friends, it was never thereafter referred to as something yet to build. This shows the day of Pentecost to be the scriptural time and place where the church of our Lord was established. And any church, therefore, that did not have its beginning in the city of Jerusalem on the first Pentecost, following the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, as we read in Acts 2, cannot possibly be the Lord’s church. The builder of the church was Christ. The church was built upon Christ. The place was in the city of Jerusalem. And the time was the last days or in the beginning of the Christian dispensation. Sometimes when I am traveling, I see large signs which read, We are living in the last days. Well, friends, that’s not surprising. But, you know, we’ve been living in them since the day of Pentecost. And we’ve now been in the last days for over 2,000 years. Of course, we are coming nearer to the last of the last days. The last days began on the day of Pentecost. And the Christian dispensation is the last dispensation of time. We are living in the last dispensation that this world will have until the judgment. And during this Christian dispensation, the grace and mercy of our Lord are freely extended. When the gates of mercy close, if you will, there will be no second chance. There will not be a thousand-year reign upon the earth, and this earth will not even be here, 2 Peter 3 and verse 10. A final note, friends. In Acts 2, verses 9 through 11, on the day the church of our Lord was established, every nation under heaven was represented. And to all these people, the apostle Peter presented the plan of salvation. When they asked, Men and brethren, what shall we do? In Acts 2 and verse 37, Peter said, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Friends, in our next broadcast, we are going to look a little bit more in depth concerning salvation within the church of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you for joining me today. And I want to mention a new Bible study by mail is now available from us here at International Gospel Hour titled, God and Man, How to Be Saved from Sin. We’d like to send it to you just along with the Dave Miller book that I mentioned earlier. If you’ll contact us toll free at 855-444-6988. Leave your name and address and just say God and man. Or go to our website at internationalgospelhour.com. Click on the contact tab and leave the same information. Your name and address and just type God and man in the message box. We’ll send that study to you absolutely free. That’s another new Bible study, again, that is free from International Gospel Hour. And it deals with a lot of things concerning the church that we’ve discussed today. I want to thank our friend Paul Sain in SainPublications.com for the book of sermons called The Savior’s Way that was preached by the late Garland Elkins in 1965. Today we have studied one of those lessons concerning the church, and we’re going to continue this study in our next weekly 30-minute broadcast. But for now, thank you for joining me today on the International Gospel Hour. I’m Jeff Archie, and friends, keep listening.
SPEAKER 01 :
Thank you for listening today. May this study prompt your search of God’s Word for His will in your life. To assist you in your study or to listen to our other programs, please visit our website at internationalgospelhour.com. To God be the glory.
