Join us as we explore the importance of names and terms related to the church, as laid out in the New Testament. Jeff Archie guides us through a series of scriptural passages that highlight the true church’s attributes and responsibilities. In times of confusion with numerous denominations, identifying the church correctly as per biblical standards becomes crucial. This episode sits you right in the middle of first-century Christianity, shedding light on key New Testament verses from Romans to Hebrews, validating the spiritual foundation laid by early Christians, and reminding us of the timeless call to adhere to God’s written
Friends, let’s think on this. In New Testament times, no one asked, to what denomination are you? Let’s talk about the church today. Here, from the International Gospel Hour, stay with us.
SPEAKER 02 :
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.
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Here’s Jeff. Well, thank you always to our J-Web, and greetings to all of you. We appreciate Jay’s kind words, and we truly appreciate all of you joining us for our studies here from the International Gospel Hour. We’d like to remind you that everything we offer from International Gospel Hour is absolutely free. You’ll never hear us ask for your money here over the air. And we love to offer a variety of free tools for your study. Here’s another one. GospelGazette.com That’s GospelGazette.com Gazette has one Z. When you get to GospelGazette.com, click on the Archive tab, and you’ll have access to over 25 years of articles by Christian men and women. We want you to check out our friends at gospelgazette.com today. The church to which this lesson has reference is the church revealed in the New Testament. We are not concerned with a church, but with the church. The name of the church has become complicated because of religious error. The world is flooded with churches with names that differ from the one in the New Testament. This makes it difficult to identify the church because of the division and confusion the many names have caused. Today we’re going to discuss the church has the right name. Back in just a few moments.
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Often the question is asked, to what church do you belong? Such a question was never heard in the New Testament times. It would have been without meaning because there was only one. Even though there were many congregations, there was one church. Because there are many substitutes and human-originated churches, it becomes necessary for some terms of identification for the church. Why not the terms of the New Testament? After all, we are to speak as of the oracles of God in 1 Peter 4.11. There is no formal or exclusive title for the church. If there was only one brand of automobile in the world, you would not need the many other names. For the same reason, there is no need for human-originated names. More often than not, the church was simply referred to as the church. Matthew 16, 16-18, Acts 2, 47, Ephesians 3, 21, and Ephesians 5, 25. Until this truth is accepted, friends, the name of the church will be a problem. Now, it is true that we read of many churches in the New Testament, but because of the various places they existed. Like the churches of Asia, the church at Antioch, or the church in Babylon. These were not denominational bodies, but were churches of the same kind. There are several terms used in the New Testament to identify the church. Some of the terms, for example, the church is often referred to as the kingdom, showing it to be a spiritual government and a monarchy. Those in the church are said to be citizens and in the kingdom, Ephesians 2.19, Colossians 1.13, Revelation 1.9 and Matthew 16.16-18. We find the kingdom of God, Matthew 6.10 and Mark 9.1, the kingdom of heaven, Matthew 3.2 and Matthew 4.17, Christ’s kingdom, John 8.36 and Hebrews 12.28 or rather John 18.36. These terms show to possession. Also the church is the family or the household of God, 1 Timothy 3.15 and Ephesians 2.1. This presents our relationship to God, to Christ, and to our Christian brothers and sisters, Romans 8.14-17 and 1 Timothy 4.6. Galatians 6 and verse 10 calls the church the household of faith. Again, these terms show possessions. What about the term Churches of Christ, stated in Romans 16, 16? Brethren, today are most often known by this term. It is correct, but not an exclusive term. Some have become ashamed of it because they no longer believe what the Scripture teaches about the Church of the New Testament. One preacher offered to surrender the term for the sake of unity. Why surrender anything the Holy Spirit provides in order to unite with those in error? This term reminds us that Christ is the foundation, the founder, the head, the king, the savior, the deliverer, and the judge of the church. It gives honor to him. It is not narrow, bigoted, sectarian, or self-righteous to refer to the church the way the scripture does. There are additional terms. For example, we read of the Church of God, Acts 20, verse 28, in 1 Corinthians 1 and 2, 1 Timothy 3, verse 5, and the Church of the Lord in Acts 20 and verse 28 by the New American Standard Version. Because some denominations not patterned after the New Testament church wrongfully appropriate this name does not mean it is wrong. Admittedly, it creates confusion, but the term is a biblical one for the Lord’s church. The church is presented as the temple of God, 1 Corinthians 3, 16, 6, 19, and Ephesians 2, 19-22. It is called God’s building, 1 Corinthians 3 and verse 9. It’s fitly framed together where Christians are living stones in this building, 1 Peter 2, verse 5, and a spiritual house. The church is not a literal physical building, but a spiritual one. God’s husbandry in 1 Corinthians 3, 9 is another proper term for the church, as well as His vineyard, Matthew 20, 1-6. Christ is divine, and we, the members, are the branches, John 15, 1-10. The branches are not denominations. None even existed in New Testament times. We can consider the church as the sheepfold of the good shepherd, John 10, 1-18. There is one fold as certainly as there is one shepherd, John 10, 16. Elders are shepherds over the flock, Acts 20, verses 28-30, and are to prevent wolves from entering their inn. How about a few more? The church is like the Lord’s army equipped with the whole armor of God, Ephesians 10, or Ephesians 6, verses 10 through 17, with Christ as our captain, Hebrews 2, 10. We are to fight the good fight of faith, 2 Timothy 4, 6 through 8, of spiritual warfare, 1 Corinthians 10, verse 4, and as good soldiers, 2 Timothy 2, 3 and 4. Jude uses a military term for the activity of the church when he admonished us to contend for the faith, Jude 3. Most know the church is called the body of Christ, Colossians 1.18, Ephesians 1.22-23. There is one body, Ephesians 4.4, and Christians are members of that one body, 1 Corinthians 12.12-31. Ephesians 5 presents the church as the bride of Christ. Hebrews 12, 23 uses the phrase church of the firstborn in general assembly. Those in the church have their names in the Lamb’s book of life, Luke 10, 20. There may be others. What most of these terms do, well, as we have previously noted, most of the terms used in the New Testament to identify the church, we call them names, are to show to whom the church belongs. It is not my church or your church, but the church of Christ. All churches do not belong to him, did not come from God, nor have his approval according to his word. And we should speak as the oracles of God, 1 Peter 4, 11, and be satisfied to identify the church as Scripture does. You will not find the denominational names in the Bible. Why use them? The Bible does not know anything about hyphenated Christianity, such as Baptist Christians, Methodist Christians, Presbyterian Christians, Catholic Christians, on and on. The church is not the Christian church, even though composed of Christians. It is not the All Saints Church, even though members are saints. It is not the Family of God Church or Community Church. Friends, the question, why go outside the Bible when you want to identify the church of the Bible? There are some other special terms to acknowledge as those who compose the church are called Christians. Acts 11, 26, Acts 26, 28, and 1 Peter 4, 15, and 16. They’re called members of the body, 1 Corinthians 12, 12-31. Saints, 1 Corinthians 1, verse 2. Disciples, Acts 11, 26. citizens of the kingdom, Ephesians 2.19, children of God or sons and daughters of God, Romans 4.16 and 17, and brethren, 1 Timothy 4.6. Some say there is nothing in a name, but that is because they have the wrong name. Names are important in every realm. God has always so considered it. The right church will have the right name. It takes more than the name to be the right church, but it takes the right name nonetheless. Wow, friends, that’s some things to think about, would you not agree? And we’re simply desiring to go back to the Bible and let’s call Bible names in Bible ways accordingly. Speaking of the Bible, here is our J-Web to tell you about our online study of the Bible that we offer here through our friends at the World Bible School.
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That’s the free online study at worldbibleschool.org. Sign up today. Tell them the International Gospel Hour has sent you.
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Once again, friends, our study today is from A Burning Fire, Volume 19. The author is James W. Boyd, a beloved friend and encourager of our work at International Gospel Hour. We appreciate his labors, 70 years strong, and you can check out his website at aburningfire.net. We’ll continue our studies together at another time, but thank you for joining me today on the International Gospel Hour. I’m Jeff Archie, and friends, keep listening.
