THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH


“And I also say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18, ASV).

WHAT IS THE CHURCH?

  1. The word church comes from “ekklesia” which means the called out (Thayer).
  2. It is the body of Christ (Colossians. 1:18).
  3. It is the family of God (I Timothy 3:15; Ephesians 2:19).
  4. It is the kingdom of God and Christ (Ephesians 5:5).
  5. It is the pillar and ground at the truth (1 Tim. 3:15).

WHAT IS IT CALLED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT?

  1. My (the Lord’s) church (Mat 16:18).
  2. The church (Acts 8:1).       
  3. The church of the Lord (Acts 20:28).
  4. The church of God (I Corinthians 1:1, 2)
  5. The churches of Christ (Romans 16:16).
  6. The body of Christ (Ephesians 4:12).
  7. The church of the firstborn (Hebrews 12:23).

WHAT ARE THE MEMBERS CALLED?

  1. Disciples (Acts 20:7).
  2. Saints (I Corinthians 1:2).
  3. Beloved of God (Romans 1:7).
  4. Brethren (Col.ossians1:2).
  5. Sons of God (Romans 8:14).
  6. Children of God (I John 3:1).
  7. Heirs of God (Romans 8:17).
  8. Royal Priesthood (I Peter 2:9).
  9. Christians (Acts 11:26, 1 Peter 4:16).

Are You Wearing These Scriptural Names Only?

 

WHEN WAS THE CHURCH ESTABLISHED?

  1. In the last days in Jerusalem (Isaiah 2:2-4).
  2. In the days of these Kings (Daniel 2:44).
  3. It was “at hand” in John’s day (Matthew 3:1-2).
  4. The disciples prayed for its coming (Matthew 6:9-10).
  5. Christ said: “I will build” it (Matthew 16:18).
  6. It was to come during the lifetime of some of the disciples
  7. (Mark 9:1).
  8. The disciples had not entered it [before the death, burial, and resurrection of the Christ and Acts 2] (Matthew 18:3).
  9. Just before his death Christ said: “The kingdom of God shall come” (Luke 22:18).
  10. The kingdom was to come with power (Mark 9:1). The power was to come when the Spirit came (Acts 1:8).
  11. All of these requirements were fulfilled on the first Pentecost after the resurrection of Christ (Acts 2:1-4).

HOW CAN ONE ENTER THE CHURCH?

  1. Hear the gospel of Christ (Romans10:13-17).
  2. Believe in Christ (Acts 16:31).
  3. Repent of past sins (Luke 24:47; Acts 17:30).
  4. Confess faith in Christ (Romans 10:8-10).
  5. Be baptized into Christ (Galatians 3:27; Romans 6:3). Thus, one is born into the family of God (John 3:5).

WHAT CONSTITUTES BAPTISM?

  1. Water (Matthew 3:11).
  2. Much water (John 3:23).
  3. Going down into the water (Acts 8:38).
  4. A burial and a resurrection (Romans 6:4; Colossians 2:12).
  5. Coming up out of the water (Acts 8:39; Matthew 3:16).

 Are You A Member of New Testament Church?

 

WHERE IS SALVATION?

  1. Salvation is in Christ’s church, because it is the blood bought institution (Acts 20: 28; I Corinthians 6:20).
  2. Salvation is in the church, for Paul affirmed that Christ would save the church (Ephesians 5:23). No promise to those outside.
  3. Salvation is in the church, for it is there that man is reconciled unto God (Ephesians 2:16). Man must be reconciled to God.
  4. Salvation is in the church, because that is the group that Christ will present unto Himself. (Ephesians 5:27)
  5. Man cannot be saved out of the church, because God adds all the saved to it (Acts 2:47). The requirements of salvation and church membership are the same.
  6. The church is the family of God and certainly one cannot be saved out of God’s family (I Timothy 3:15). To say that God has children out of His family would be to charge Him with spiritual adultery.
  7. Take the children of Israel as a type: (I Corinthians 10:2-6).
  • Crossing the Red Sea was a type of baptism (I Corinthians 10:2).
  • Israel in the wilderness was a type of the church (Acts 7:38).
  • Crossing the Jordan River was a type of death.
  • The land of Canaan was a type of heaven.
  • They had to pass through the wilderness [a time of proving Deuteronomy 8:1-3] (church) to get into Canaan (heaven).
  • Therefore, we must pass through the church to enter heaven at last.

 Are You Seeking Salvation in the Right Place?

 

WHAT IS IN CHRIST – THE CHURCH?

  1. Forgiveness of sins (Ephesians 1:7).
  2. Salvation (II Timothy 2:10).
  3. Redemption (Colossians 1:14).
  4. The grace of God (II Timothy 2:1).
  5. All the promises of God (II Corinthians 1:20).
  6. All spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1:3).

Can one be saved without these blessings? They are all in Him, His body, the church. (Ephesians 1:22, 23; Colossians 1:18) How then does one get into Christ where these blessings can be enjoyed (Rom. 6:3; Gal. 3:27)?

(above adapted by John Rose from a tract)

The Bible

This Book contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrine is holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable.

  • Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy.
  • It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you.
  • It is the traveler’s map, the pilgrim’s staff, the pilot’s compass, the soldier’s sword, and the Christian’s charter.
  • Here Paradise is restored, Heaven is opened, and the ways of Hell are disclosed.
  • Christ is its grand object, our good its design, and the redemption of man its end.

Author Unknown