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Introduction:

  1. The purpose of the lesson before us is to learn something of the origin and nature of the church as it is revealed in the New Testament.
  2. We hear the term "church" used in a variety of senses today. Some use it to refer to a building, some to a man-made organization and some to a "religious social club"
  3. We want to restrict ourselves to the use of the word as found in the New Testament.

A.    The New Testament church is a body of people who belong to the Lord.

  1. The meaning of the word "church" comes from the Greek word "ecclesia". The literal meaning is "to call out". This is the word used by NT writers. The word as used by Jesus and the apostles describes a "called out body of people".
  2. It is the body to which the saved are added. (Acts 2:47)
  3. Christ is the Head of this body. The terms "body" and "church" are used interchangeably. (Eph 1:22-23; Col 1:18)
  4. We must conclude: The church is not a building, but a body of people who are called out of the world by Christ.

B. The word "church" has two usages in the New Testament. 

  1. Refers to the called out in a "local" sense. (1 Cor 1:2; Gal 1:1-2). Romans 16:16 and 2 Corinthians 8:23-24 speaks of local congregations.
  3. The second use is those who are the called out in a "universal" sense. All members of the church the world over. (Mt 16:18; Eph 5:23-25)

C.    Being "called out" is a divine calling by Jesus. (1 Pet 5:10)

  1. Called into the fellowship and peace of the one body. (1 Cor 1:9; Col 3:15)
  2. As a result of our calling, we have a new relationship. We now belong to God. The price paid? We are bought and paid for by Jesus, thus, I belong to Him! (Rom 9:25; 1 Jn 3:1; 1 Cor 6:19-20;
  3. Acts 20:28; 1 Pet 1:18-19)

D.    Ownership of the body is in Christ. This is why the church is called the "body of Christ". (1 Cor 12:27)

  1. Jesus said He would "build My church". What is so significant about this is that "My" denotes ownership. The church didn't originate with man, but through the precious blood of Jesus. Thus, the church belongs only to Jesus, not to any man! (Mt 16:18)

E.     It is the body of the saved. There is ONE body and ONE Savior! Entrance into that body is by BAPTISM! (Eph 5:23; 4:4-5; 1 Cor 12:13)

F.     The Bible uses another term to describe God's people: The kingdom (Col 1:13)

  1. The church and kingdom are used interchangeably. (Mt 16:18-19)
  2. The kingdom was foretold in OT prophecy. (Dan 2:44; Mk 9:1) a. Christ is the king to the kingdom, just as He is the Head to the church. (Jn 18:36) 
    1. Just as the King and the Head is the same Person, the kingdom and the church are the same body of people.
  3. If the kingdom and the church are the same, we must conclude the rules of admission are the same. Water and Spirit parallels. (Jn 3:3-5; 1 Cor 12:13; Mt 7:21)

G.    The New Testament uses another term to describe Christ's body:

  1. The Household of God. (Eph 2:19; 1 Tim 3:15). God is the Father, Christ is the Son over the house (Heb3:6). Those called in God's house are sons and heirs. (Gal 4:4-7; Rom 8:15-17). There are only two kinds of children; we are one or the other. (1 Jn 3:10)
  2. The terms of admission? Obviously, they are the same as for the kingdom and church.
  3. Admission is by birth into God's family. A seed must be planted. The seed produces faith in Jesus Christ, which leads to the new birth. (Lk 8:11; 1 Pet 1:23; Gal 3:26-27)
  4. When we are in Christ, then we are children of God.
  5. All of God's children are in His family. God has only one family. Question: If the church is God's family, how many churches does He have? How many of God's children are in the church?

Conclusion: