BT-The Lord's Church

The church of our Lord is a divine institution in which he purposed to bring about through Christ from the beginning of time (Ephesians 3:10-11). Christ said that he would build his church in Matthew 16:18. Notice that Christ said that he would build his church - singular; not many churches like we have today. Also note that Paul said in Acts 20:28 that the church was bought with the blood of Christ. No man-made church, past, present, or future can claim this. It is the object of this topic to distinguish the church that Christ built from all others which are merely the fabrications of men.

THE CHURCH OF CHRIST IS NON-DENOMINATIONAL
A denomination by definition is "a part of the whole." The church of Christ can only be produced when the word (seed) is planted in the hearts of men. No other "church" can be produced by the word of God. Paul said that Christ is the head of the church (Ephesians 1:22, Colossians 1:18), and that there is but ONE body which is the church (Ephesians 1:22-23, Ephesians 4:4). To illustrate, we have Christ as the one head, which will not get an argument from most people, and then we have the church, his body (singular). If we were to say that all the different "churches" are his body, then that would make a monstrosity, a monster if you will, out of Christ (one head with many bodies). Only one body is capable of unity or being fitly joined together (Ephesians 2:21, Ephesians 4:16).

THE BEGINNING OF THE CHURCH AND WHERE IT STARTED
The beginning of the church was on the first Pentecost after Christ's resurrection, which happened in Acts 2 and was on a Sunday which happens to be the first day of the week. Also note that on this same (meaning Sunday) first day of the week was when God began his work of creation (Genesis 1:5), he rose from the dead (Mark 16:9), as well as established his church (Acts 2:47), as will be shown here. Pentecost (translated means the fiftieth day) was every seventh Sabbath plus one day, or seven weeks times seven days plus one day, equals fifty days. Christ was seen of them for forty days beginning on the morning after the Sabbath (Luke 24:1, Acts 1:3), and ten days later they received power, as promised by Jesus, from the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49, John 15:26, Acts 1:4-5, Acts 2:1-4). The prophet Isaiah told of the place the church would have its beginning in Isaiah 2:2-3 which says "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house (I Timothy 3:15 tells us that the Lord's house is the church, not a Jewish temple made with hands; the church is the temple, and it is spiritual; see Ephesians 2:19-22, I Peter 2:5, and Luke 17:20-21; website editor) shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it (Jew and Gentile alike; website editor). And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, 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 (law of faith-Romans 3:27; website editor), and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." The expression, "in the last days," has been misunderstood to mean the time right before Christ returns. What it does mean is the final dispensation of time, or the Christian age, representing the time from the day of Pentecost until the return of Christ. Joel, as quoted by Peter on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2:16-17, said that the Holy Spirit would "pour out" in "the last days." Before he states this he says, "But this is that." What is "this is that?" It is the pouring out of the Holy Spirit that enabled him and the others to speak in tongues and was witnessed by those that accused them of being drunk (verse 13). He explains that they are not drunk, but it is "the last days," and the pouring out of the Spirit that was to happen according to Joel in the last days, was the reason they could speak in tongues. Thus, the last days (Christian age) in which the Spirit was to be poured out started then. Also, Peter's reference in Acts 11:15 to the Holy Spirit falling upon the Gentiles in Acts 10, is compared to being the same thing that the apostles had received "at the beginning," a reference to the beginning of the Christian age. Christ told the apostles in Luke 24:47 that the beginning would be from Jerusalem (as Isaiah did in the above passage) and that they should tarry in the city until they were clothed with power on high (verse 49). Again, in Acts 1:4, he told them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, where they would be baptized in the Holy Spirit, which happened in Acts 2:1-4. From these verses it is clear that the church had its beginning in Jerusalem, and that its birthday was on Sunday, the day of Pentecost. The church is first referenced as actually being in existence in Acts 2:47. As already mentioned, Peter in Acts 11:15 referred to this as the beginning.

SEED ALWAYS PRODUCES AFTER ITS OWN KIND
It is a well known fact, that whenever tomato seeds are planted, they will bring forth tomato plants. This is true with anything else as well. A pumpkin seed cannot and will not sprout watermelon, but will always sprout a pumpkin. The word of God is the seed (Luke 8:11-15) and when the word is preached, the seed is planted and brings forth good fruit, but there are those that plant the seeds of man which produce denominations that are not acceptable to God. Matthew 15:13 says "Every plant which my heavenly father hath not planted, shall be rooted up." If one reads the Bible today, the same church that existed in the first century will be produced here in the 21st century if the word of God is obeyed. Some may say that we today live in a different time and the church of the first century is outdated, but the fact of the matter is that God's word as outlined in the Bible will be the standard we will be judged by in the last day (John 12:48). Paul told the Corinthian church in I Corinthians 4:15 that he begat them through the gospel. The word of God is living and powerful (Hebrews 4:12) and is active through those that proclaim the gospel. In John 3:3-6 the inspired writer tells us that Jesus said in order to see the kingdom of God, one must be born again. This birth spoke of here is of water and the Spirit. When one is conceived by the Spirit, which is the word (seed) of God, it means the word (seed) was preached to a receptive individual, and in obedience to God's word, this individual was baptized in water and was thus, begotten "not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which liveth and abideth" (I Peter 1:23), and was born through the act of baptism (water). If the word is preached and obeyed, it will produce the one and only church that Christ purchased with his own blood (Acts 20:28); the same and only one that he said he would build (Matthew 16:18), and is written about in the Bible.

CHRIST SAID THAT HE WOULD BUILD HIS CHURCH, NOT CHURCHES
Christ said in Matthew 16:18 that "...I will build my church..." Notice here that he did not say that he would build CHURCHES or MANY CHURCHES. Some look to John 15 to somehow "prove" the existence of "many churches." Christ is saying here in John 15:1-11 that he is the vine and his DISCIPLES, NOT churches, are the branches. In verse 4, it says that the branch cannot bear fruit unless it abides IN the vine. The branches derive their life from the vine. This is consistent with what Paul says in his letter about the body and its members. The church is his body and the members of his body are his disciples (I Corinthians 12:12-26, Ephesians 1:22-23). They abide in the body of Christ, for the members of the body cannot survive unless attached to the body just as the brances cannot survive apart from the vine. The branches owe their life to the vine just as the members owe their life to the body. In verse 5, it says that "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." The YE in verse 5 is the disciples, not churches. The personal pronoun "HE" is used showing that he is indeed referring to an individual. Also in verse 6, it plainly says that "If a man not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered." Please note that it says "A MAN," NOT a church. This is proof as well, that the branch that abides in the vine is a faithful disciple that abides in Christ. Some even go as far as saying that the seven churches in Asia is proof of multiple churches. These congregations of the church of Christ were all the same in their unity with Christ's word, they were just located in different cities. For example, in Colossians 4:16 we read "And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye also likewise read the epistle from the Laodicea." Again, Matthew 15:13 says "Every plant, which my heavenly father hath not planted, shall be rooted up."

ONE DOES NOT "JOIN" THE CHURCH
The Lord is the one which added those that have obeyed his word, ot his church. In Acts 2:38, 41, 47, we are told, that Peter said to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins, and that those that gladly received his word were baptized with about 3,000 souls being added unto them that same day, and that the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. Our Lord is the one who adds all the saved to his church and man has no choice in this matter.

AT BAPTISM WE ARE ADDED TO THE CHURCH
When the church began on the day of Pentecost, about 3,000 souls were obedient to the word that was preached, and was united with Christ in baptism. After being baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38), it shows in verse 47 that the Lord added them to the church. This act of baptism plus one "in Christ" (Galatians 3:27, Romans 6:3). Where once, the alien sinner's relationiship was at odds with God, they are now in fellowship with God having obeyed his word with sincerity and true repentance, completely committing their life to the Lord. In I Corinthians 12:13, we also see that we gain entrance to the body which is the church, through baptism. This is not a reference to Holy Spirit baptism as the apostles received on the day of Pentecost, for we know that Paul said that there is only ONE baptism (Ephesians 4:5). See also a study on Holy Spirit baptism to come in the future.

WE ARE TO BE OF THE SAME MIND AND JUDGMENT
Paul told the church at Corinth in I Corinthians 1:10-13 that division was wrong and that they should all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among them, but that they be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. The very use of the names in verse 12 alone is divisive. Christ in John 17:20-21 prayed that his disciples and all those that shall believe on him through their word would be one, as he and his Father are. Unity of his disciples was on his mind when his death was only hours away. Paul again in Ephesians 4:1-3 and I Corinthians 3:1-3 speaks of keeping the unity and calling divisions carnal. There can only be unity in one church that speaks the same thing and is perfectly joined together in the same mind and the same judgment.

THE NAME THE CHURCH WEARS HONORS CHRIST
The church is the bride of Christ, and is spiritually married to him. In II Corinthians 11:2, Paul told the Corinthian church that he had espoused them to one husband, which was Christ. Romans 7:4, has Paul declaring that "...my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead..." In Ephesians 5:22-23 Paul speaks of the marital relationship between a husband and his wife and then applies it to Christ and his church. The church is also called the bride, the Lamb's wife, in Revelation 21:9. The name of the church shows to whom it belongs. To wear any other name would dishonor Christ. Just as the woman takes the man's name, so also, the church takes Christ's name.

THE CHURCH IS THE CALLED OUT
The word "church" is translated from the Greek word "ekklasia" which means "called out" or "assembly." It is a common error for most to think of the "church" as the building and being "God's house." This is not so, for we understand that the church is spiritual, being made up of all the ones that the Lord has added to it. In I Peter 2:5 we read "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house..." I Peter 2:9 reads "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." We see here that Christ has "called out" his people, which are the church: HIS church!

A CHRISTIAN ONLY
The name of God's people under the Old Law was Israel. The suffix "el" in Israel is one of the Hebrew names for God meaning "Prince of God." Under the law of faith given by Christ, God's people were to be given a new name after Christ established his church. Isaiah 56:5 tells us "Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off." Isaiah 62:1-2 states "For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, in the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name." Isaiah 65:15 reads "And ye shall leave your name for a churse unto my chosen: for the Lord God shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name." We understand from these passages that a new name was to be given by God to his house, and that it was to be an everlasting name that should never be cut off, which would be given to both Gentiles and Jews as God's people. The name is "Christian." The word Christ means "anointed" with the word "Christian" used to describe an anointed people that belongs to Christ. The name "Christian" as used in the New Testament applies to individual members of the church only, and not the church. I Peter 4:16 states "Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed." This clearly indicates that the name "Christian" is to be applied to individuals. The Jews were the only members of the church for the first ten years of its existence. It was not until Acts 10 with the conversion of Cornelius that the door was opened to Gentiles to be part of Christ's church. We are told in Acts 11:26 "... And the disciples were called "Christians" first in Antioch." "Were called" is from the original "chrematisai," and always means "of divine origin." Here we have the promise of the prophet Isaiah being fulfilled, having God give both Jew and Gentile a new name in Christ's church or house of God (I Timothy 3:15).

THE CHURCH IS SPIRITUAL ISRAEL
Israel was spiritually married to God according to Jeremiah 3:14 and Romans 7:1-4. They were God's people as evidenced throughout the scriptures (Exodus 3:7, Jeremiah 2:32, etc.), but now, such is not the case, as both Jew and Gentile together as one are God's people within the church. Galatians 3:28 says "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." In I Corinthians 12:13 Paul says "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit." This one body that Jew and Gentile alike are baptized into is the church. Paul refers to the body as the church in Ephesians 1:22-23 and Colossians 3:18, in which Christ is the head. I Peter 2:5 says "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." This "spiritual house" is the church (I Timothy 3:14-15), and we find that we are living stones, which make up this spiritual house. Also, Christ is our high priest (Hebrews 3:1), and we are "a royal priesthood" that "should shew forth the praises of him who hath called us out of darkness into his marvelous light." Israel, formerly regarded as the Lord's chosen, such as Isaiah 43:20-21 says, were "broken off," and the Gentiles, through Christ, were "grafted in" (Romans 11:13-24). They that were "broken off" can be grafted in again through Christ, and becoming a member of his Church. In I Peter 2:9-10 we read "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: Which in time passed were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy." Verse 10 of I Peter 2 refers to those that are now the people of God, which includes not just the Jews only, but also the Gentiles (Romans 9:24-26, Hosea 2:23). Peter also calls the people of God "a chosen generation" because we have been "chosen" "to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth" having been "called" by the gospel (II Thessalonians 2:13-14). Because the gospel is addressed to all (Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15-16), all who believe and obey the gospel are "chosen to salvation," thus, making up the "chosen generation" that Peter refers to. Romans 2:28-29 says "For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God." The true Jew approved of God, is one inwardly with the circumcision of the heart, and not the one which is outward. Colossians 2:11-12 says "In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through faith in the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead." Paul in Philippians 3:3 says "For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh."

THE SAVED ARE FOUND IN THE CHURCH
One cannot be saved outside the church. We have established that the church is his body, and that there is only one body (Ephesians 1:22-23), Colossians 1:18, Ephesians 4:4). Also, we understand that the Lord adds those that have been obedient to his word by being baptized, to the church or body (Acts 2:38, 41, 47). In Ephesians 5:23, it says that "... He is the saviour of the body." Thus, one must conclude that those that are saved, are in the church and that anyone outside of the church is lost.

DOES THE NAME REALLY MATTER
Some might say that the name the church wears doesn't really matter, and that as long as you are doing what God says, that is all that matters. In other words, they're saying that, there is nothing in a name. This idea is contrary to Bible teaching. Acts 4:12 says "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Philippians 2:9-10 reads "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow..." I Peter 4:6 tells us "Yet if any suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf." III John 7 says "Because that for his name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles." Paul in I Corinthians 1:12-13 writes "Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephus; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?" As we can clearly see by the above verses, names are very important. The name of the church, is clearly spelled out in the Bible: "the house of God" - I Timothy 3:15, "the church of God" - I Corinthians 1:2, "the household of faith" - Galatians 6:10, "the church of the Lord" - Acts 20:28, "the churches of Christ" - Romans 16:16. These are some of the titles and descriptions mentioned in the Bible that all refer to the churches of Christ. It's his church, so obviously the name it wears should be his. Names such as Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, etc. are all man-made names that are not found in the Bible. They are unscriptural, unjustified and displeasing to God. There was only one church (Colossians 1:18, Ephesians 1:22-23, Ephesians 4:4, Matthew 16:18) nearly 2,000 years ago, and today there is still only one church.

CHRIST WANTS YOU IN HIS CHURCH
II Peter 3:9 tells us that "The Lord ... is long suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." Revelation 22:17 says "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." If you obey the word of God by believing (Mark 16:16), repenting (Acts 2:38), confessing (Romans 10:9-10) and being baptized for the remission of sins (Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38, Acts 22:16, I Peter 3:20-21), you too will be added to the Lord's church, which is the place of the saved.