NOTE: This information was gathered & accumulated over years, thru reading various material & setting under godly men. I do not take credit for this tool that has helped me, I can only take credit for gathering it together in a way that is beneficial to me & I hope others. I do not wish to plagiarize anyone’s individual work, but I am unable to express proper citation due to gathering various notes & scraps of paper from my own study that I have accumulated over the years. I am grateful for all those who have allowed God to use them to help use become better witnesses to the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Matthew 16:13-18
13 Jesus was asking His disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" 14 And they said, "Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets." 15 Jesus said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" 16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 17 And Jesus said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 "I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.
Ekklesia - Church - Assembly - Body -
Congregation
A New Testament church of the Lord Jesus Christ is an autonomous local congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel, observing the two ordinances of Christ, governed by His laws, exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word, and seeking to extend the gospel to the ends of the earth. Each congregation operates under the Lordship of Christ through democratic processes. In such a congregation each member is responsible and accountable to Christ as Lord. Its scriptural officers are pastors and deacons. While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture. (Baptist Faith & Message 2000)
·
The Scriptures limit the office of Deacon to Men
– 1 Timothy 3:8,12
Matthew 16:16-18 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." And Jesus said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Barjona , because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. "I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.
·
Upon the statement, that Jesus is the “Christ,
the son of the living God.”
·
Upon this Truth Jesus built His Church &
it’s the only thing Jesus promised to build.
Acts 2:1-4 1 When the day of Pentecost had come, [the disciples] were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance
·
The Church was empowered to serve at its
inauguration
·
The Promise of Jesus is fulfilled by the
indwelling of all believers by the Holy Spirit.
How does Church Work?
u
Joining
the Church
Acts
§
The
Church is made up of Baptized Believers.
u
Expectations
of Church Members
Acts
§
Devoted to…Preaching, Teaching & Personal
Bible Study
§
Devoted to…Fellowship with other believers,
corporately & privately
§
Devoted to…Partake in the Lord’s Supper
§
Devoted to…Prayer, corporately & privately
The Priority of Church Fellowship is Harmony & Unity.
Ephesians 4:2-3 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
·
Harmony & Unity for its own sake, is neither
·
Never compromise the Word of God for a make
believe peace
Christ is the Head of the Church (the Body of Christ)
Ephesians 1:22-23 [The Father] put all things in subjection under [Jesus’] feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
Ephesians 5:23 Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.
Colossians 1:18 [Jesus] is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.
·
The Church is a Body---Not a Business!
· The Church is an Organism---Not an Organization!
1 Corinthians
Going to Church expresses our obedience to the Great Commandment
Mark 12:28-30 One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, "What commandment is the foremost of all?" Jesus answered, "The foremost is, 'HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD; AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.'
· How can a believer say “I am fulfilling the Great Commandment,” to Love God,
If If the believer disobeys God’s
command to meet with the very thing He promised to build?
Going to Church….
u
Is a
testimony of support for God’s Work in the World
Matthew
u
Enables a
Believer to hear in person the Preaching of God’s Word
2 Timothy 4:2-4 preach
the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke,
exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when
they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears
tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their
own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn
aside to myths.
u
Allows a Believer
to partake of the Lord’s Supper
1 Corinthians 11:26
For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's
death until He comes.
u
Enables the
Believer to experience special Blessings from God
1 Corinthians
u
Helps to prevent
an Unbalanced Life
Ephesians 4:14 we
are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about
by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful
scheming;
u Shows
we Love God’s People
John 13:35 By this all men will know that you
are My disciples, if you have love for one another
u
Is an
indication the Believer is partaking in the promised eternal life
1 John 3:14 We
know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren.
Not Going to Church….
p
Is one
indication of not being in God’s family
1 John 2:19 They
went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been
of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it
would be shown that they all are not of us.
p
Is
willful disobedience to the authority of God
Hebrews 10:24-25 and
let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not
forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but
encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing
near.
p
Is
self-centered and foolish
Proverbs 18:1 He
who separates himself seeks his own desire, He quarrels against all
sound wisdom.
Going to Church does not make you a
Christian.
Only a relationship with Jesus Christ as
Lord and Savior brings salvation.
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