III The Church
(Pastor Ian C. Kurylyk)

“Not Forsaking The Assembling of Ourselves Together”
(Hebrews 10:25a)

1. The Church Is God's Program for This Present Age

   Jesus announced His intentions in Matthew 16:18 with the words “I will build my church”. The Epistles make it very clear that this plan is being carried out by the building and functioning of local churches. Other institutions may serve the church, but the local church is the center of God's present program and work in the world.

2. The Church Is God's House

   “But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (I Timothy 3:15).

   a. God is everywhere present, and God indwells each born again believer in a distinct personal way, but there is also a special sense that He dwells within the church, His temple. “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you” (I Corinthians 3:16).

   b. The local church cannot make a person a Christian, but it is born again believers that are called together to constitute every true church.

   c. The New Testament teaches us that God is calling a people out of this world to be gathered unto Him in the name of Jesus Christ. The expression of this is the assembling of Christians in a Bible-believing church (carrying out the order set before us by the apostles). The church is the spiritual home for the child of God while we live on this earth. Read also Psalm 84.

   d. God's House is the center of fellowship for the local body of Christians. This fellowship with each other is a shared fellowship with the Lord. “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ” (I John 1:3). It manifests itself in a unity of believing and obeying the Word of God. “The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth” (II John 1).

   e. God's House is also the center of Christian activity. It is a great engine for world evangelism and ministry to Christians. The church is the center for the practice of the ordinances of the New Testament (Baptism and the Lord's Supper, sometimes called Communion). Read I Corinthians 11.

   f. God's House is a center for prayer. “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42).

   g. God's House is the center for meeting the spiritual needs of His people by teaching and preaching, and all ministries carried out by the many members of the Body of Christ. “But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

   From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love” (Ephesians 4:15-16).

3. God's Plan Is for The Local Church to Be Independent

   a. This does not mean being disconnected from the needs of people; it means God has a plan for the life of the church and for how it is to be governed.

   b. The church must be separate from worldly control by secular governmental powers. The church and the state should be mutually beneficial, but separate from each other in their government.

   c. God's House is also to be set apart from the politics of denominational structure or any body that would move to take away her God-given sovereignty. In the New Testament we do not read of one big religious structure, but of many autonomous (self-governing) churches. Each is under the headship of Jesus Christ. This is why rule of the church is such an important concern.

   d. Paul made it very clear that there was not to be only one church in the world by his repeated use of the plural. He referred to churches. “And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia” (Galatians 1:2).

   e. The simple pattern of the church body with its two offices of pastors (“bishops”) and deacons is clearly taught in the Bible. “Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons” (Philippians 1:1)

4. The Church Has a Mission

   a. The church has been called to carry the gospel of Jesus Christ to a needy, sinful world.

   b. Jesus Christ first gave what is called the Great Commission to His Disciples. “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (Matthew 28:19-20).

   c. After the ascension of the Lord, the apostles (and early Christians) then evangelized and started churches wherever they went.

   d. The Apostle Paul set an example for the whole church age. “I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also” (Romans 1:14-15).

   e. All Christians have a place in the church's mission by witnessing of Jesus Christ when we have the opportunity. “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

   f. Some have a special calling upon their lives to go out, sent by God and by their church to preach the gospel that more churches may be planted for the increase of God's work. “Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus” (Acts 13:1-4).

5. The Church Has an Exact Blueprint

   a. The Word of God is the authority and blueprint for building New Testament churches.

   b. God warns against tampering with His plans by substituting human wisdom as the basis for the work. “According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon” (I Corinthians 3:10). Read also carefully I Corinthians 3:16-20.

   c. There is a simple plan for the leadership and structure of the church. “Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons” (Philippians 1:1). Note the three parts:

   i. The assembly of the saints were the saved folk at Philippi who had been baptized and joined to the church to make up the body of Christ there.

   ii. “Bishops” means overseers and refers to the pastor or pastors who lead the church (also called elders).

   iii. “Deacons” fill a second office in the church, responsible for practical ministries and for assisting the pastoral office.

   d. Study of the New Testament reveals many details of God's will for the functioning of a local church.

6. The Church Is Spoken of according to Several Figures

   a. It is God's husbandry (cultivation) and God's building. “For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building” (I Corinthians 3:9).

   b. It is the Temple of God. “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you” (I Corinthians 3:16).

   c. It is the Bride of Christ. “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body” (Ephesians 5:23).

   d. It is the Body of Christ. “So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another” (Romans 12:5).

7. The Church Is Part of God's Will for Christians

   “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25). This verse occurs in the context of a passage speaking of the matter of daily personal communion with God. (Read Hebrews 10:19-23.) This teaches us that no matters of personal devotion take the place of church fellowship. Both are needed.