Certainly, I am happy to be with you tonight. I’ve looked forward to being in this area for a good long while, and except for the fact that I can’t get enough water, I’m doing just fine. I hope that by the end of the time here I’ve gotten past that problem, but several have told me that it’s not likely. We’ll see.
Tonight, I want to think with you about a passage in 1 Corinthians, chapter 4. In this section, Paul is discussing with the Corinthian brethren some of the difficulties that they have experienced. He says, among other things, in verse 14, “I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you. 15 For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel. 16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me. 17 For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus [Timothy], who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church” [1 Corinthians 4:14-17].
Notice that last expression, “…as I teach every where in every church.” Tonight, we think about the topic, “The Identity of the Church.” Let me think with you a moment about the word “identity” or “identify.” To identify a particular object is to show that it is the same as something described or claimed or known. That is to say, there are at least two objects, and you are saying that object one equals object two.
For example, in my carport at home, unless my older daughter has confiscated the truck, which she would rather drive than a car, there sits a Ford pickup, two years old, forty plus thousand miles on it, used solely (I hope) for meetings and fishing—the proportion depends on the time of the year. It is crimson; it has on the front bumper “Bama – Roll Tide.” I know ya’ll don’t understand about that. That’s fine. Maybe one day you’ll come to know, but ‘till then, keep on. [The University of Alabama’s sports teams (football, basketball, etc.) have the nickname of “The Crimson Tide.” Their colors are crimson and white. “Bama” is an abbreviation for Alabama. “Roll Tide” is an expression for playing well and winning, rolling over opponents much as a tide rolls onto the shore, but as a “crimson tide”.] And in the back seat of it and all around in the floor of the back seat there are assorted fishing materials, in various stages if disrepair, and my wife would say, “disrepute.” In any case, that’s the truck.
Now, let’s just suppose that someone steals that truck. Well, the police would want to know, “Well, what make is it?”
I’d tell them, “It’s a pickup.”
“Alright. Made by the Ford Motor Company?”
“Yes.”
“It is crimson and white?”
“Yes.”
And on and on and on. Now, if the police were to see a truck of that description in, say, Nashville, eighty miles away, they would immediately say, “We’ve probably got that truck.” There would be more precise information—serial number and other matters about the technical aspects of it—but the point of it is, you have got a description, a set of particulars, and you’ve got that object.
We do that all of the time:
“Where do you live?”
“I live at Number 123 Street XYZ, and it is in a house. There are two windows on the left, one window on the right, etc., etc. Brick house, black roof…”
We’re telling something, and we’re wanting the person who is being told to know the identity of the thing being described.
Now, when we apply that idea to the church, we are talking about whether we can go from the New Testament, with a description of the church, unto the present, and BE SURE that what we know NOW as the church is the SAME as the church in the 1 st Century. If we can establish that, then we can know that there IS a continuity, not in terms of year by year, but as to essence between the church described in the New Testament and the church that is known today.
I want to think with you about two matters tonight, and then draw some conclusions:
Number One: The church in the New Testament was IDENTIFIABLE . If, to use the truck illustration, the police were to say, “Now, Mr. Woodson, we need a description of your truck. Alright, is it a pickup or is it a sedan?”
“I don’t know.”
“Well, ah, what company made it?”
“Beats me!”
“Well, how long have you had it?”
“I don’t know…a few years.”
“Well, what color is it?”
“Well, the best I remember…oh, I’m not sure.”
The police would say, “Ummm, we’ve got a problem right here. In addition to the truck, we’ve got a fella that’s, you know, not all he ought to be.” And then they’d probably say, “Now, don’t go away; the little man in the white suit will come to help you…”
But, is the church like that? Is there nothing that can be known and, therefore, nothing that can be used in the present to be sure about the church? It is identifiable!
And then, Number Two, I want to think about some MARKS of the church, and finally, some concluding thoughts.
There are some very interesting passages about the church, and I want to look at a couple of them. In Romans, chapter 16…if you will turn there, please. Romans 16 is a most interesting chapter. There are some twenty-nine, or so, individuals named in the chapter as being great friends and associates of the apostle Paul. But our purpose is to look at the five references made to the church, or churches, and then reflect upon those for a moment.
In verse 1, Paul wrote, “I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea…” Notice that expression, “the church which is at Cenchrea” Romans 16:1. Paul, then, stated that there is a church in Cenchrea.
In verse 4, concerning Aquila and Priscilla, Paul wrote of them that they “…have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.” Paul knew, and so did the churches among the Gentiles, about Aquila and Priscilla, and he said, “…all the churches of the Gentiles…” give thanks for these two people.
In verse 5, he continues: “Likewise greet the church that is in their house”—in the home, or house, of Aquila and Priscilla—“the church that is in their house.”
Down in verse 16, the latter part of the passage, “The churches of Christ salute you.”
And then, in verse 23, “Gaius mine host, and of the whole church, saluteth you. Erastus the chamberlain of the city saluteth you, and Quartus a brother.”
Now, reviewing quickly, in verse 1, “the church which is at Cenchrea”; in verse 4, “all the churches of the Gentiles”; in verse 5, “the church that is in their house”; verse 16, “The churches of Christ”; and verse 23, “the whole church”—five references.
Now, notice, we have five references to “church / churches.” Question: Were these churches the SAME in IDENTIY, in FAITH, in DOCTRINE, in PRACTICE? If they were not, why would Paul refer to them in such a way that you immediately understand that they are of the same faith, doctrine, practice and identity? It would be extremely difficult to avoid the thought, looking at these five verses, that the same churches are present in these various locations—almost impossible to conclude that they are not identical. I maintain, the best way, and, in fact, the only true way, is to see that the individual church and the group of churches were the same as to faith, doctrine and practice, and Paul knew that, the brethren knew that, and when he talked about a church somewhere else, he knew that the brethren would understand about that congregation.
Notice another matter: What about the churches in relation to each other? In verse 4, we read of “…the churches of the Gentiles.” Then, down in verse 16, we read of “the churches of Christ.” Were these different churches? Do you have here two different churches, in the sense of two different denominations? Would the “churches of the Gentiles” be teaching that baptism is immersion, and “the churches of Christ” be teaching that it is sprinkling and pouring?!? Would “the churches of the Gentiles” teach that you ought to take the Lord’s Supper on the first day of the week, and “the churches of Christ” say that it doesn’t make any difference whether you take it at all?!? Are they the same people as to their IDENTITY, as to WHAT THEY BELIEVE, what they TEACH, what they DO IN WORSHIP, IN LIFE, IN SERVICE?
And then: What about the churches individually? In verse 1, we read of “the church in Cenchrea” AND “the churches of Christ” [in verse 4]. Was this church in Cenchrea one of the churches of Christ? If so, then you have what we would call today “the brotherhood,” meaning “ALL of the churches of Christ in the world, and then a PARTICULAR CONGREGATION.” So here, in Romans, chapter 16, there is indication that Paul knew of churches, and he wrote of these churches, both individually and collectively, so that one readily understands that they were the same in faith, in doctrine, in practice; and not only did Paul know that, but the readers of Romans 16 would know about that church at Cenchrea and other places, because they know that they were of the same faith and practice and doctrine.
Now, two other passages: 1 Corinthians, chapter 4, and verse 17, and then chapter 7, and verse 17.
1 Corinthians 4:17: Paul said, “For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus [Timothy], who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.” Notice: “everywhere in every church.”
In 1 Corinthians 7:17: “But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches.”
We have, then, in 4:17, Paul teaching the same thing “everywhere in every church.” And we have in 7:17 that he is ordaining certain things “in all churches.”
Now, this is about Christian conduct, I’m sure. The context indicates that abundantly, but notice the POINT! Paul understands, and will have the Corinthians to understand, that he is teaching the same thing to them at Corinth as he taught the churches everywhere—same content, same doctrine, same practice, same moral responsibilities—in EVERY church!
Now, a question: Were those churches of different doctrines, and faith, and practice? Would one say, “All right, when we are fully mature we will have a pope”? And another say, “Well, we’re going to have elders”? And another say, “We’re going to have a president”? And still another say, “We’re going to have a chairman of the board”?
“Oh, that’s fine!”
No! Paul could not have preached there!! Why? He preached the same thing EVERYWHERE!! Now, they’re not practicing the same thing if they’re practicing these different possibilities I’ve suggested.
How would it have been possible, then, for Paul to have claimed to do the same teaching in all the churches if they were NOT identical in FAITH, in DOCTRINE, and PRACTICE, and therefore, the same in essence? Well, look at the matter of persecution. This becomes one of the most fascinating thoughts to consider about the identity of the church.
In 1 Corinthians 15, and verse 9, Paul is discussing himself, as related to Christ and the apostles, and the resurrection from the dead. Paul wrote in 15:9, “For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet [not worthy] to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.”
“What did you do, Paul?”
“I persecuted the church of God.”
Now, let’s think about that for a moment. When Paul was persecuting “the church of God,”who was he persecuting? What was happening? And, can we know the people involved as the recipients of this persecution? Well, the text says that he “persecuted the church of God.”
Now, there’s another statement in Paul’s writing about this same persecution. This time, Galatians, chapter 1, verses 22 to 23. Paul indicated that after his conversion he had come to Judea, and he said that he was “…unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea [Judea] which were in Christ: 23 But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.”
“Now, what were you doing here, Paul?”
“Well, I was persecuting the churches of Judea, which are in Christ.”
“Now, are those the same as persecuting the church of God?”
“Well, No. That’s not at all the case. They were completely and totally different. And so, I would persecute one a while, and go across town and persecute the other a while.”
Oh, no. That won’t do.
Notice also, he said that there are some people in these churches, there are some folk in these churches, which are in Christ in Judea; and they know what went on! They know that somebody named “Saul” was doing the persecution. Paul said, “They’d never seen me. They didn’t know me by face.” But they knew that a man by the name of “Saul” was the leader of the persecution against the churches!
Now he says, “They know something about me now. They know that I am now preaching what I once went about to destroy.”
“Well, what was that?”
“Well, it was the faith, the system of Truth that was revealed from God, AND I strove to destroy that.”
“How did you do that?”
“I persecuted the churches which are in Christ AND the church of God.”
Now, think about that further. Look in Acts 8:1. In Acts 8, and verse 1, “…there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem…” So, we have a church in Jerusalem. In verse 3, Saul [Paul] made (the King James says) “havoc of the church.” Then again, in Acts 9, and verse 2, it was said of Saul [Paul] that “if he found any of this Way,” he would “bring them bound unto Jerusalem.” This Way—the church—the churches.
Again, in Acts 22, and verse 4, “I persecuted this Way unto death.” This Way.
In Acts 26, and verse 10, “…and many of the saints did I shut up in prison.”
Well now, what have we got here?
“Paul, who were you persecuting?”
“Well, I was persecuting people of the Way—this Way. I was persecuting saints. I was persecuting churches. I was persecuting the church.”
Now, how could Saul know who to persecute? There was something that made it possible for him to know who to persecute. He certainly did not go out persecuting Pharisees. Now, why not?
“You’re a persecutor, Saul [Paul]. Now, do you aim your persecution?”
“O, no! I just persecute anybody!”
“Well, try persecuting a Roman soldier!”
“No. I direct my persecution.”
“Well, how do you direct it?”
“I direct it to the people of this Way, to the saints, to the church, to the churches!”
“How do you know them, Paul [Saul]? How can you tell?”
He would have said, “Because of what they believe, because of what they teach, because of what they do in worship, because of how the churches are conducted. And when I go out after them, I know…who…I…am going to find.”
One more thought: Think about the Jews who persecuted Christians. How did they know what to do? There’s an interesting little passage in 1 Thessalonians 2, and verse 14. Paul is writing, now, to brethren in Thessalonica, and notice how he speaks: “For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea [Judea] are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews…” Now, we’ve got a most interesting passage.
First, Paul is talking about the church in Thessalonica, and he says, “You brethren became followers of somebody”—followers in the sense of knowing their example, knowing their faithfulness and loyalty in the service of God. Well, who were these people they were following? Paul says they are “the churches of God in Judea…in Christ Jesus.” Well, he’s says there’s something else about this thing. He says, “You folk have been suffering from the Jews.” (If you read Acts 17, for example, you’ll see how that’s happening.) Now, he says, “You are being persecuted by the Jews in Thessalonica, but the persecution you have received is like the persecution that was received in Judea; and the reason the Jews persecute you in Thessalonica is the same reason those Jews in Judea persecuted the church down there.”
So, here you’ve got a situation where not only did the Jews in Jerusalem know about the church and the churches in the various places, but the Jews also knew that up in Thessalonica there was a group known as the church of God in Thessalonica, or the church of Christ at Thessalonica, and when they started persecuting, they were doing the same thing against the same people in both instances—Judea and Thessalonica.
Now, how is that true? How can it be that the persecution that was going on in Thessalonica was directed against people who were in faith and doctrine the SAME as those in Judea? The reason is: There had been established in Thessalonica, by Paul, a church that was the same in faith, doctrine, practice, etc. as in Judea.
Now, notice another matter. Suppose for a moment that there are two churches in Judea. Church “A” is different in belief and practice and faith and doctrine from church “B”. Well, here come the Jews…
“We are going to persecute churches!!”
“No, you can’t do that now. You can persecute church ‘A’ and leave church ‘B’ alone.”
“Why?!”
“Because they don’t believe the same thing.”
”Oh, well, we’ll just persecute ‘A’ then.”
“That’s fine.”
You say, “That’s crazy! That’s absurd! The Jews would never have done a thing like that.” So, if you had two, or a hundred, churches of Christ, they were KNOWN to the Jewish persecutors! And they knew that when they went against one, there would be another and another and another, and they were persecuting all of them—all of the churches of Christ—because of their faith, because of what they did.
Now, that tells us several things. That tells us that the Jews KNEW which church, or churches, to persecute. And they knew that when they went after them, they would be of the same faith in Jerusalem, in Thessalonica, in Galatia, in Ephesus, or wherever. Now, the more you ponder these little verses, it becomes amazing to try to claim that these churches were different in what they believed, in what they taught, in how they worshipped, in what they did in the way of good work in the community, etc.! Now, that’s not at all hard for us to imagine in our day. In fact, we know that it’s not the case! If there are ten churches on a given avenue, you will have ten different sets of belief. You will have ten different ways of worship. And if anybody were to tell you, “Now, really, all ten of these are the same church…” No way! Not true. Well, then, you’ve got a situation in the 1 st Century that is totally different from the situation that is present in our day in many, many instances.
Now, think about the implications of all of that. There was a group of people in the 1 st Century called “saints,” called “Christians,” called “brethren.” They were spoken of as member of “this Way.” They were regarded as members of “the church in a certain city.” And they were regarded as member of “the churches throughout all of the Mediterranean world.” What you have, then, in the 1 st Century is that the church was IDENTIFIABLE. The persecuting Jews KNEW who they were.
When Paul told the Colossians that they were to read the letter that he wrote, and then take it up to Laodicea and the church there read it, he knew that the church in Laodicea AND the church in Colossi were the same. [Colossians 4:15-16: “Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house. 16 And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.” ]
Take the 2 nd and 3 rd chapters of the book of Revelation—seven churches of Asia…same Lord; same book; same understanding, and yet, they were all totally different in what they believed and practiced. What?!? You can’t convince anybody of that by the Bible!
There would be other ways that we might elaborate the point, but the point comes back that the church in the 1 st Century was IDENTIFIABLE. They knew who they were; their preachers knew who they were; the apostles knew who they were; the elders knew who they were; AND the respective congregations knew something about each other—the same thing that you have it here in Albuquerque, or Santa Fe; the same in Nashville, etc. I can go among churches throughout the country and understand that we are in sympathy with each other; we believe and teach and practice the great things of the Word of God. Why? Because the churches today are united around the great themes of the Gospel of Christ, OR, they have moved away from biblical teaching.
What are the MARKS of IDENTITY? If I had another hour, I would elaborate more fully, but I’m not going to do so. (Did I hear a little sign of relief right there?)
A fella asked somebody, “Well, how long am I supposed to preach?”
“Oh,” he said, “preach as long as you want to. In about an hour, we’re all going to leave, though. It’s a free country. You can preach all night as far as we’re concerned. We’re out of here, though, in about an hour.”
In the New Testament, there are five ways of identifying the church. Now, I could elaborate on these in more detail.
Identity Mark Number One: THE ORIGIN OF THE CHURCH.
Each church originated on the same foundation. Jesus said, “Upon this rock I…will…build…My church.” That rock is the Truth of the divine nature of Jesus Christ. In John 8, and verse 24, Jesus said, “…if ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins.” So, faith in Christ. Is that all? Not so.
In Matthew 7:21, Jesus said, “Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the Will of My Father Which is in heaven.” You are to do the Will of the Father in heaven.
In Luke 6, and verse 46, our Lord said, “And why call ye Me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” “If you are going to profess you faith in Me as Lord,” Jesus says, “you will DO the things I say.”
Hebrews 5, verses 8 and 9 : “Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered; 9 And being made perfect (or, complete), He became the Author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him…”
Now, each church in the New Testament originated on the basis of submission to Jesus Christ as given in His Word. The church, then, had been foretold in the prophets. It was predicted in the ministry of Jesus. It was established on the Day of Pentecost AND it was linked with the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. So, here you have the church that originated under the inspired direction of the apostles. And when today there is in a given community the gathering of men and women that believe and obey Jesus Christ as Lord and come together for the glorifying of God and the edifying of themselves and for the spread of the Gospel and the good works of the Lord, you have a church that ORIGINATES exactly as was done in the 1 st Century.
Identity Mark Number Two: THE TERMS OF MEMBERSHIP OF THE CHURCH.
What were the terms? Well, in John 3, and verse 5, Jesus said, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” To be born of the Spirit is to be born OF the instruction given by the Spirit. To be born of water is to be baptized in water according to the direction of the inspired Word of God. When that occurs, one is forgiven of his sins. And in Acts 2, and verse 47, that person is added to the people of God. God does that.
We used to illustrate it this way, and perhaps it’ll still work: Suppose that John [Phillis] believes that I am a crack shot with a rifle. Now, I don’t think he does, but if he did… And he would hold a block of wood up here, and I stand at this wall and shoot a rifle aimed at that block of wood, which would get through first? Would it be the hole, or would it be the bullet?
“Well, it would have to be the hole!”
“How did the hole get there without the bullet to…?”
“Oh, well, it must be the other way. It must be the bullet!”
“Well, how did it get through without the hole?!?”
“Oh, I don’t know!”
The truth is: They both get through at exactly the same split second!
Now, in being saved and being added to the church, BOTH OCCUR AT EXACTLY THE SAME MOMENT. One is added to the church at the moment he becomes a child of God! He becomes a member of the church at the moment he / she becomes a brother or sister in Christ. In that activity of obedience to Jesus Christ, one is saved; one is made a child of God; one is added to the body and becomes the recipient of every promise that God has bestowed concerning and upon those who obey His Will. That’s how you became a member of the church in the 1 st Century. That’s how you do now.
“Well, didn’t they vote?”
“No.”
“How many believe that brother Saul should be….? Ah, I’ve got ten hands raised over here. How many have we got over there? Just five. Can’t have you Saul.”
Didn’t happen like that. The moment a person was saved, he or she was IN the church.
Identity Mark Number Three: THE ORGANIZATION AND PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH.
Its purpose was to glorify God, to spread the Gospel and to do the good works that God has ordained. It was not a political institution. It was not some kind of a civic club. It was not a self-help or support group that said, “All right. We’re going to support all the people who have xyz.” Now, members of the church may be involved in support groups of all types of a legitimate nature, but that’s NOT what the church as a body was dedicated to.
Now, it had these grand purposes; how was it organized? Well, Philippians 1, verses 1 and 2, you have elders, deacons and brethren. That’s what you have. No presidents?!? No. No popes?!? No. Just elders and deacons and saints! And they, under Christ, constitute the organization AND they fulfill the purpose that Christ has given them.
Identity Mark Number Four: THE WORSHIP OF THE CHURCH.
In the worship of the 1 st Century, they were committed to glorifying God. Worship was NOT a spectator sport! When I go to a basketball game that I’m interested in, and my favorite player is scoring a point, I am thrilled, and I watch him. And when my team wins, I cheer…“YEA! My team’s winning!” I don’t do that when I go to church.
Suppose a man gets up to lead a prayer: YEAAAA!! A great prayer there, brother!! Give me a high five!! Is it alright? We have somebody that serves the Lord’s Supper, and he pass the fruit of the vine: WOOONDERFUL there, man!! I’ve NEVER seen a better passing of the fruit of the vine!! You’d say, “There’s something wrong here. The fruit of the vine isn’t something we use as a kind of spectator sport! We’re worshipping God, here, friend.”
Well, what do we do when we glorify God? We glorify God by doing what He tells us to do in His worship. You see, to worship is to ascribe honor and reverence to God in an act of submission directed by His revealed Will. Jesus said we are to worship in spirit and in Truth, John 4:24 [“But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and Truth: for such doth the Father seek to be His worshippers. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship in spirit and Truth” John 4:23-24.].
We worship God “in Spirit.” How? “In Spirit” is the attuning of our heart, our will, our spirit, with the spiritual nature of God revealed in His Word. And our hearts are attuned to that. We recognize the blessings in our lives, and that these blessings come from God; and out of the reverence, the respect, the devotion, that we have in our hearts for God’s goodness and mercy and love, we are attuned to God’s nature to the limit of our ability. That’s “in spirit.”
What about “in Truth”? “In Truth” is in keeping with His revealed Word concerning worship. Now, that becomes a fascinating matter to understand.
In the 1 st Century, we read in Acts 20, and verse 7, that they took the Lord’s Supper on the first day of the week. Now, what ought we to do about that? Every time the first day of the week comes, loyal, faithful people of God will partake of the Lord’s Supper.
In Ephesians 5, and verse 19, they had singing of “psalms, hymns and spiritual songs,” addressed to God in the Name of Christ to praise and honor God, and to edify each other. We do that today.
They gave of their means, 1 Corinthians 16, verses 1 and 2 [“Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I gave order to the churches of Galatia, so also do ye. 2 Upon the first day of the week let each one of you lay by him in store, as he may prosper, that no collections be made when I come.”].
They had prayer, Acts 2:42 [“And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.”].
And they had the teaching of the apostles’ doctrine,also Acts 2:42.
That’s what we do. That’s what should be done.
Identity Mark Number Five: THE DESTINY OF THE CHURCH.
The destiny of the church is to someday be with God eternally. The church recognizes that it is a pilgrim—each Christian is a pilgrim, moving from this world, through death, through the resurrection, through the Judgment, into the eternal presence of God. In that day, its destiny will be realized.
I want to close with a thought from my mentor in the faith. Some of you may have known, or at least known of, the late Brother Gus Nichols [1892 – 1975], truly one of God’s noblemen. It was my happy privilege to know this good man for twenty-five or –six years, the best years of his life, and in many ways, the best of mine. He wrote a book of sermons in 1949 [Sermons by Gus Nichols and Others (Jasper, Alabama: Private publication, 1949)], and in that book of sermons, here is this statement about the identity of the church:
Though there is a period of nearly two thousand years between us and the church in New Testament times, we can be as certain that we have the same church as if we were only a few years removed from the apostolic age. Those who took the Gospel, the seed of the kingdom, and carried it from Jerusalem (the first congregation) to other places and planted congregations, were only reproducing the church as it was established in Jerusalem. THEY WERE NOT FOUNDING DENOMINATIONS. So now, those who start congregations exactly like the congregations we read about in the New Testament are only reproducing the church of Christ, as it was under the inspired apostles. Hence, the only question (for those claiming to be the church of Christ—WW) is: DOES IT HAVE THE MARKS OF THE CHURCH DESCRIBED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT? If not, only false doctrine and sin could account for the difference. For no one is permitted to change the church from what it was when fresh from the hand of its Builder, the Lord Jesus Christ. (Matthew 16:18—WW). Therefore, for a church now to be the church of Christ—the church which Jesus built—it must be identified with the New Testament church. Christ is not the founder of any church which differs from the one mentioned in the New Testament. Of course, no church can be identified with the church of the New Testament and yet differ from that church. Everything which is true about the Gospel and the church of Christ is as old as the New Testament. All that is new about Christianity is not true, and whatever is true is not new. Hence, to be a product of the New Testament, every mark of the church must be one which characterized the church in the days of its purity, before the death of the inspired apostles, and before the apostasy began.
I maintain that this is a summary statement that is exactly correct. It is not believed because a man said it. It is true because it represents a summary of Bible teaching. But whether one ever reads this summary, or not, the thought that we are developing from the Bible is that the church in the 1 st Century was IDENTIFIABLE. It was known by the apostle Paul, the apostle Peter, and others. It was known by those who went about to persecute the church. And they knew what they were attempting to do and went it about it with the churches that were of that particular view and faith of Jesus. And there are the marks that we’ve described.
If there were more time and opportunity, we could develop these details in length and ramification, or what a blessing it is that by virtue of the Word of God, there is available in our day the teaching of God concerning what the church in the 1 st Century was. And a group of men and women today, who are children of God, can duplicate those particulars in the life and work of a church and today be identified with the church as it was given then. And what a thrill it is to know that.
Can you imagine the joy of a person’s life when he or she has been searching for the Way of God, and finally comes to see it—see it in its simplicity, in its power, and in its beauty—and in so doing say, “Now, my soul is at rest. Now, I belong to God, and now I have found a home among people who believe and do as God’s Word teaches. And together, these folk bond with each other and God and are determined to carry the cause of Christ as far as they can around the world, and to live and die in the faith, and die with the hope and expectation of being with God eternally.” And that’s a precious birthright.
I must close. Thank you for your attention.
In a moment, we’ll be singing an invitation hymn, and as it is sung, if you’re not a Christian, you need to be obedient to Jesus Christ as the Son of God. In order to do that—to become a Christian—one must believe that Christ is the Son of God, must repent of sin, must confess faith that Jesus is the Lord, and be buried in baptism for remission of sins that, by the grace of God, sins may be forgiven and may be made a child of God, added to the church and rise in newness of life.
If you are a Christian and have erred from the way of God in a public fashion, you need to repent of that wrong, confess that sin to God and ask loving brethren to pray with you and for you that you may be forgiven.
On these terms, we invite you to come as we sing. May we stand.