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.