God's Church
THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH
God's Church
THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH
If life is to be completely meaningful, there is an unusual and personal question each of us needs to answer: “Do I have a sound guide to a satisfying relationship with God?” The Apostle Peter believed that such a guide existed, when he wrote that God, in “His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceeding great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Peter 1:3-4).
The Apostle Paul explained how fully the Holy Word of God, the Bible, the inspired “Holy Scriptures,” guide the “man of God,” when he said, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:14-17). The inspired men who wrote the Bible claimed its total authority for man's spiritual life. The Bible is truly an authoritative, sufficient guide for a satisfying relationship with God.
From Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) prophets and John the Baptist, from Jesus Himself and the teachings of the New Testament, comes the clear, unmistakable truth that God’s redemptive plan unveiled in Christ’s death also included the church as the society of all the saved.
Two Living Organisms: The Bible, especially the New Testament, talks about two very real organisms: the church and the Christian. The church or “the Lord’s house,” that Isaiah predicted would arise in the last days, or “the kingdom,” that Daniel saw being established many years after his lifetime, came into being within a few days after Jesus ascended to heaven following His resurrection (Acts 2). Thereafter, the church Jesus promised to build is always viewed as existing either in its universal sense – all who have obediently responded to Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23), or in the definite (geographical) sense – a local group of believers like the church in Jerusalem (Acts 8:1) and the church in Antioch (Acts 13:1).
The New Testament is equally emphatic about how one becomes a Christian (for more on salvation, see “God’s Salvation” in Contents). The Acts of the Apostles (for more on the book of Acts, see The Way Home Contents) details the way men responded to the Gospel of Christ during those early years. The Epistles, which make up the bulk of the New Testament, deal specifically with the Christian life and how one lives that unique existence. The Apostle Paul’s charge to Christians in Rome is an excellent example of the way the New Testament Epistles speak of the Christian life: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:1-2).
This leads to another vital question: “Is the Christian life related, connected in any way, to the life of the church?” Or to put the same question in other words: “Is there any connection between the Christian and the church?”
The most common reply to this question is, “No.” However, Paul talks about “many [individual] members” who constitute “one body in Christ” (Romans 12:4-5). Thus, the Christian is a member of the body of Christ, the church. The Apostle Paul also wrote: “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body …” 1 Corinthians 12:13). So, the same baptism that brings one “remission of sins” (Acts 2:38), also gives one full membership in the body of Christ, the church. One becomes a Christian when God is pleased by our surrender to Him. That very act of surrender causes God to “set the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He pleased” (1 Corinthians 12:18). The Christian cannot live separated from the body of Christ, the church, as Paul teaches in the twelfth chapter of 1 Corinthians. The life of the individual Christian is necessarily related to the life of the Church.
Which Church: If one’s life as a Christian is so definitely and vitally involved with the church, one might ask: “Which Church?” And so we now turn to that question and consider its answer.
Other lessons in this study of “God’s Church,” have attempted to establish the Biblical principle that any time and everywhere the Gospel of Christ was preached and accepted in New Testament days, the church automatically came into being. This occurred as the result of God’s action in the lives of all who responded to Christ on His terms. The same principle operates today. In other words, whenever and wherever people hear the Gospel and obediently respond to Jesus Christ today, the church comes into being.
We have also stressed the depth of God’s concern for the church, as shown in the fact that the church was a vital part of God’s redemptive plan for man.
In reply to the question: “Which church?” we answer: “The church described in the New Testament, of course.” The phrase “New Testament church,” may seem strange and unfamiliar. For this reason, our lesson will now focus on “the New Testament church.”
At this point in our study it must be obvious that StudyJesus.com believes that in a specific and distinct way, the New Testament is the contemporary believer’s authority in religion for the Christian era. John writes for all evangelists when he states the purpose of the Lord’s Gospel: “… Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written, that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name” (20:30-31).
Not only does the New Testament furnish the inspired testimony that produces one’s faith in Christ, but Paul stresses that, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Through the instruction of the New Testament you come to Christ – accepting Him in God’s plainly prescribed way, allowing these God-inspired writings to direct your steps so that you know “how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:16).
The Church Described: The New Testament reveals the church in prospect. Jesus promised His apostles, “... on this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). This is one of many inspired Scriptures pointing to an imminent beginning of the church or kingdom in the first century.
The New Testament fully describes the actual beginning of “God’s Church” (“the Lord’s house”) in the second chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. Just as Prophets of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) prophesied, the church began in Jerusalem under specific conditions as foretold. On the Jewish festival of Pentecost, the apostles delivered their first public testimony of Jesus Christ, and three thousand people surrendered to the Gospel. The Acts of the Apostles reveals that everywhere Christ is preached and people surrender to Him, the church comes into existence in that locality.
Furthermore, the New Testament reveals the message of the Biblical church – the church of our Lord. By inspiration, Luke records that even in the face of persecution and distress Christ’s disciples “… did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ” (Acts 5:42).
We also learn of the church’s growth. Inspired Scriptures such as Acts 9:31 are found throughout the New Testament: “Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace, and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied”.
The church’s government is thoroughly explained within the New Testament. The universal church knows but one governing head, in heaven and on earth – Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 1:18-24). The church, as it exists in local groups of believers, is pictured by Paul when he addressed just such a congregation, the church at Philippi: “Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons” (Philippians 1:1). Notice the simplicity of the church’s government: members, or “saints” as the Apostle Paul calls them; “bishops” or elders, and “deacons” or servants.
The New Testament also informs us how the church acquired her members. In the church of the New Testament, membership is God’s action on the lives of all who obey Christ (Acts 2:45; 1 Corinthians 12:18). Regarding the first congregation of Christians, the one started in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost: “And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47). When the Apostle Paul describes the church as the body of Christ, he explains how one becomes a member of that body in these inspired terms: “But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He pleased” (1 Corinthians 12:18).
Finally, we learn from the New Testament that the church’s nature is “His body” (Colossians 1:18, 24); “the house of God” (1 Timothy 3:14-15); “a spiritual house” (1 Peter 2:5); and “the people of God” (1 Peter 2:9-10).
The New Testament Church: In our study thus far, we have been using phrases like, “New Testament church,” “Biblical church,” “the Lord’s house,” “the church of our Lord,” or “God’s church,” referring to that church promised, revealed, explained, and presented in the New Testament. Up to this point, we have briefly surveyed some of the prominent aspects of our subject. We now turn to a more detailed look at the church of our Lord, as revealed in the New Testament.
Seven hundred years before Jesus’ birth, the Hebrew Bible prophet, Isaiah, looked forward to the establishment of “the mountain of the Lord’s house” to which “all nations” would be welcomed as members. The “house of the God of Jacob” would appear simultaneously with a very significant revelation from God. In Isaiah’s words, God “will teach His way, And we shall walk in His paths.” All this was to begin with “the law” going forth from Zion, and “the word of the Lord” spreading from Jerusalem (2:2-3). Daniel, less than two hundred years after Isaiah, used King Nebuchadnezzar’s vision to foretell the coming of “a kingdom which shall never be destroyed.” Daniel said God would establish a kingdom that would “break in pieces and consume” all earthly empires (2:44). By inspiration, Daniel here referred to a time in history when the Roman Empire ruled – under which Jesus was born, and the church or kingdom was established.
In the New Testament John the Baptist promised: “…the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:1-2), as did Jesus in Matthew 4:17. Some of the Lord’s disciples were told that they would not die before seeing the “kingdom of God present with power” (Mark 9:1). During His earthly ministry, Jesus promised: “I will build My church” (Matthew 16:18). And as late as His ascension, the apostles inquired, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6). He told them they could not know the time of this event; that they should wait in Jerusalem for God’s power and direction (Acts 1:7-8). All these predictions converged in fulfillment on that particular Jewish festival day, Pentecost, fifty days after the crucifixion; not more than ten days after Christ’s ascension. According to Jesus’ promises, the apostles were empowered by the Holy Spirit to speak God’s truth, and three thousand turned to Christ that day. Thus, the first congregation of the New Testament church on earth came into existence (Acts 2).
In our study, we have looked at a few of the more prominent New Testament designations for the church; “the Lord’s house” (Isaiah 2:2-3; 1 Timothy 3:15); “people of God” (1 Peter 2:9-10); and “body of Christ” (1 Corinthians 12:12-20).
The New Testament church was also given a definite mission or purpose for existing. Jesus charged His apostles to “… make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).
Christ also charged the church with caring for the poor, the underprivileged, the unfortunate, the depressed, and sick (Matthew 25:31-45; Galatians 6:10). To those who asked, “Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?” Christ answered hauntingly, “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to the least of these, you did not do it to Me” (Matthew 25:44-45).
Those who experience God’s reconciling love in Christ (which obviously includes all members of the New Testament church) were told by the Apostle Paul that God also granted them the “word of reconciliation.” That is, they were given the task of preaching Christ’s reconciling Gospel and living by Christ’s love and concern for all men (2 Corinthians 5:18-19; Ephesians 2:11-22). Never has a hate-filled world needed this message as much as today, and the responsibility of speaking and living the Gospel, the “word of reconciliation,” lies with the church – with Christians.
We have already considered the twenty-two New Testament designations (though not names of the church) [note: see lesson titled, “The Church Belongs to Jesus Christ”]. These designations point to the real unity that prevailed among all Christians in the first century – labels as we know them today were totally unnecessary because denominational separations were unknown.
To become a part of the church of the New Testament was to become a Christian. God “added to the church daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47). Membership in the church of the New Testament was the work of God within each and every obedient life. Whenever and wherever people heard the Gospel and accepted Christ, the church came into reality (Read Acts 2; Acts 8:4; 9:31).
Early Struggles: The church came into being and grew rapidly in a very hostile world. Persecutions against the very early Christians came from Jewish sources (Acts 4:1-23; 5:17-40; 6:8-7:60; 8:1-3; 9:1-2, 23, 24, 29-30; 12:1-4, etc.). However, from about the middle of that first century, or certainly by Nero’s time, Roman authorities began to realize that these “Messianic ones” (Christians [Acts 11:26]) were distinct from those who practiced traditional Judaism. Therefore, their existence was illegal – in contrast to Judaism. This brought on Roman opposition, suppression, and many other forms of persecution as the decades passed.
In this hostile climate, vicious rumors containing drastic charges were brought against Christians. This motivated the masses to hold Christians in contempt and mistreat them verbally and physically. The populace railed against Christians for worshiping a god they called “a crucified ass.” They were accused of cannibalism, incest, sensuous banquets, and many other things.
More reasoned pagan writers were no less contemptuous. They were quick to point out that Christianity was a “lower-class” phenomenon. They said its teachers were of no esteem in society and therefore had their greatest influence among the lower class and slaves. Christians were also viewed as being atheists because they would not honor Caesar as divine. They were accused of teaching absurd doctrines such as the resurrection from the dead from self- contradictory writings.
Even though 21st Century Christians face many struggles, still, the world in which early Christians lived and flourished is scarcely conceivable to most of us. The opposition, ridicule, and persecution came from every quarter. How did they respond? Two specific responses are germane for our attempt to examine the New Testament church.
First, it is obvious from the literature of this period that the Christians responded to the hostile opposition of the masses by living exemplary lives before them. The following lengthy quotation is by an unknown author from a document believed to be from the historical period under consideration. It is titled “The Epistle to Diognetus”: “They dwell in their own countries, but simply as sojourners. As citizens, they share in all things with others, and yet endure all things as if foreigners. Every foreign land is to them as their native country, and every land of their birth as a land of strangers. They marry, as do all [others]; they beget children; but they do not destroy their offspring. They have a common table, but not a common bed. They are in the flesh, but they do not live after the flesh. They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven. They obey the prescribed laws, and at the same time surpass the laws by their lives. They love all men, and are persecuted by all. They are unknown and condemned; they are put to death, and restored to life. They are poor, yet make many rich; they are in lack of all things, and yet abound in all; they are dishonoured, and yet in their very dishonour are glorified. They are evil spoken of, and yet are justified; they are reviled, and bless; they are insulted, and repay the insult with honour; they do good, yet are punished as evil-doers. When punished, they rejoice as if quickened into life; they are assailed by the Jews as foreigners, and are persecuted by the Greeks; yet those ho hate them are unable to assign any reason for their hatred” (quoted by Justo L. Gonzalez in A History of Christian Thought).
The second response came from Christian leaders, often referred to as “patristic apologists.” They answered the formal literary attacks of their pagan opponents. Athenagoras answered the charges of atheism. He wrote a treatise that dates from A.D. 177. It is obvious from the following quotation that his refutation of the charge of atheism was built upon a Trinitarian concept of God, although the word trinity had not yet been coined to express the concept. Athenagoras’ treatise is titled “A Plea for the Christians”: “But the Son of God is the Logos of the Father, in idea and in operation; for after the pattern of Him and by Him were all things made, the Father and the Son being one. And, the Son being in the Father and the Father in the Son, in oneness and power of spirit, the understanding and reason (nous kai logos) of the Father is the Son of God. But if, in your surpassing intelligence, it occurs to you to inquire what is meant by the Son, I will state briefly that He is the first product of the Father, not as having been brought into existence (for from the beginning, God, who is the eternal mind [nous], had the Logos in Himself, being from eternity instinct with Logos [logikos] … The Holy Spirit Himself also, which operates in the prophets, we assert to be an effluence of God, flowing from Him … Who, then, would not be astonished to hear men who speak of God the Father, and of God the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and who declare both their power in union and their distinction in order, called atheists?” (translated by B.P. Pratten in Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 2). The earliest struggles of Christians up to about the middle of the second century A.D. were against the ridicule of the masses and the literary attacks by prominent writers of the age. This went on while there was an increasing belligerence from the state. However, throughout the centuries struggle has been known by the church of our Lord; and no doubt such will continue until Jesus returns. After all, Satan has only one main focus – one purpose; one aim: destroy the Body of Christ.
The New Testament Church Today: Is it possible that the New Testament church can exist today? When the inspired New Testament becomes our sole guide in religion (2 Timothy 3:16- 17), when we surrender to Christ on His terms (Mark 16:16), when we please God in obedience to His Word (1 Corinthians 12:18), when we refuse the traditions, doctrines, and creeds of men, accepting only the unchanging message of Christ (Galatians 1:6-9), when we test every teaching, every organizational structure, every essential element of the church's life by the New Testament (Matthew 7:21-23), when every act of worship, every important mission or goal, and every idea has positive Biblical authority (Matthew 15:7-9), then and only then can the New Testament church exist in any generation.
Finally, and most importantly, the New Testament church is a reality today: among those who obey Christ in becoming and remaining obedient Christians (Hebrews 5:9), among those who have a positive instruction from God’s Word for every aspect of their lives (John 12:48).
Conclusion: We now face two issues. First, will we truly accept the New Testament as the trustworthy, sufficient, and eternal guide that it is – surrendering to the Gospel of Christ? And second, will we seek out or assemble a fellowship of believers whose teaching, practice, and worship is found in the New Testament? Christ’s body is realized in the lives of all who obediently give themselves to Him in the way the New Testament wonderfully and clearly reveals.
(Bible text is the New King James Version. Renderings from other translations are so noted.)
