Radio Transcript

WHY I’M A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST (01)

INTRODUCTION TO A STUDY OF THE CHURCH

Broadcast Date – January 6^th, 2002

Why are you a member of the particular religious group with which you are affiliated? Many people are members of their particular religious group for a variety of reasons. For example, some may be members of a church because their parents were members of that church; it’s simply the church in which they were reared. Or perhaps they are members of a church because their spouse is a member. You might say they "married into their church." You might be a member of a church because it is a popular church. Others may say they go to a particular church because it is the closest building to where they live, or perhaps the nicest building.

But friends, can we really say these reasons are acceptable to God? Remember, there is such a thing as vain religion. In Matthew 15:9, Jesus condemned the Pharisees of vain religion because they obeyed the commandments of men, rather than the commandments of God. What is the only reason for being a member of a particular church? Because it is a scriptural church. Because it is the church we read about in the Bible. Friends, the idea that we can be members of the one church we read about in the New Testament is not arrogant; it is merely what God expects of us.

No doubt you have at one time heard someone encourage you to attend the "church of your choice." But this sentiment originated with man and cannot be found in the Bible. In order for God to approve of such a statement as "attend the church of your choice," it would also have to be assumed that one church was as good as another. It would have to be true that all churches are right, or that the differences between churches simply do not matter.

In Matthew 16:18, Jesus said, "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Friends, it is possible to be a member of the church of which Jesus spoke. It is possible to be a member of the church that existed in the first century, the church we read about in the New Testament.

This series of lessons will provide you with a number of Biblical reasons why I am a member of the church of Christ and why you should be too.

A study of the New Testament church is important for a number of reasons. First, a study of the New Testament church is important because the church is important. The importance of the church becomes obvious when we consider the purchase price that was paid for the church. Consider the words of the apostle Paul, spoken to the elders at Ephesus. "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood" (Acts 20:28). Peter spoke of this blood as precious. "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:" (I Peter 1:18-19).

The church is important because Christ and his church are inseparable. You may on occasion hear someone say, "Just preach Christ! I don’t want to hear what you believe about the church!" Many people want to have fellowship with Christ, yet have no desire to have fellowship with Christ’s church.

But consider Acts 8:5: "Then Phillip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them." But what exactly was involved in Peter’s preaching? When Peter preached Christ, what exactly did Phillip preach? Friends, look at Acts 8:12: "But when they believed Phillip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women." From verse twelve I know that when Phillip preached Christ he preached those things concerning the kingdom, that is, the church. When Phillip preached Christ he preached those things concerning the name, or authority, of Christ. When Phillip preached Christ he preached about baptism.

Friends, it is not possible to preach about Christ without preaching about his church. Christ and his church are inseparable. Christ is the head of his church. The church is Christ’s body. Notice the words of the apostle Paul, written to the church at Ephesus: "And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all" (Ephesians 1:22-23).

The inseparability of Christ and his church can be seen in the fact that Christ is king and the church is his kingdom. Notice Jesus’ words in Matthew 16:18-19: "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." Notice Jesus used the words church and kingdom interchangeably with one another.

The inseparability of the Christ and his church can be seen in the fact that Christ is a bridegroom and the church is his bride. Notice the apostle Paul’s words written to the church at Corinth: "Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: for I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ" (II Corinthians 11:1-2).

The inseparability of Christ and his church can be seen in the fact that Christ is the good shepherd, those persons in the church are his flock. Jesus said, "I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep" (John 10:11).

The fact that Christ and his church are inseparable can be realized when we understand that Christ is the owner, the church is his possession. The church has been purchased with Christ’s own blood (Acts 20:28).

The inseparability of Christ and his church can be seen in the fact that Christ is the builder; the church is his building. Paul wrote, "For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building" (I Corinthians 3:9).

Despite what the Bible teaches concerning the church, many today are engaged in efforts to minimize its importance. Many want to alter the church to the point where it has only a slight resemblance to the church in the bible.

Second, a study of the church is important because of the numerous misconceptions many people have concerning the church. Some people look at the church as an afterthought. Many people believe Christ came to earth in order to establish an earthly kingdom but, when the Jews rejected him, he established his church instead. Pre-millennialists believe Christ’s kingdom is yet to come.

Friends, pre-millennialism is a false doctrine. To believe the doctrine of pre-millennialism requires that you believe Christ was a failure. But friends, Christ is no failure! The Bible teaches that Christ’s church was not an afterthought, but was a part of God’s eternal purpose to save man (Ephesians 3:8-11).

Another common misconception concerning the church is that the Lord’s church is just another religious group, just another denomination, and one among many. Admittedly, a person can be easily confused when he sees the many different religious groups in existence, each going by a different name, worshipping in a different manner, and teaching a different doctrine. Yet all claim to be following Christ.

It is only natural to ask the question, Can all of these groups be right? Is one church as good as another? If they can’t all be right, which one is right? How can I know which one is right?

It is not God’s desire that the current situation exists, for God is not the author of confusion (I Corinthians 14:33). The apostle Paul spoke out against division such as is in existence today. "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment" (I Corinthians 1:10). Jesus prayed that all who believe in him would be one (John 17:17-23). Would Jesus pray for something that is not possible? Certainly not!

How then is it possible for all who believe in Christ to be one? Imagine placing a ruler and a box together on a table. When different people measure the box, they would all get the same dimensions provided they used the same ruler.

Likewise, religious unity is possible only when we all use the same standard, that is, the word of God. When a man’s creed contains less than the Bible, it contains too little. When a man’s creed contains more than the Bible, it contains too much. When a man’s creed contains only the Bible, it is not necessary, for the Bible alone is sufficient to meet man’s needs. Paul wrote, "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 perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works" (II Timothy 3:16-17).

Friends, the church of Christ is not a denomination. The word "church," when used in the New Testament in reference to the saved is used in two ways. It is used to speak of the church in the universal sense, that is, all the saved everywhere. This is the sense in which Jesus used the word church in Matthew 16:18. The word church is also used to refer to the saved in a particular geographic area who meet as one assembly to worship. This is the sense in which Paul used the word church in I Corinthians 1:2: "Unto the church of God which is at Corinth." But the word church is never used in the Bible to refer to a denomination.

Third, a study of the church is important because a person cannot be saved from his sins apart from the church. The Lord adds the saved to his church (Acts 2:47). Christ is the savior of the body (Ephesians 5:23). That body is the church (Colossians 1:18).

A person cannot be saved from his sins without being a child of God, having God as his spiritual father. Thus, a person cannot be saved without being in the church, because it is the church that is spoken of as the family of God (I Timothy 3:15).

Friends, I encourage you to study the remainder of lessons in this series as together we consider the important subject of Christ’s church.