INTRODUCTORY LESSON
Church Truths Series
1. What Is the Definition of a “Church”
a. The average person would define a church organization to be one that:
(1) is formed by a group of Christians who are gathered under a denominational name
(2) is held together by the adoption of a doctrinal creed
(3) is presided over by a regularly ordained “minister”
(4) has an ordained minister who administers the sacraments and presides over the worship
b. How would you define a church organization?
2. Why Do We Prefer The Word “Assembly” and Not “Church” When Speaking Of Our Local Fellowship?
a. For most people, “church” refers to either a denomination or a building that is used for “church” services
b. The word translated “church” in the New Testament of the KJV means neither of these
c. The Greek word, used over 100 times in the N.T. and translated “church”, is “ekklesia”
(1) Ekklesia is a compound word that means “a called out company”, “a gathering”, or “an assembly”
(2) In all but two instances (which occur in the book of the Acts), the word “church” refers to either the whole body of Christ (the Church universal), or a local portion of the whole body (a local church)
(3) The word refers to the people, not a denomination or a building
d. Because of the double meaning often given to the word “church” today (as described in “a” above), the word “assembly” is the preferable translation of “ekklesia”, since it more accurately conveys the meaning of the word when referring to the local church. It refers to the people, not the denomination orbuilding.
e. When people ask “Where do you go to church and what denomination do you belong to?”, what do you say?
3. “Doctrines Of The Faith”
a. There are certain truths – doctrines/teachings, in the New Testament that Bible-believing and teaching churches accept as being the “Doctrines of the Christian Faith”
b. Jude 3 says that “the faith” was (once for all) delivered unto the saints
c. The “faith” that the New Testament speaks of includes the “whole body of knowledge & teaching of Christianity “
d. Most evangelical, conservative Christian groups believe and teach these doctrines; they are not exclusive to any one group of churches or Christians
- Some Of Those Doctrines Are:
(1) The Bible is the inspired, inerrant Word of God that is the believer’s sole authority for faith and living
- II Timothy 3:16,17
(2) The Lord Jesus Christ is God incarnate, was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died for the sins of the whole world, and rose bodily from the dead.
- His virgin birth and sinless life - Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23; I Peter 2:22; II Cor 5:21; I John 3:5
- His substitutionary death - Isaiah 53:6; I Peter 2:24; Romans 5:8
- His resurrection - Luke 24:6; Acts 2:32; Romans 4:25; Col 2:12
(3) Christ rose again the third day from the grave and ascended into heaven where He intercedes for His own
- His ascension and intercession - Hebrews 1:3; 7:25; I John 2:1
(4) Redemption is by the blood of Christ and is available to “whosoever will believe”
- Redemption by His blood - I Peter 1:18,19; Ephesians 1:7; Col 1:14
(5) Sinners are saved by grace, through faith in Christ, and they are eternally secure in Christ
- Salvation is by grace, through faith – Ephesians 2:8,9
- The saved sinner is eternally secure in Christ – John 10:27,28
(6) Christ is coming to take His Church to be with Himself before He judges the earth – I Thessalonians 4:13-18
(7) Heaven and hell are real places: believers go to Heaven, unbelievers go to Hell for eternity – Jn 5:28,29
(8) God is one God, existing in three Persons - We call this the “Trinity”
- Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God . . . “ - “God” comes from the Hebrew word “Elohim”, which is plural
- Passages that refer to the three Persons of the Trinity:
- II Corinthians 13:14; John 14:16,17; Matthew 28:19; I John 4:12-15
- The three Persons of the God-head are co-equal, but we often say that:
- God, the Father is the 1st Person of the Godhead
- God, the Son is the 2nd Person of the Godhead
- God, the Spirit is the 3rd Person of the Godhead
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4. Church Truths and Assembly Distinctives
a. In these lessons we will study some of the truths and practices concerning the church which were taught and practiced in the early days of the New Testament Church
b. Many of these truths/distinctives have been either rejected outright, or intentionally or unintentionally “forgotten” by many denominations and /or local churches over the years since the early Church
c. As our lessons develop, we will see that there are local churches that have chosen to return to those
New Testament truths and practices within their assemblies today
d. These truths and practices are not the “Doctrines of the Faith” which were described in section #3
e. We will call them “church truths”, or “assembly distinctives”
f. Some of these church truths and assembly distinctives are:
(1) There is One Body (Ephesians 4:4)
(a) All believers in Christ are members of the Body of Christ
(b) God deplores division within the Body
(c) Christ is the Head of the Body
(2) The Bible is our only authority for faith and practice
(3) The Holy Spirit is Christ’s Representative in the Church
(4) All believers are priests and are free to offer “spiritual sacrifices” to the Lord
(5) All of the spiritual gifts are allowed to function within the local church
(6) Local assemblies (churches) are led by elders and deacons
(7) Believers’ baptism and the weekly observance of the Lord’s Supper are practiced
(8) Christians who meet Scriptural requirements are welcomed into the fellowship of the assembly
(9) The second coming of Christ is taught and loved (they “love His appearing”)
5. Titles of Lessons Dealing with Scriptural Principles/Assembly Distinctives/Church Truths That We Will Consider:
- Introductory Lesson – Some Doctrines of the Faith and Church Truths and Assembly Distinctives
- Three Pictures of the Church in the Bible (This is not a “distinctive” as such, but is helpful in understanding Christ’s view of His Church)
- There Is One Body
- The Priesthood of the Believer
- Spiritual Gifts
- Elders in the Local Church
- The Worship and Prayer meetings
- Reception Into the Assembly Fellowship
- Headship and Headcovering
- Christian Giving
- The Local Church and Finances
- Believer’s Baptism
- The Lord’s Supper
- The Role of Women In the Church
- Love and the Church
6. Many of the Statementsin this Series are either Paraphrases or Quotes from these Publications and Several Others:
(Footnotes were not written while compiling the lessons, so this blanket acknowledgement is given instead.)
Christ Loved the Church by William MacDonald
Assembly Distinctives by Harold Mackay
The Christian Assembly by J.R. Littleproud
Why? New Testament Principles Today by G. Fred Hamilton
The Church and Its Order According To Scripture by Samuel Ridout
Church Doctrine and Practice edited by John Heading and Cyril Hocking
An Introduction to a Study of Church Truths ANDScriptural Principles of Gathering Both by Alfred P. Gibbs
Christ the Centre by Charles Stanley
The Church Truths Series from Spread the Word
Miscellaneous Writings by August Van Ryn
A Return To First Principles by Hugh Kane