1 THE LOCAL CHURCH IN GOD S PLAN Lesson One INTRODUCTION: 1. I want us to study some lessons on the subject: THE LOCAL CHURCH IN GOD S PLAN. 2. These lessons are needed in order to remove misunderstanding concerning it, its work, and our place and responsibility in the local church. I. THE MEANING OF THE WORD CHURCH : 1. The word church comes from the Greek word EKKLESIA. 2. EKKLESIA basically means an assembly, a congregation, a called-out group or body. 3. The word EKKLESIA appears 115 times in the New Testament. 4. This word was not coined by Christ, but was in general use by the Greekspeaking people. 5. Among the GREEK, the word never had any religious significance. 6. The word is used in Acts 19: 32, 39, 31 without any religious significance. 7. The congregation of Israelites, under the Old Testament, is called the church. Acts 7: 38 8. The word CHURCH accurately describes God s people. (1) They have been called out of: 1. Sin unto holiness of living. I Thess. 4:7 2. Out of darkness unto the kingdom of Christ. Col. 1:13 3. Out of darkness into light. Eph. 5:8; I Thess. 5:5; Acts 26: 18 (2) They have been called by the gospel. II Thess. 2: 13 14; Gal. 1:15
2 II. BASIC USE AND MEANING OF THE WORD CHURCH IN THE NEW TESTAMENT: 1. Used in the UNIVERSAL SENSE: (1) All who have been called by the gospel and redeemed by the blood of Christ make up the church universal. Matt. 16: 18; Heb. 12: 22 23; Acts 2:47; Eph. 2:6; Eph. 1: 22 23 (2) This great assembly does not congregate in ONE BODY on the earth. (3) The CHURCH UNIVERSAL is a SPIRITUAL RELATIONSHIP with the GODHEAD. I Cor. 1:9; Matt. 28: 19 (4) It has no ORGANIZATION. (5) It has no MISSION. (6) It is NOT FUNCTIONAL. (Not a functional body.) 2. The church in the LOCAL SENSE: (1) Disciples of the Lord in a given particular locality that have agreed to assemble together and band together for worship and work are referred to as the church. 1. The church at JERUSALEM. Acts 8:1 A. They worshipped together. Acts 2:42 B. This church was together. Acts 2:44 a. Were united. b. Were joined in the same thing. c. They were of one mind. Acts 4:32 2. The church at ANTIOCH.
3 A. This church assembled for worship. Acts 11: 26 B. They were exhorted to have RESOLUTION OF MIND; they would adhere to the Lord. Acts 11: 23 C. This church was well-supplied with teachers. Acts 13:1 (2) When the local church is convened in one place to worship, this is called THE CHURCH. I Cor. 14: 19, 33, 34-35; I Cor. 11: 18 20 1. The church at Corinth was the Lord s called-out, whether congregated or not, but this assembly congregated. I Cor. 14: 23 2. The church at Antioch. Acts 14: 26 27 (3) We read of the local church in the DISTRIBUTIVE sense. Acts 8: 1 3 1. In this sense, the church is viewed as individuals go about their respective duties. 2. The point is that he bound individuals who were members of the church at Jerusalem. 3. He is referring to the members of the called out body, rather than to the assembly as a unit. (4) There is a clear distinction between individual and collective action. 1. I Tim. 5: 16 church is referred to as it. 2. Matt. 18: 15 17 3. Acts 5: 1 11 There is a difference in the money at the apostle s feet, and their money. 4. COLLECTIVE ACTION: A. Philippi sent to Paul. Phil. 4: 15 18 B. Churches of Macedonia. II Cor. 11: 8 9
(5) Church is used to refer to a local group of saints with a FIXED MEMBERSHIP, existing as an ENTITY, whether ASSEMBLED OR NOT. 1. The church at Corinth: A. I Cor. 14: 23 B. There was a fixed membership that identified them as the church at Corinth. I Cor. 1:2 2. Certain people were identified with the church at Antioch. A. Acts 13: 1 3. Phoebe was identified with the church at Cenchrea. A. Rom. 16:1 4. Epaphroditus was identified with the church at Philippi. A. Phil. 2: 25 5. Jerusalem church. A. Acts 15: 22 6. Diotrephes was identified with a local church. A. III John 9 10 7. Elders were identified with a particular flock or local church. A. I Pet. 5: 1 3 B. Acts 20: 28 (6) CHURCH may refer to the local group of saints DISTINCT from its elders. 1. The Ephesian elders were told to feed the church. Acts 20:28 4
A. Paul called the Ephesian elders to him at Miletus. Acts 20:17 5 2. The Jerusalem church. A. Elders and apostles distinct from the church. Acts 15: 4, 22 3. The church at Philippi. A. Elders and deacons distinct from the church. Phil. 1:1 B. All the church in Phil. 4:15. DONALD TOWNSLEY