Lesson 1
Identification

Study Compiled by Kevin L. Ziegler, Evangelist
at South Side Church of Christ, Danville, IL 61832
 southside.restorationplea.com

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Introduction
  • Matthew 16:16-19 - "Upon this rock I will build My church."
  • The local church is in the eternal purpose of God.
  • Let men say what they please, the church with its affairs, its origins, fortunes, and consummation, is the most simple and elevated theme to which the mind of man, to which the towering hierarchies of heaven can aspire…Let haughty mortals, aspiring to be gods on earth, frown and fret. The eternal glory of the church stands engraven on her gates and towers as the final consummation of God's eternal purpose in creation, providence, and redemption.
  • There is an essential unity of Christ, the Word of Christ and the church of Christ.
  • The rejection of Christ means the rejection of His Word and His Church. The rejection of the Word of Christ -- the sacred Scriptures, means the rejection of Christ and His Church. The rejection of the church of Christ means the rejection of Christ and His Word.
  • Myths about the New Testament Church
  • The church is a building.
  • The church is a service.
  • The church is outdated.
  • The church is a business to be run.
  • All "churches" are in this together. "We are all going to the same place". Hence, we can "chose the church of our choice".
I. The Local Church as Ekklesia (the "called out")
  • The word "church," which is derived from kuriakos, "of or belonging to the Lord," represents in the English Versions of the Bible of the New Testament the Greek word ekklesia; Latin, ecclesia. It is with the signification of this word ekklesia as it meets us in the New Testament, and with the nature of the society which the word is there used to describe, that the present article is concerned.

  • In the KJV translated church 115 times and assembly three times.
  • Ekklesia in the New Testament referred to:
  • A gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place, an assembly.
  • An assembly of the people convened at the public place of the council for the purpose of deliberating.
  • The assembly of the Israelites.
  • Any gathering or throng of men assembled by chance, tumultuously.
  • An assembly of Christians gathered for worship in a religious meeting.
  • Those who anywhere, in a city, village, constitute such a company and are united into one body.
  • The whole body of Christians scattered throughout the earth.
  • The assembly of faithful Christians already dead and received into heaven.

Blue Letter Bible. "Dictionary and Word Search for 'ekklesia (Strong's 1577) ' " . Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2002. 21 May 2004.

Click here for Thayer's Lexicon.
  • Christians as those who have answered a divine call: I Thessalonians 2:12; II Thessalonians 2:14.
  • Christians as those who stand distinct from the world: Ephesians 4:17.
  • Christians as those who congregate in affirmation of their identity: Acts 20:7.
II. The local church is the church!
  • The Reformation concept of ecclesia invisibilis - the invisible church.
  • Sample of this teaching: The Reformers introduced the terminology "visible" and invisible" Church. By this they did not mean two distinct and separate Churches, but rather two classes of Christians within the same outward communion. The invisible Church is in the visible Church, as the soul is in the body, or the kernel in the shell, but God only knows with certainty who belong to the invisible Church and will ultimately be saved; and in this sense his true children are invisible, that is, not certainly recognizable and known to men. We may object to the terminology, but the distinction is real and important.

History of the Christian Church, Volume VIII: Modern Christianity. The Swiss Reformation. by Schaff, Philip (1819-1893).
  This was an attempt to reconcile the corrupted earthly institution with the biblical ideal. It is platonic dualism.

 		 Plato's Allegory of the Cave (4th c. B.C.)
Plato, Republic, Book 7
    And now, I [Plato] said, let me show in a figure how far our nature is enlightened or unenlightened: Behold, imagine human beings living in an underground den which has a mouth open towards the light and reaching all along the den; here they have been from their childhood, and have their legs and necks chained so that they cannot move, and can only see before them, being prevented by the chains from turning round their heads.  Above and behind them a fire is blazing at a distance, and between the fire and the prisons there is a raised way; and you will see, if you look, a low wall built along the way, like the screen which marionette players have in front of them, over which they show the puppets.
    I see.
    And do you see, I said, men passing all along the wall carrying all sorts of vessels, and statues and figures of animals made of wood and stone and various materials, which appear over the wall?  Some of them are talking, others silent.
    You have shown me a strange image, and they are strange prisoners.
    Like ourselves, I replied; and they see only their own shadows, or the shadows of one another, which the fire throws on the opposite wall of the cave?
    True, he said; how could they see anything but the shadows if they were never allowed to move their heads?
    And of the objects which are being carried in like manner they would only see the shadows?
    Yes, he said.
    And if they were able to converse with one another, would they not suppose that they were naming what was actually before them?
    Very true.
    And suppose further that the prison had an echo which came from the other side, would they not be sure to fancy when one of the passersby spoke that the voice which they heard came from the passing shadows?
    No question, he replied.
    To them, I said, the truth would be literally nothing but the shadows of the images.
    That is certain.

The allegory ends with one getting free, ascending from the cave and seeing the true light, then returning to the cave but being unable to convince the others of what he has seen.

For more information on dualism: The Jewish Roman World of Jesus. Dr. James D. Tabor.
  • The church exists universally, and local church membership is not coextensive (Having the same limits, boundaries, or scope) with the Book of Life, but this is not the doctrine of ecclesia invisibilis.
III. New Testament Images of the Local Church
  • The Body of Christ: Ephesians 1:22,23; Romans 12:4-8; I Corinthians 12:12-31.
  • The Temple of God: I Corinthians 3:9-17; Ephesians 2:21,22; I Peter 2:5.
  • God's Cultivated Field/Vineyard: I Corinthians 3:1-9; 9:7; Matthew 21:33-41; Matthew 13:1-9 cf. 18-23; 24-30; 36-43.
  • Christ's Flock: John 10:1-16; Acts 20:28-30; I Peter 5:1-4.
  • The Bride of Christ (elect): Ephesians 5:25-32; John 3:29; Revelation 19:7; 21:2-4; 22:16; II Corinthians 11:2; Matthew 22:1-10.
  • The Household of God: Ephesians 2:19; 3:15; Galatians 6:10; I Timothy 3:15.
  • The Israel of God: Galatians 6:16; I Peter 2:9,10; Romans 9:25,26; Matthew 19:28; James 1:1; (Hebrews 12:22 & Revelation. 21:2).
  • Salt of the earth: Matthew 5:13.
  • Light of the world: Matthew 5:14.
  • Letter from Christ: II Corinthians 3:2-3.
  • Fishers of men: Mark 1:17; Matthew 4:19.
  • Unleavened bread: I Corinthians 5:7.
  • One loaf: I Corinthians 10:6-17.
  • New wine: Mark 2:22.
  • Branches of the Vine: John 15.
  • Fig tree: Luke 13:6-9; Mark 11:12-14; Matthew 15:13.
  • Olive tree: Romans 11:13-24.
  • God's planting: I Corinthians 3:9.
  • God's building: I Corinthians 3:9.
  • Building on the Rock: Matthew 16:18-19.
  • Pillar and Buttress: I Timothy 3:5, 15; Revelation 3:12.
  • Virgins: Matthew 25:1-13; Revelation 14:1-4.
  • Elect lady: II John 1:1; I Peter 5:13.
  • Wedding feast: Mark 2:19; Matthew 22:1-10; Revelation 19:9.
  • Wearers of white robes: Matthew 22:1-4; Revelation 19:7.
  • Clothed with Christ: Galatians 3:27.
  • Citizens: Ephesians 2:19; Galatians 6:10; Philippians 3:20.
  • Exiles: I Peter 1:1; 2:11; Hebrews 11:13; Ephesians 2:12-19.
  • Dispersion: James 1:1; I Peter 1:1.
  • Ambassadors: II Corinthians 5:18-21.

Many of the images are from a paper by James Strauss entitled: "Church and Christians: A Study in Images".
IV. Significant Characteristics Required of the Church in the New Testament
  • Fidelity to the Apostles' Doctrine: I John 2:24-28.
  • No respecter of persons: James 2:1-9; Acts 11:1-18.
  • Expecting the Return of Jesus: James 5:8; Philippians 3:20.
  • Obedient to the Word of Christ: Philippians 2:12-16.
  • Jealous of its freedom in Christ: Colossians 2:8-23.
  • Earnest and faithful in prayer: Acts 2:42.
  • United: Ephesians 4:3-6.
  • Missionary minded: Acts 13:1-3.
  • Generous to sister congregations: II Corinthians 8, 9.
  • Faithful in the Lord's Supper: I Corinthians 11:23-34.
  • Given to agape: I John 4:7-21.
V. The Glorious Destiny of the Church in the New Testament
  • The defeat of death: Matthew 16:18; I Corinthians 15:54,55; Revelation 1:18; 21:1-4.
  • The Return of Jesus and the resurrection of the saints: I Thessalonians 4:13-5:11; I Corinthians 15:50-58.
  • Eternal fellowship with God: Revelation 21:3.
Click here to read George Faull's satire entitled: Beware of the Church of Christ.

Some of this outline was adapted from an outline by Dr. Roger Chambers on the New Testament Church.