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This course consists of 10 lessons. After you submit the
answers to the questions they will be reviewed by the course manager. Remember, there is a FREE
gift to those who complete ALL TEN lessons.
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Upon Peter's confession of faith
that Jesus was the Christ Jesus replied that this fact was the rock upon which He would build
His church.
(Matthew 16:16-18)
"And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. |
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As you read the passage, you get the
idea that Jesus thought He was announcing something of great importance: "I will
build My church." |
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In the Bible, the word
"church" never refers to any kind of physical building, denomination, group of
denominations, or any kind of human religious hierarchy. The church which Jesus built is a
spiritual building made up of redeemed people. Its foundation is the fact of Jesus' identity as
God's Son and the gospel is the tool used to build it.
(Romans 1:16) "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." (2 Thessalonians 2:14)
"Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ."
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The term "church" is a
collective (mass) noun like the words "flock" or "crowd" and is made up of
multiple parts. The church is made up of all people who have answered God's call. They have been
redeemed from sin by the blood of Christ. The church consists of all people who are disciples
of Jesus.
(Acts 8:3) "As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women, committed them to prison." (Acts 9:1) "And Saul, yet
breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high
priest," |
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The word translated
"church" simply means "called out". Those who make up the church have
been "set apart" or "sanctified". All disciples are called "saints."
(Acts 9:13) "Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:" (1 Corinthians 1:2) "Unto
the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be
saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs
and ours:" |
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The answer to the age-old question
"must one be a member of the church to be saved?" becomes obvious when one realizes
that the church is the saved and the saved are the church; that is, those who have been
purchased by the blood of Christ.
(Acts 20:28) "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood." |
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Notice that the word
"church" is used in both a local as well as general sense in the Bible. In the local
sense it refers to the saved at a particular city or place who have joined together to work and
worship.
(Romans 16:1) "I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea:" (Romans 16:5) "Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my well-beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ." (Romans 16:16) "Salute
one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you." |
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The Bible shows that these groups of
people are locally organized and independent of one another. But in the general sense there is
only one church made up of faithful disciples everywhere. Most of the references which
we will consider use the term "church" in that general sense. |
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GOD DESCRIBES HIS CHURCH |
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We can see the high value God places
on His church by the terms He has chosen to describe it. He refers to the church as His family
or household.
(Ephesians 2:19-20)
"Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and
of the household of God; |
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Members of the church are in
Christ's Kingdom.
(Colossians 1:13) "Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:" |
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Christians, members of Christ's church,
are described as members of Christ's body -- over which Jesus is the Head.
(Ephesians 1:22-23) "And hath put all
things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, |
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Since God dwells in His church it
is also called His temple.
(1 Corinthians 3:16) "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? |
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See how important the
church is? If it is important to you to be a child in God's family, a citizen of His kingdom, a
member of Christ's body, and one in whom the Spirit of God dwells, then it will be
equally important to be a member of Christ's church! |
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JESUS AND HIS CHURCH |
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Jesus is the center of God's
purpose. When we see His special relationship to His church we will also know more
about the church's importance.
Jesus gave Himself up for the church and loves His church. (Ephesians 5:23) "For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body." |
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The church has always been a part
of God's plan to bring about eternal redemption through His Son. Far be it from us to dismiss
it as not essential or as a last minute addition to God's plan!
(Ephesians 3:9-11) "And to make all men
see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid
in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: |
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THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH |
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The purpose of the church is to
bring glory to God. "To Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all
generations..."
(Ephesians 3:21) "Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen." |
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The church sounds forth the word
of the Lord.
(1 Thessalonians 1:8) "For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing." |
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When the local church assembles it
is for the encouragement of its members.
(Hebrews 10:24-25) "And let us consider
one another to provoke unto love and to good works: |
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The church must not fail to uphold
the truth.
(1 Timothy 3:15) "But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth." |
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It seems today as if many churches
are engaged in about whatever business you can imagine. It is time to get back to the basics! |
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UNITY AND THE CHURCH |
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Jesus prayed for His disciples'
unity. However, it was not to be unity at any cost! It was to be based upon a mutual acceptance
of His word. It was to be the kind of oneness that Jesus had with His Father.
(John 17:11) "And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are." (John 17:17) Sanctify them through thy truth:
thy word is truth." |
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Did you know that religious
division and the things which cause it are strongly spoken against in the Bible? Some think it
is fine to have so many differing denominations with various creeds, organizations and
leaders. The word "denomination" means "division" and while having so many
denominations may offer a greater selection, they do not please God and that ought to
be our foremost priority! What does God think about this division?
(1 Corinthians 1:10-13) "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. |
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How many faiths, religious bodies,
and so forth can we have and still find God's approval? The Bible, God's word, says there
should be only one!
(Ephesians 4:4-6) "There is one body,
and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; |
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The fact that men became
religiously divided did not surprise God. He saw it coming before it ever happened.
(1 Timothy 4:1-3) "Now the Spirit
speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to
seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; |
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THE LOCAL CHURCH |
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When the Bible speaks of a group of
God's children in fellowship with one another as a church, it does so in a local sense. Whenever
possible, Christians in the first century joined or associated themselves with a local
church (congregation).
(Acts 9:26) "And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple." |
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This was and is God's will.
But not every local church is pleasing to God. Even in the New Testament some churches were warned that if they did not return to the way of the Lord that He would refuse to recognize them any longer. (Revelation 2:5) "Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent." |
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We must exercise care in
identifying with a local church. |
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CONCLUSION |
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Of which church should you be a
member? What is your purpose in joining a church? If it is to please God, then you will insist
upon a church that accepts Jesus' authority in all matters because it recognizes Him as its
only Head. It will recognize no church law other than His. It will involve itself only in
those works that the Lord has given to it. According to Jesus, anything less renders worship
vain and separates one from God.
(Matthew 15:9) "But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." (2 John 1:9) "Whosoever transgresseth, and
abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of
Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son." |
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LESSON #10 is entitled "KEPT BY GOD'S POWER". It
concludes this series by looking at how Jesus gives hope to His disciples. We will see the
need for endurance and consider God's warnings about falling away. We will also
discuss the wonderful security that true disciples have in Christ.
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QUESTIONS FOR LESSON NINE
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FORM TITLE
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1. WHAT DID JESUS BUILD? |
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A. Describe the people out of which Jesus builds His church. B. What does the word translated "church" mean? C. What did God purchase and what was the price he paid? D. In what two senses is the word "church" used in the Bible? |
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2. GOD DESCRIBES HIS CHURCH |
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A. What do "household of God", "kingdom of God's Son", "body of Christ" and "temple of God"
all refer to? B. Are being a part of these important to you? |
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3. JESUS AND THE CHURCH |
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A. Read EPHESIANS 5:23-27 and list
at least four aspects of Jesus' relationship with His church. |
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4. THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH |
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A. EPHESIANS 3:21 says, "Unto him be in the by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen." |
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5. UNITY AND THE CHURCH |
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A. What does God think about division? (EPHESIANS 4:4-6) |
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6. THE LOCAL CHURCH |
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A. What warning did Jesus give the church at Ephesus? B. Jesus said the church at Philadelphia had done two good things. What were they? C. Does the doctrine taught by a church really matter? D. What is the most important thing to consider when choosing a local church? Additional comments or questions: |
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YOUR NAME (First initial and last name.) (So we can keep track of who is taking each lesson!) |