THE DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH

Why is it so important to study the doctrine of the Church?

a. Because the Church is the only institution that Christ ever purposed to build (Mt. 16:18).
b. Because the Church was in God’s plan from the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:3-5, 9-12; II Tim.
1:9).
c. Because the Church is the vehicle through which God’s eternal purpose will be accomplished
(Eph. 3:8-11).
d. Because the Church is the apple of God’s eye and the Bride Christ (Eph.5:25-32).

What does the word “church” mean?

1. A building for Christian worship.

2. A regular religious service or public worship.
3. A denomination or sect.

B. The word “church” in the New Testament comes from the Greek word ekklesia which literally means
“called out ones.”

1. In Greek society an ekklesia was an assembly of free citizens called out from their homes or places of
business to give consideration to matters of public interest (Acts 19:32, 39, 41).

2. In relation to God’s people, it refers to all those people who have been called out from the world (I
Pet. 2:9), who have separated themselves unto God and who have gathered unto the Lord for worship
and fellowship.

What did Jesus teach about the church?

Jesus specifically mentioned the church

twice in His teaching and in each case He
referred to a different aspect of the church.

A. In Matthew 16:13-19 Jesus referred to the universal church (also called the invisible, mystical or
catholic church) that consists of all believers living and dead from all ages who have been called out of
the world system and who have separated themselves unto Christ.

1. Jesus implied that the universal church would be:

a. Based on the confession of Jesus Christ as the Son of God (vs 15-17).
b. Built by Christ Himself (vs. 18).
c. Owned by Christ Himself (vs. 18).
d. Unified into one (vs. 18).
e. Victorious over the powers and authority of hell (vs. 18-19).
 f. Powerfully administrating God’s heavenly kingdom on earth (vs. 19).
g. Fully supported and backed up by heaven’s authority (vs. 19).

2. Paul adds to the concept of the universal church in the Book of Ephesians (Eph. 1:22; 3:10; 3:21;
5:25-32).
1. The Church is the spiritual body of Christ and is to be under His headship (Eph. 1:15-22).

2. The Church is the instrument of God to bring forth the eternal purpose of God (Eph. 3:10-11).
3. The church is not a temporary institution (Eph. 3:20-21).

3. The development of the universal Church can be outlined in five steps.

a. It was conceived in the mind of God from all eternity (Eph. 3:9).
b. It was provided for on the cross by Jesus Christ (Acts 20:28).
c. It was birthed on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-21).

d. It has been growing throughout the ages (Acts 8:5-25; 10:1-48; 28:31).

e. It will culminate at the return of Christ when the bride will be ready to be united with her heavenly
husband (Rev. 19:7-8).

B. In Matthew 18:15-20 Jesus referred to the local church (also called the visible church) or a specific
body of believers in a given locality.

1. Composed of people who are called “brothers” (vs. 15).

Implications

 The local church is a place of committed relationships.

 The local church is meant to be a family setting.
 The local church is a place of close relationships.
 The local church is to be a place of belonging.

2. An assembly where accountability exists between members (vs. 15-17).

Implications:

 The local church is not perfect; there will be problems to work through.
 The local church must be committed to the process of conflict resolution.
 The local church is a place where God has provided the means for conflicts to be resolved.

3. An assembly where discipline occurs (vs. 15-17).

Implications:

 The local church is not a loose-knit group having no responsibility or accountability toward one
another.
 The local church is a place where we get involved in each other’s lives.
  The local church is a place where sin is confronted and discipline is administered.

4. An assembly where God has established authority (vs. 18).

Implications:

 The local church is vested with the authority of heaven.

 God supports the disciplining actions of the local church.
 To be disciplined by the local church is to be disciplined by Christ.

5. A defined body from which you could be expelled (vs. 17).

Implications:

 The local church is a place where you are known to be a part.

 The local church is a place from which you can be expelled.
 You are either a part of a local church or you are not.

6. An assembly of fellowship in faith and prayer (vs. 19).

Implications:

 The local church is a place of gathering together.

 The local church is a place of corporate asking.
 The local church is a place where there is an expectation for God to act.

7. An assembly where Christ promises to dwell (vs. 20).

Implications:

 The local church is a habitation for God by His Spirit.

 The local church is place of a unique manifestation of God’s presence.

8. An assembly that gathers around the name of Christ (vs. 20).

Implications:

 The local church is dedicated to the exaltation of Christ.

 The local church carries the authority of the name of Christ.
 The local church is to be a representative of that name to the world.

9. An assembly that is based on unity for its success (vs. 19).

Implications:

 Its power is dependent upon it.

 The presence of God is released when it occurs.
 It is something that must be worked at (Eph. 4:1-3).

10. An assembly whose success is going to be dependent upon a lot of love, patience and forgiveness
(vs. 21ff).
What aspect of the Church becomes the major focus of the New Testament?

A. Out of approximately 110 references to the Church of Jesus Christ in the New Testament, clearly 96 of
these references refer to the local or the visible church.

What are some of the names and titles of the Church?

B. Actually there are over 70 names and titles in both the Old and New Testaments that refer directly or
indirectly to the Church of Jesus Christ.

What is the relationship of the Church in the Old Testament to the Church in the New Testament?

1. Israel was an object of God’s grace (Deut. 7:6-10).

2. Israel was called out of bondage (Ex. 3:7-8).
3. Israel experienced a Passover deliverance (Ex. 12).
4. Israel became separated unto God by virtue of baptism in the sea and in the cloud (I Cor. 10:1-4).
5. Israel was to be distinct from the pagan nations (Ex. 11:7; Lev. 20:22-26).

II.

1. We were objects of God’s grace (Eph. 2:8-9).

2. We were called out of bondage (Eph. 2:1-3).
3. We have experienced our personal Passover deliverance (I Cor. 5:7-8).
4. We have been separated unto God by virtue of water baptism and Holy Spirit baptism (Acts
2:38-39; Rom. 6-8).
5. We are to be distinct from the world system (John 15:18-19; 17:14-17; II Cor. 6:14-18).

C. There is a connection between the church of the Old Testament and the church of the New
Testament.

1. The Old Testament church, which was established by the prophets, serves as a foundation for the New
Testament church, which was established by the apostles (Eph. 2:19-22).

2. The Old Testament church looked forward to Christ while the New Testament church is built upon
Christ (I Pet. 2:6-8; I Cor. 3:10-11).

3. The connection is seen in the titles given to the people of God in both the Old and the New
Testaments.

4. The great mystery hidden for ages but preached by the apostles was that the Jew and the Gentile
were made one (Eph. 2:14; 3:5-6), in one body, one building, built upon the foundation laid by the Old
Testament prophets and the New Testament apostles, Christ being the Chief Cornerstone (Eph. 2:20-22).

What does the book of Ephesians reveal to us about the Church?

The Book of Ephesians has been titled “The Book of the Church” because of the rich revelation
concerning the church that is found in it. Five beautiful pictures of the church are found in Ephesians,
each one filling out and adding to our overall understanding of and appreciation for the church.
A. The Church as the Temple or House of God (Eph. 2:19-22).

1. A temple is to be a habitation for God (Eph. 2:22)

2. A temple is built by someone (Heb. 3:1-6).
3. A temple is composed of stones (I Pet. 2:4).
4. A temple is a place where priests function (I Pet. 2:4).
5. A temple is a place of sacrifice (I Pet. 2:4).

B. The Church as the family of God (Eph. 3:14-15).

1. In the family we have a heavenly Father (Gal. 4:4-7).

2. In the family we have a firstborn and elder brother (Heb. 2:14-17).

3. In the family we have other brothers and sisters (I Pet. 1:22).

4. In the family we are all partakers of the same blood (Eph. 2:13).

5. In the family we all share the same name (Rev. 22:4).

6. In the family we share a common inheritance (I Pet. 1:3-4).

C. The Church as the Body of Christ (Eph. 4:11-16).

1. Each member of the body has a unique function (Rom. 12:4-5).

2. Each member of the body is inter-related to other members (I Cor. 12:17).
3. Each member of the body submits to the one head (Eph. 1:22-27).
4. Each member of the body is vital and necessary (I Cor. 12:19-26).

D. The Church as the Bride of Christ (Eph. 5:25-32).

1. As the bride we are espoused to one husband (II Cor. 11:2).

2. As the bride we must make ourselves ready for marriage (Rev. 19:7-8).

3. As the bride we must enter into covenental relationship with Christ (I Cor. 6:16-17).

4. As the bride we must remain faithful and keep ourselves pure (II Cor. 11:2).

5. As the bride we will be part of a great wedding celebration (Rev. 19:6-10).

E. The Church as the Army of God (Eph. 6:10-20).

1. In the army we have a captain and a chief leader (Heb. 2:10).

2. In the army we are enlisted as good soldiers (II Tim. 2:3-4).
3. In the army we are involved in spiritual warfare (Eph. 6:12).
4. In the army the armor is provided by God (Eph. 6:13-18).
5. In the army our weapons are not carnal but mighty (II Cor. 10:3-5).
6. In the army of God we will be victorious and be instrumental in destroying the gates of hell
(Mt. 16:18).
What does the Bible teach about the government of the local church?

A. The local church should function as an autonomous body.

1. The word “autonomous” means “independent, self-governing.” It comes from two Latin
words which literally mean self (auto) law (onomos).

2. 3. A local church that is self-governing looks to no outside authority, no special group

functioning outside or above itself to effect its decisions. The local church is the final
court of appeal:

a. For disputes between believers (Mt. 18:15-17).

b. For questions of doctrine (Acts 15).
c. For discipline of moral conduct (I Cor. 5:1-5).

II.

1. Bible Fact #1 – God has established government in His House.

a. With no government there will be a lack of order (I Cor. 14:40; Col. 2:5).

b. There are those who rule in the House of God (Heb. 13: 7, 17, 24; Rom. 12:8).

2. Bible Fact #2 – God has a plan and pattern for government in His House.

The World System

Religious Tradition

The Mind of Regenerate Man.

 God is a God of order and has a pattern and plan for everything that He does (Gen. 1).
 God is very detailed and exact about how He wants things done (Leviticus).
 God provided the pattern for every structure that He ever commanded to be built (Gen. 6:1-6;
Ex. 25:9, 40; I Chr. 28:11-19).
 The glory of God can only fill that which is according to the pattern (Ex. 40:33-34).
 The pattern can not be violated if we are to experience the full blessing of God (Gen. 4:1-3).
 The plan of God is universally applicable and is never out of date.
3. Bible Facts #3 – God identifies the rulers in His House as elders (I Tim. 3:5; 5:17). There are
many forms of government that God could have chosen.

a. Dictatorship or “One Man Rule”

b. Democracy or “Rule by the People”
C. Central Control or “External Control”
d. Deacon Board or “Rule by an Elected Board”
e. Co-Equal Plurality of Elders
f. Elders with a Chief Elder (or Pastor). This is clearly God’s choice.

4. Bible Fact #4 – God determines the kind of individuals that are to be rulers in His House (I Tim.
3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9).

a. They must be people with proven character. That is, they have allowed the work of
sanctification to take place in their lives and they manifest the fruit of the Spirit.

b. They must be people of spiritual vision. That is, they have a vision to see God’s purposes
established and they have the maturity to make sacrifices in the present to see those purposes
come to pass.

c. They must be people with their homes in order. That is, they have demonstrated their ability
to rule and provide pastoral covering for the church by virtue of the fact that they have
established the Kingdom of God in their own homes.

d. They must be people with the spiritual gifting for this ministry. That is, they are not only good
people but they have a gift of leadership or the “charisma” needed to enable them to teach and
to exhort and convince those who oppose the Gospel (Heb. 13:7).

What is the ministry & mission of the Church?

a. The church has a ministry to the Lord. The chief ministry of the church is that of
worshipping and glorifying God (I Cor. 10:31).

b. The church has a ministry to itself. The members of the church have a responsibility to do
everything they can to build or edify the church (Eph. 4:9-16; I Cor. 14:12).

c. The church has a ministry to the world (Mt. 28:18-20; Mk. 16:15-20; II Cor. 5:18-19). The
church is to take the gospel to the ends of the earth and teach men and women the ways of
God.