One Body Church

1
One Body (Church)

• Colossians 118
• He is also head of the BODY, the CHURCH

2
The Denominational Concept of the Church
Involves all the following elements

• Each denomination is an affiliation or
  confederation consisting of a number of local
  churches.
• Each denomination has its own peculiar name,
  doctrine, organization, plan of worship, etc.,
  which distinguishes it from other denominations.
• The one universal church is composed of all of
  the saved people in all of the denominations of
  local churches.

3
The Denominational Concept of the Church

• Join the church of your choice. What
  denomination you are a member of is just a matter
  of personal preference. We're all going to
  heaven, just by different routes.
• Does one have to be a member of your
  denomination to go to heaven? Answer will always
  be No.Considered tolerant and loving.

4
15 Families Of Christian Denominations
5
15 Families Of Christian Denominations
6
1 Corinthians 110-13

• Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our
  Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that
  there be no divisions among you, but that you be
  made complete in the same mind and in the same
  judgment. 
• For I have been informed concerning you, my
  brethren, by Chloes people, that there are
  quarrels among you. 
• Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying,
  I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of
  Cephas, and I of Christ.
• Is Christ divided? Paul was not crucified for
  you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of
  Paul?

7
John 1720-21

• I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but also
  for those who believe in Me through their word
  that they may all be ONE even as You,
  Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also
  may be in Us, so that the world may BELIEVE that
  You sent Me.
• Truth Divided Christianity is AGAINST the will
  of Christ.
• Truth Divided Christianity contributes to
  UNBELIEF.
• Conclusion Anyone who participates in
  divided Christianity should REPENT and turn
  away from sin.

8
The Cure For Division
When all men will lay down their creeds,
disciplines, manuals, confessions of faith,
catechisms, think-so's, maybe's, and subjective
feelings, and with an unprejudiced and receptive
heart turn to the Word of God, then, and ONLY
then, will unity result. We must be committed to
being nothing, calling ourselves nothing, obeying
nothing, and saying nothing except that which is
authorized by the Word of God.
9

• The Truth About The One Church

10
The Word Church

• Ekklesia literally, the called out.

• In a universal sense, to designate all the saved.
  (Matt. 1618 Eph. 122 525)
• In a local sense, to designate Gods people
  within a definite locality. (1 Cor. 12 1
  Thess. 11)

11
My church The churches

• And I also say to you that you are Peter, and
  upon this rock I will build My church and the
  gates of Hades shall not overpower it.
• Matthew 1618

• I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you
  these things for the churches. I am the root and
  the offspring of David...
• Revelation 2216

12
My church The churches

• CompositionHeaven, earth Eph. 314-15All the
  saved Heb. 1223
• Relationship With GodEph. 311-22

• Earth onlyNot all saved 3 Jo. 10
  Rev. 34-5
• With one another1 Cor. 12

13
My church The churches

• How manyOnly one Matt. 1618
• Entrance Lord adds Acts 247

• Many Rev. 2216
• People join Acts 926

14
My church The churches

• RemovalLord removes Rev. 35
• DurationAlways prevail Matt. 1618
• Earthly OrganizationNone

• Men remove 1 Cor. 5
• Can cease Rev. 25 316
• Autonomous congregationsActs 1423 Phil. 11
  Tit. 151 Pet. 51-3 Acts 2028

15
Church Organization In The NT
1. Elders Were To Oversee The Local Congregation.
A congregation, once fully developed, would have
elders. Acts 1423 Tit 15
16
Church Organization In The NT
Titus 15 For this reason I left you in Crete,
that you should set in order the things that are
lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I
commanded you.
Acts 1423 So when they had appointed elders in
every church, and prayed with fasting, they
commended them to the Lord in whom they had
believed.
17
Church Organization In The NT

• 2. Elders were also called bishops and pastors.
• Elders (Grk., presbuteros, presbyter). They
  were older men. Acts 2017
• Bishops (Grk. episkopos, overseer). Their task
  was to oversee the congregation. Acts 2017,28 1
  Pet 51-2
• Pastors (Grk. poimen, shepherd). Their task
  was to shepherd and feed the flock of God.Eph
  411 Acts 2017,28 1 Pet 51-2

18
Church Organization In The NT
1 Peter 51-2 The elders (presbyters) who are
among you I exhort, shepherd (pastor) the flock
of God which is among you, serving as overseers
(bishops)
Acts 2017, 28 called for the elders
(presbyters) of the church take heed to
yourselves and to all the flock, among which the
Holy Spirit has made you overseers (bishops), to
shepherd (pastor) the church of God...
19
Church Organization In The NT
1 Timothy 31 It is a trustworthy statement if
any man aspires to the office of overseer, it
is a fine work he desires
20
Church Organization In The NT

• Not three distinct offices, but different ways to
  describe the men and their work.
• (cf. Easton's Bible Dictionary, Moody Handbook
  of Theology)

21
Church Organization In The NT

• 3. Elders were appointed only after meeting
  stringent qualifications.
• The qualifications are listed in 1 Tim 31-7 Tit
  15-9
• Note that they must be... (no exceptions),
  e.g....
• Husband of one wife
• With faithful children
• Such qualifications prepared them for their role
  - cf. 1 Tim 35

22
Church Organization In The NT

• 4. Every congregation with elders always had a
  plurality, never just one.
• There were elders in every church - Acts 1423
• The church in Jerusalem had elders - Acts
  152ff 164 2118
• The church at Ephesus had elders - Acts 2017
• There were to be elders in every city - Tit 15
  
• When one was sick and wanted prayer, they were to
  call for the elders - Jam 514
• Younger ones were to submit to the elders - 1
  Pet 55

23
Church Organization In The NT

• We never read of just one elder orbishop over
  one church or group of churches.

24
Church Organization In The NT

• 5. The oversight authority of the elders was
  limited to those among them.
• They were to take heed to the flock of God among
  which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers -
  Acts 2028
• They were to shepherd the flock of God which is
  among you - 1 Pet 52

25
Church Organization In The NT

• No elder (bishop, pastor) or group of elders had
  any authority beyond their local congregation!

26
The church of Jesus Christ
500
1000
1500
2000

Gal 16-12 Acts 2029-30 2 Peter 21-3 1 John
41-6 2 Thes. 21-5

• Church Government
• Presiding Elders
• Bishops over Elders (2nd Cent.)
• Councils (Synods)
• Metropolitan Bishops (3rd Cent.)
• First General Council (Nicea 325 AD)
• Patriarchs - Dispute over Primacy
• Universal Bishop (Pope 606 AD)

Height of Papal PowerInnocent III 1198-1216 AD
WHY SO MANY CHURCHES?
27
The church of Jesus Christ

• Claims for the Pope in modern Roman Catholic
  documents (New York Catechism)
• The pope takes the place of Jesus Christ on earth
• He is the true Vicar of Christ, the head of the
  entire church, the father and teacher of all
  Christians
• He is the infallible ruler, the founder of
  dogmas, the author and the judge of councils
• He is the universal ruler of truth, the arbiter
  of the world, the supreme judge of heaven and
  earth
• He is the judge of all, being judged by no one
• God himself on earth

28
The church of Jesus Christ
And the man of sin shall be revealed, the son
of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself
above all that is called God or that is
worshipped, so that he sits as God in the temple
of God, showing himself that he is God. 2
Thess. 24-5
29
Have You Obeyed The Gospel?
Hear The Word (Rom. 1017) Believe That Jesus
is the Son of God (Acts 837) Repent of Your
Sins (Acts 238) Confess That Jesus is the Son
of God (Acts 837) Be Baptized for the
Forgiveness of Sins (Acts 238) Having Become A
Christian, Live Faithfully Until You Die (Rev.
210)