The Church Jesus Built

The Church Jesus Built ^ | 1996 | Various

[DouglasKC]

The Church Jesus Built 

 

Introduction

". . . I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in . . . the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth" (1 Timothy 3:15)

Jesus Christ proclaimed, almost 2,000 years ago, "I will build My church." He declared that His Church would never die out, promising that "the gates of Hades [the grave] shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18). He assured His disciples that He would guide and preserve His Church until His return, promising them, "I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20).

What happened to the Church Jesus built? An eyewitness tells us that, immediately after Christ ascended into heaven after His resurrection, His apostles "went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs" (Mark 16:20). The Church had a powerful beginning.

Millions of people profess Christianity; they claim to be members of the Church Jesus founded. But Christianity is a divided religion, composed of hundreds of denominations and schisms. Through the centuries, most of Christianity's branches have assimilated many nonbiblical traditions—philosophical, cultural and religious—into their teachings and practices, spawning even more variations.

How can we account for the explosion of contradictory practices and conflicting factions in the world of Christianity? Is it possible to reconcile competing denominational groups with the standards and objectives Christ established for His Church? Can we know whether Christianity's bewildering variety of customs and teachings faithfully represents those of Jesus Christ?

Remember, Jesus not only promised He would build His Church, but He assured His disciples that His Church would not perish. Is the divided Christianity we see around us that Church? Only the Holy Scriptures can provide a reliable answer to this question.

If Christ's promise that "the gates of Hades shall not prevail" against His Church should be considered a guarantee that those who believe on His name could never be misled or corrupted, then we would have every reason to accept the collective sum of the various divisions of Christianity as the Church that Jesus built.

But He guaranteed no such thing. Instead, He warned His disciples that "false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect" (Mark 13:22, emphasis added throughout). Later the apostle Paul expressed his concern to Christians in his day that their minds could be "corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ" by the preaching of "false apostles" (2 Corinthians 11:3, 13).

Jesus spoke even more plainly, explaining that "narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits" (Matthew 7:14-16).

In these pages we examine the fruits Jesus and His apostles said would identify His Church. We look at the contrasting fruits that identify those who are influenced by a different spirit and preach a different gospel. We will learn, not from human tradition or opinion but directly from God's Word, how we can distinguish "the church of the living God" (1 Timothy 3:15) from those who follow "false prophets" in sheep's clothing.

For clarity throughout this booklet, the word Church (with a capital C) refers to the faithful Church that Jesus Christ founded. The word church (with a small c) refers to local groups of believers or other physical organizations. Since church is not capitalized in the Bible translations quoted, all scriptural quotations—whether referring to the Body of Christ or a local congregation—use church with a small c.

The Church Jesus Built
¬	A People Special to God
¬	The Historical Background of the Term Church
¬	How the Word Church is Used in Greek and English
¬	'Church' and 'Congregation' in the Scriptures
¬	Biblical Phrases and Terms for God's Special People
¬	A Spiritually Transformed People
¬	The Apostles: A Case Study in Conversion
¬	The Mission and Responsibility of the Church
¬	What is the True Gospel?
¬	Is Today the Only Day of Salvation?
¬	The Rise of a Counterfeit Christianity
¬	Changes in Christian Scholars' Perspective on God's Law
¬	Early Trends That Affected the Future of the Church
¬	The Church of God Today
¬	What Did the Early Church Believe and Practice?

[marajade]

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/denomination

[Barnacle]

I'm sorry that you are reduced to this.

Yeah, right. You really maintained the moral high ground with a comment like, "With its pagan Obelisk standing right in the center."

Well, I don't know what you would do with one of the largest obelisks in the world if you had it. But, I sure would not throw it away just because pagans had carved it about 2,700 years earlier.

Sticking a crucifix an the top and making it a monument to Christianity strikes me as a fine idea.

If you really want to boycott things made by pagans, don't shop at Wal-Mart.

[Conservative til I die]

Very good article. I know I waste my breath, but the Church is not a building, it is the body of Christ, each believer, and God knows who are His own.

I don't think anyone believes a Church is a building. Buildings are of course where people meet in an organized fashion. Beats meeting out in a rainy field.

However, it's quite reasonable to believe that Christ's Church would be a body of believers that would have administrators, priests, a structure, and a hierarchy.

[Conservative til I die]

With its pagan Obelisk standing right in the center.

Hope you don't wear one of those pagan wedding rings.

Seriously folks, I've never gotten this "pagan" argument. I mean, if a pagan group uses a symbol, shape, or letter for their religion, and that religion dies out, and another religion comes along and uses similar symbols, shapes, and letters for their religion, but those symbols are directed toward the worship of Christ, then how can it be pagan?

[Conservative til I die]

See Sandy....here is always the problem. I cite you scripture that specifically tells the Apostles not to go there (Matthew 10:5-6) and you come back with, "The Early Church Fathers testify to that." Can you accept the fact that "they" may have been wrong,

I can certainly accept that the ECF may have been wrong since their writings weren't there until 40-50-60-70 years after the events. But then by that logic, why should I even bother considering your testimony? Your opinions didn't come until around 1950 years after the fact.

If I was an objective, disinterested observer, reason would tell me to refer to the ECF (the earlier the better) if I wanted to get an idea of early Christian practices rather than you, 1000 times out of 1000.

[Barnacle]

He should have stayed with the circumsized like he was told. /sarc

Yeah. I've had bad days at work, but nothing like that.

Oh well we'll see what next week holds in store. LOL

[Conservative til I die]

Because the Early Church Fathers said something does not make it true!

Well no kidding, but if we wanted to follow the "Scientific method" or hell, just our own judicial system, I think someone 30-50 years removed from the fact would be more worthy of attention than someone 1950 years later.

[Conservative til I die]

Peter never would have stood a chance in Rome.

He didn't. For his faith and love of His Master he was crucified to death.

[Conservative til I die]

The key phrase here is in the scriptures. Where does scripture indicate that every single action of the Apostles was recorded? The scriptures don't say one way or the other whether Peter was ever in Rome. So to find out we must rely sources outside scripture.

Amen. The Scriptures also say barely anything about the adventures of the other Apostles (Thomas, Bartholomew, Simon, etc.). Does that also mean they just sat on their thumbs all that time?

BTW, Acts 15:7 is a pretty airtight piece of evidence.

[Conservative til I die]

See post #26.

See Acts 15:17

[Conservative til I die]

Scripture does not record him there and the Lord told him not to go there. Scripture does record him elsewhere and that elsewhere is specifically where he was told to go!

So the only places Peter ever went are outlined in the Scriptures? The Scriptures also never mention that Peter going to the men's room. Should I infer it never happened?

[Conservative til I die]

Yeah, we're just a bunch of pagans... Idiot.

I wonder if Doug wears one of those pagan wedding rings. Or if he refers to the days as Monday, Tuesday, etc. or the months as January, February, etc.

[kerryusama04]

Seriously folks, I've never gotten this "pagan" argument. I mean, if a pagan group uses a symbol, shape, or letter for their religion, and that religion dies out, and another religion comes along and uses similar symbols, shapes, and letters for their religion, but those symbols are directed toward the worship of Christ, then how can it be pagan?

1Ki 18:21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

Don't you think some of those people call the Ashera poles "Jehova" poles?

The problem is the mixing of the false religion with true worship.

2Co 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

How many times did the Hebrews get their chops busted over this very sin?

[Barnacle]

Seriously folks, I've never gotten this "pagan" argument. I mean, if a pagan group uses a symbol, shape, or letter for their religion, and that religion dies out, and another religion comes along and uses similar symbols, shapes, and letters for their religion, but those symbols are directed toward the worship of Christ, then how can it be pagan?

Man, you got that right. Get a load of this garbage I found from a quick Google...

"Christians like to think that they are superior to pagans, heathens, and jews, but they know so little about their own religion that they do not even realize that most of christianity is actually a bastardization of paganism plus judaism. Easter, Christmas, the Cross, these are all originally of pagan origin."

There are all kinds out there... I just hope they don't start posting here.

[Conservative til I die]

Yeah, we're just a bunch of pagans... Idiot.

I wonder if Doug wears one of those pagan wedding rings. Or if he refers to the days as Monday, Tuesday, etc. or the months as January, February, etc.
Or one more, if he carries around a dollar bill with it's pyramids.

[Conservative til I die]

We have a Bible with over 30,000 verses in it...And you guys build a religion based on a faulty reading of, 1 verse...

Yet you posted 3 from Deutoronomy to me today that allegedly prove the Christian faith to be about verse memorization.

Gimme a break.

[marajade]

The issue of Peter ever being in Rome, as stated in the Bible, isn't a real tenant of faith is it?

And Acts 15:17 doesn't establish he was there.

[Conservative til I die]

Well now it could be that YOUR 'early' church fathers, lied...

So it's come down to libelous conspiracy theories?

[kerryusama04]

He didn't. For his faith and love of His Master he was crucified to death.

So, the uneducated, bigotted Jewish fisherman marched into the pagan center of the known world, commanded audiences with nobles, converted a bunch of people he refused to eat with, and then got to name his method of execution? Meanwhile, the guy who was actually called to convert the Romans, also the same guy who wrote more NT than anyone, never felt like mentioning it? Hey, it could happen.

[Barnacle]

marajade! Where have you been?

Isn't the Catholic Church a denomination?

If you are asking if the Catholic Church is a, "A large group of religious congregations united under a common faith and name and organized under a single administrative and legal hierarchy".

Obviously it is. And I am a proud member of it.

Before we go any further marajade, what denomination did you say you are a proud member of? I must have missed you response to that question in earlier threads.