The Church
Does what the Bible teaches really matter?
© Emmaus Correspondence School, New Zealand.
Many people believe that what the New Testament tells
us about the local church does not apply today. It's
mainly of historical interest.
But if you study the New Testament you will find that it
does apply today.
The difficulty, of course, is to decide which parts of the
Bible are meant to be normal practice for today, and
which parts are there just to teach us a moral lesson
from the past.
We do know that everything we read in the Bible is there
for a purpose:
1 Cor 10:11 - Now all these things happened to
them as examples, and they were written for our
admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages
have come.
2 Tim 3:16 - All Scripture is given by inspiration of
God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in righteousness,
Quite a lot of the New Testament is about the local
church. There must be a reason for this.
The "story" books of the Bible, such as the book of Acts,
were never intended to be just interesting stories for our
entertainment. They are part of the revelation of God,
and therefore have something important to say to us.
The book of Acts presents the ministry of some of the
apostles - particularly Peter in the first part and Paul in
the second.
If we see the Apostles establish the same pattern of
local church repeatedly, and in different places, this must
have some meaning for today.
If the pattern is different from or contrary to the culture of
the times the case is strengthened.
If the pattern is consistent with, or an outgrowth of the
doctrinal teaching of Scripture, then we must conclude that
it was meant as an authoritative example for the local
church.
The apostles were specially chosen and commissioned by
Christ himself, and were given a unique authority as part
of the foundation of the church:
Eph 2:19,20 - you are no longer strangers and
foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and
members of the household of God, having been
built on the foundation of the apostles and
prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief
corner stone,
Surely then, if the apostles were part of the foundation of
the church, the form of local church they gave their lives to
establish must be taken very seriously.
The New Testament presents church matters in the
"imperative mode" - not in the "indicative." This means that
they are commands - not suggestions. For example:
1 Tim 3:15 - I write so that you may know how you
ought to conduct yourself in the house of God
The "ought" is the Greek "die" which means "must". Thus
the church principles and practices of 1 Timothy are
compulsory - not optional.
Also in another passage about church order, Paul says:
1 Cor 14:37 ... the things which I write to you are
the commandments of the Lord.
New Testament church practices should be restored today.
This is called a "restorationist" ecclessiology and is clearly
taught by Scripture.
© Emmaus Correspondence School, New Zealand.
Many people believe that what the New Testament tells
us about the local church does not apply today. It's
mainly of historical interest.
But if you study the New Testament you will find that it
does apply today.
The difficulty, of course, is to decide which parts of the
Bible are meant to be normal practice for today, and
which parts are there just to teach us a moral lesson
from the past.
We do know that everything we read in the Bible is there
for a purpose:
1 Cor 10:11 - Now all these things happened to
them as examples, and they were written for our
admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages
have come.
2 Tim 3:16 - All Scripture is given by inspiration of
God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in righteousness,
Quite a lot of the New Testament is about the local
church. There must be a reason for this.
The "story" books of the Bible, such as the book of Acts,
were never intended to be just interesting stories for our
entertainment. They are part of the revelation of God,
and therefore have something important to say to us.
The book of Acts presents the ministry of some of the
apostles - particularly Peter in the first part and Paul in
the second.
If we see the Apostles establish the same pattern of
local church repeatedly, and in different places, this must
have some meaning for today.
If the pattern is different from or contrary to the culture of
the times the case is strengthened.
If the pattern is consistent with, or an outgrowth of the
doctrinal teaching of Scripture, then we must conclude that
it was meant as an authoritative example for the local
church.
The apostles were specially chosen and commissioned by
Christ himself, and were given a unique authority as part
of the foundation of the church:
Eph 2:19,20 - you are no longer strangers and
foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and
members of the household of God, having been
built on the foundation of the apostles and
prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief
corner stone,
Surely then, if the apostles were part of the foundation of
the church, the form of local church they gave their lives to
establish must be taken very seriously.
The New Testament presents church matters in the
"imperative mode" - not in the "indicative." This means that
they are commands - not suggestions. For example:
1 Tim 3:15 - I write so that you may know how you
ought to conduct yourself in the house of God
The "ought" is the Greek "die" which means "must". Thus
the church principles and practices of 1 Timothy are
compulsory - not optional.
Also in another passage about church order, Paul says:
1 Cor 14:37 ... the things which I write to you are
the commandments of the Lord.
New Testament church practices should be restored today.
This is called a "restorationist" ecclessiology and is clearly
taught by Scripture.
