Ecclesiology
SESSION FIVE:
THE CHURCH & THE
ORDINANCESWHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF
THE CHURCH?
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Thesis:
• The subject of the nature of the church on earth is important because there are so many opposing groups all claiming to be the church.
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THREE AUTHORITIES TO SUBMIT TO1) The Spirit of God (Lesson 3—
God’s Presence in Me)2) The word of God (Lesson 4—
God Talking with Me)3) The people of God (Lesson 9—
Community: Being Part of My Local Church Family)
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The Church
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TWO DOCTRINAL DANGERS
1) You can go into error dispensationally
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TWO DOCTRINAL DANGERS
1) You can go into error dispensationally
2) You can go into error regarding the church and ministry
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The Church.
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WORDS MEANING USAGE
Old Testament: Kahal A congregation, assembly, multitude (123x)
A group of people, selected from among others, for a particular purpose
New Testament: Ecclesia A called-out assembly (115x)
English: Church
That which belongs to the Lord or his house
1. The building related to Christ’s body 2. The universal body of Christ
assembled after the rapture, Heb 12:23 3. The church in history, Rev 2-3
4. The local church (at least 77% of Biblical usage)
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DEFINITION:• The New Testament church is a
group of people who have been called out from the world and into fellowship with Christ, who assemble in a particular location for the purpose of acting as Christ’s body.
THE CHURCH THE KINGDOM Many "Churches" (36x) Only One "Kingdom" (162x) Built Up, Eph 2:20 Set Up, Dan 2:44 Reigns Over the Kingdom, Eph 1:22 Reigns Under Heaven, Dan 7:27 Is a Body, Eph 1:23 Has a Temple, Ezek 40-44 Has Spiritual Heirs, Gal 3:29 Has Physical Heirs, Heb 11:9 Has Free Children, Gal 4:31 Has Bound Children, Gal 4:25 Subject of NT Mystery, Eph 3 Subject of OT Prophecy Receives Jews & Gentiles, Acts 2:41 Received by Remnant, Mat 12 On It Way Out, 1 Thes 4:17 On Its Way In, Mat 25:31
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Survey of the Doctrine of the Church.
PROGRESSIVE REVELATION OF THE CHURCH
1. Called-out Matt 10 Potentially 2. In effect Matt 18 Practically 3. Empowered Acts 2 Publicly 4. Revealed Eph 3-5 Doctrinally 5. Called up 1 Thes 4 Privately 6. Returned Rev 19 Visibly 7. Glorified Rev 21 Eternally
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Constitution of a Local Church1) Believers, Acts 2:41,472) Baptized in water, Acts 2:41; Matt
28:193) Sharing a common faith and a
covenant of fellowship, Acts 2:424) Ordered with scriptural officers, Phil
1:1; 1 Tim 3:1-135) Observing the ordinances, Acts
2:41-426) Fulfilling the three parts of the
Great Commission, Matt 28:18-207) Meeting at regular and stated times
on Sunday, Heb 10:25; Acts 20:7; 1 Cor 16:2
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The Church’s Three Objectives.
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OUR CHURCH’S THREE GOALS, MATT 28:18-20
1. Every Member a Minister 2. Training Biblical Leadership 3. Having a World Vision Evangelism Discipleship Missions (Ministry) Education Edification Extension
Go Teach Baptizing
Symbols of the Church1) A body of which Christ is the head, Col
1:182) A building of which Christ is the
cornerstone, Eph 2:20-213) An espoused bride of whom Christ is the
bridegroom, Eph 5:26-324) An inheritance of which Christ is the heir,
Eph 1:185) A flock of which Christ is the Chief
Shepherd, 1 Pet 5:2-4
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The Meaning of Pastor-Elder-Bishop.
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WORDS TITLE MEANING
Episkopas Superintendent; overseer The Office
He takes the oversight His Function
Presbuteros Elderly, older; a senior The Person
He is senior in rank or age His Form
Poimen Shepherd The Practice
He feeds the flock of God His Flock
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Point 1.
• Pastors and deacons exist because it is their job to make application of Bible principles.
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Point 2.
• Deacons are the arms of the pastors.
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Point 3.
• The bigger the pie gets, the slower you have to walk to catch the people God is throwing into the filling.
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Point 4.
• The church is a covenant community.
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Point 5.
• Covenants are the only thing that will supply security enough to allow the mission to be accomplished because covenants are what seal consecration.
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Definition:
• Ordinances are the laws used to regulate the life of a community.
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How to Spot an Ordinance
1) There is sovereign institution and authorization
2) They symbolize spiritual truth
3) There is a specific command for their perpetuation
4) There is Biblical evidence of historical fulfillment or
practice
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DEFINITION:
• The word baptizo means to dip into, to plunge, to submerge, to immerse.
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Point 6.
• I can tell your spirituality by how important the Lord's Supper is to you.
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a. Meaning: What Is the Lord’s Supper? 1 Cor 111. It is a remembrance of
an event in the past (24)2. It is a covenant with
consequences in the present (25)
3. It is an expression of hope in the future (26)
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POINT 7.
• If his body was not broken, then his life cannot be equally distributed among his disciples.
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POINT 8.
• The bread symbolizes that Jesus Christ is to be the power by which we obey the demands of the word of God.
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POINT 9.
• Blood marks the end of a life—that is what the cup means.
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Definition:
• The word examine means to qualify oneself.
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Point 10.
• There is something worse than the sin in your life; it's not dealing with it.
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Point 11.
• If you judge yourself, then God won't have to; that is the remedy for unworthiness.
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b. Members: Who can Partake?
1) Being regenerated2) Being scripturally baptized3) Being a current church
member (someplace)4) Having an orderly walk
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Organized Membership1) They met at stated times on the first day
of the week, Acts 20:7; Heb 10:252) They had officers, Phil 1:13) They designated ministers, Acts
20:17,284) The authority of the local church and its
pastors was recognized, Mat 18:17; 1 Pet 5:2; Heb 13:7,17
5) They exercised discipline of members, 1 Cor 5:4-5,13
6) They recorded contributions of members, Rom 15:26; 1 Cor 16:1-2
7) They granted letters if commendation when changing localities, Acts 18:27; 2
Cor 3:18) They had order, 1 Cor 14:40; Col 2:5
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requirements for Membership
• A credible testimony of regeneration, Acts 2:41
• Baptism by officers of the local body, Acts 2:41
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Point 12.
• The only difference between the church and the world is that the church disciplines its members.
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Offenses Requiring Church Discipline1) Unresolved sins between brethren
that threaten the covenant community, Matt 18:15
2) Gross sins as listed by Paul, 1 Cor 5:11-13
3) False doctrine, Titus 3:10; 1 Tim 1:19-20; Rom 16:17
4) Disruption of the fellowship, 2 Thes 3:6-14SSM Spring 2010
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Point 13.
• The church is a body, which means no Christian has an individual right to do wrong by the other members.
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DEFINITION:
• Love is when you legitimately seek to aid someone else so that God's will is accomplished in their life.
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OBLIGATION OF FORGIVENESS
1. CONFESSION (MATT 3:6; ACTS 19:18; JAMES 5:16)
2. REPENTANCE (LUKE 3:8; 17:3-4; 2 COR 7:9-10; 12:21; REV 2:5,16; 3:19)
3. RECONCILIATION (MATT 5:24)4. RESTORATION (LUKE 19:8;
GAL 6:1; 2 COR 2:7-8)SSM Spring 2010
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NEXT CLASS
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Wk DATE Subject GRUDEM 6 Feb 17 Sin (Hamartiology) & Sanctification—Christian Living (Anthropology) 99-119