How Many Churches Are There?
Questions Of Eternal Consequence • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 3 viewsNotes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Greetings…
v
The Church
The Church
Defining The Word Church
Defining The Word Church
The Greek word translated church is found 114 times in the New Testament.
In the ESV it is translated “church” 108 times, “assembly” 4 times, and “congregation” twice.
If we were to go through each and every one of these, we would discover facts that have been lost concerning the defining of this word, over the years.
In fact, though I doubt this with anyone here, but we will see many things that a lot of people simply have thought wrong concerning what the word “church’ means biblically.
So, what does the word church mean?
First, the word church does not mean “place of worship.”
Church cannot be “the place of worship” because the church is the “people” who have been saved.
47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
Church cannot be “the place of worship” because the church can react as seen when the church heard of Ananias and Sapphira’s death.
11 And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things.
Church cannot be “the place of worship” because the church can be persecuted.
1 And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.
If the church is the saved that can fear and flee it is a place we go but who we are.
Second, the word church is always called “the church.”
It is called a kingdom.
5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood 6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
9 I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.
It is called the body of Christ.
22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.
24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church
The church, the kingdom of Christ, and the body of Christ are all the same group of people, the saved.
Third, the church cannot be built by humans because it was built by Jesus.
Jesus said he would build it.
18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
Jesus paid for and built his church with his blood.
28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.
23 You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men.
Jesus is the king of his church, hence it is his kingdom.
13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son
16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.
Jesus is the head of the church.
23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.
All of this clearly demonstrates that the church is Jesus’ church and thus, “the church of Christ.”
Why is that significant, after all I think most people would agree that the church is Jesus’ church and that it belongs to him.
The problem is not with what people say, but what they really believe.
Because if Jesus is the head of the church which is his body then there can only be one church, and as you and I know this is not what most believe.
Fourth, there is only one church in the New Testament.
Now that is a bold statement considering the landscape of today and denominationalism which believes there are many churches.
22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
The great apostle Paul clearly defines the church as the body and then just a few chapters later makes plea for unity in Ephesians 4:1-6.
1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,
3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call
5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
In the same way there is only “one Holy Spirit” and “one God the Father,” there is only one church.
4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call
Summary
Summary
When we let the Bible define itself we come away with a clear understanding of God’s Word and in this case we learn…
All the saved belong to “the body of Christ” which is “the church of Christ.”
There is no amount of word salad with the scriptures that change the plain teachings of the scriptures on this fact.
However, we will spend a little time this morning looking at the tow most popular teachings that are said to prove there the bible teaches there are “many churches.”
So, now let’s take a look at…
The Many Churches Arguments
The Many Churches Arguments
The Vine & The Branches
The Vine & The Branches
The argument goes something like this…
“Jesus is the vine or body, also known as the “true church” and the branches are the denominational churches.”
Is this what the Bible teaches or says in John 15:1-17?
Let’s look at John 15:5.
5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
Notice that Jesus is the vine and the apostles, and other followers of Christ are the branches, and as we pointed out that is “different churches” but individuals that make up the church.
We can see this the case very easily.
5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.
The language cannot be “churches” here as it is clearly talking about individuals not different churches.
What about the…
The Many Members
The Many Members
His argument comes from 1 Corinthians 12 and goes like…
“On the ranches of the west, cattle are given different brands, but they are still the same thing-cattle. In like manner, the members of the various denominations have different designations, but they are still the same thing - Christians.”
12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.
First, let’s discuss if this analogy is accurate.
Cattle branding indicates which owner is in possession of the cattle.
Each owner brands the cattle with his particular brand that distinguishes his ownership from other owners.
Because denominations are branded differently this indicates they do not belong to the same owner.
Baptist have John Smyth as their owner.
Methodist have John Wesley as their owner.
Mormons have Joseph Smith.
Pentecostal have Charles Fox Parham
If Jesus isn’t the owner then everything else is mute.
So, now let’s see if 1 Corinthians holds water as proof text for “many churches.”
1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed.
12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.
27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.
Summary
Summary
This idea that there are many churches created by God is not based on the bible bur rather was invented by men.
Conclusion
Conclusion
There is but one body and therefore one church which is the church of God, who purchased it with his own blood.
The “good news” or “gospel” is freely offered for everyone to accept and become a part of the Lord’s one church found in scripture (Acts 2:47).
Invitation
1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent
33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.
32 Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.
8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures
3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
