Who is in the Church?

Intro: asdf

“The Church” There is only one church/kingdom/body of Christ.

The Bible describes the universal church in singular terms only.

Matt. 16.18: “on this rock I will build my church...shall not prevail against it.”

“this rock” is not Peter, but the basis of Peter’s confession that day: That Jesus was the Son of God.

Jesus declares that on the basis of His identity as Lord and Christ, he would build His church (singular) and the gates of Hell would not prevail against “it” (singular).

Matt. 3.2: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

John the Baptist here in 3.2 and Jesus in 4.17 had the same message: The KINGDOM is at hand!

Now, if there were more than one, this would be inaccurate, would it not?

Christ is head over exactly ONE kingdom, ONE church, ONE unified, indivisible body of believers.

You might remember also John praising God in Revelation 1:5b–6 “To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

Eph. 4.4-6: “There is one body...one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God...”

Earlier in Ephesians 1:22–23 “And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.”

The number of bodies of Christ, in this universal sense, is equal to the number of gods we serve (1), the number of lords (1), and the number of baptisms into His kingdom (1)!

Lastly, Ephesians 5:23–24 “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. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.”

Here, we have a blending of two different metaphors to describe the church, both of which reinforce the idea of a singular universal church.

First, “Christ is the head of the church, its body”: A body only has one head, one source of authority and direction!

Second, Christ is the head of the church like the husband is head of the wife, or the marriage relationship: In a godly marriage, a husband has only one wife!

All these examples (and many more could be provided) serve to prove a simple point...

There is only one church described in the New Testament.

People, and even brethren at times, refer to Christians “of different faiths”. Is this a biblically-congruent idea? Come back to Eph. 4.4-5: The number of Saviors we serve (1) also equals the number of valid faiths (1), which also equals the number of bodies of Christ: ONE!

Christ is not head of the Catholic church, head of the Methodist church, head of the the Baptist church, head of the church of Latter Day Saints, or head over all the non-denominational, unaffiliated, free-range, non-GMO churches out there (although ALL of these claim Christ as their head!)

Concerning later divisions and distinctions made within Christianity, Gary Watt, in the appendix of the 2023 “Christ and the Church” Truth Lecture book, had this to say: “Every such division, a denomination, includes in its history the primary influence of uninspired men in creating its foundational beliefs, thus supplementing the Bible. Denominationalism has no scriptural origin, and thus, no divine authority for its existence.” (pg. 387)

In short, there is only ONE TRUE CHURCH. But this still leaves us the first part of our question: “Who?”

Is “who” a collection of all the denominations put together? Is it a collection of all faithful local churches? What are the units which, when put together, constitute the universal church?

The Universal Church is Comprised of Individuals.

When the Bible describes the constituency of the church, only individuals are mentioned.

Romans 12:3-8 “so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.”

Note in v.3 that Paul is speaking to the Roman Christians, but his words apply more broadly to Christians as a whole.

v.5: “we (Christians, including the Roman brethren and Paul) are one body in Christ, and individually (Paul, and all the Roman brethren) members one of another.”

Paul isn’t speaking about being a member of the church in Rome. Paul wasn’t a member of their number. Paul is speaking about their role as a part of the universal church, and their role was that of individual members, and the relationship they shared was as fellow members of the body of Christ.

He goes on to show how these individual members had gifts with which they could serve one another, such as prophecy and teaching and contributions and the like.

1 Cor.12.12-27

In 1 Corinthians 12:12–14 “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. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many.”

Again, notice that Paul includes himself in the description of those baptized into the one body, which also fits the first description of the types of people to have done so, a Jew himself writing predominantly to Gentiles, both coming together to follow Christ!

When one becomes a Christian the way the Bible describes, there are no prefix or suffix-type words that modify that word. We do not become “Church-of-Christ Christians”, or “Born-again Christians”: We are simply Christians!

Remember: At Antioch, “the disciples were first called Christians.” (Acts 11.27) That’s it!

Finally, in 1 Corinthians 12:27–28 “Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues.”

Note the progression of the phrases “body of Christ...individually members of it...in the church...”

Again, Paul is describing the Corinthian brethren as individually members of the universal church, which can be described as the body of Christ.

The universal church is made of individual Christians, and Christians only.

The Bible never describes the universal church as comprised of the union of various denominations, or believers of different creeds/beliefs/types within “Christianity” because they did not exist and were never meant to exist.

Thinking about the universal church as the compilation of all the different forms of “Christianity”is more than inaccurate: It promotes the concept of multiple faiths, multiple approaches to God, culminating in the “choose the church of your choice” concept that defined the “Billy Graham” era here in the U.S..

Furthermore, the universal church (i.e. All faithful believers everywhere) is never described as the collection of all local congregations of Christians. That sort of organizational structure, or the church described in the same sense that our “One Nation” is composed of 50 states, is foreign the scriptures.

In short, Christ built a house, not a neighborhood. He serves as the door to His house, not as street access to the various denominations.

Members of His family, His disciples, dwell in His house in peace & unity. Speaking of which: Which individuals constitute His church, His body, His kingdom?

Who is in the Universal Church?

All penitent believers who have been baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of their sins.

First, consider Acts 2.37-41:

Acts 2:40 “And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.””

Acts 2:41 “So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.”

Acts 2:47 “praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”

From this one passage we can see that those who have been baptized for the forgiveness of their sins forms a group who are “saved” by God through Jesus Christ!

Why did they do this? At the message of their guilt, particularly that of rejecting and crucifying the Messiah, the Jews were “cut to the heart”, they were convicted of their sins and seeking a solution to their condemned state!

Similarly, Saul of Tarsus was instructed to “Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on His name.” (Acts 22.16)

Speaking of Paul, consider how he described himself and the Roman Christians in Romans 6:3–4: “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 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.”

Here Paul describes the Roman Christians and himself as “all of us who have been baptized into Christ”, a fitting description for those who now are a part of Christ by way of inclusion in His body.

This is similar to how Paul put it in Galatians 3:26–27 “for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”

When we consider the question of whether a person is in Christ, and the validity of their baptism, the concern is not only one of the subject or the manner, but the purpose of the baptism!

Baptism in order to demonstrate to the world one’s salvation (i.e. the “outward sign of an inward grace”) does not add a person to the body of Christ, nor does infant baptism or baptism by some other means than immersion in water.

All who are obedient to the teachings of Jesus and His apostles.

Continued membership in the number of the saved is predicated upon continued faithfulness as a disciple of Jesus Christ.

Consider first the church in Ephesus: Revelation 2:4–5 “But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.”

This warning to the Christians in Ephesus shows us that baptized believers (i.e. Christians, members of His body) were required to have practiced the love they previously had, they needed to repent and “do the works you did at first”.

Doing these things was therefore necessary for continued inclusion in the body of Jesus!

What would happen if they refused?

This is in line with Jesus’ instruction to His apostles prior to His ascension in Matthew 28.20: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.””

Again, Jesus’ terms for salvation and inclusion in His body did not end at baptism. Jesus instructed His disciples to teach all future disciples to “observe all that I have commanded you”.

Ever hear people justify another’s membership or involvement with a religious organization based on the fact that they are “mostly right?”

Some say things like “Well, I know they worship with instruments, but at least they believe in baptism for the forgiveness of sins.” Or, a bit closer to home: “Well, I know they have a fellowship hall and support institutions, but they worship in a scriptural manner.”

Friends, are we to suggest that there are those practicing what is outside the teachings of Jesus who are “close enough” to be left alone??? We may never voice that as a viable theory, but is that what we do in practice???

The Rich Young Man of Mark 10.17-22 kept all the commandments of Moses from his youth, and do you know what Jesus said to him? “...You lack one thing: Go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” (Mark 10.21) Apparently "close enough” wasn’t close enough, was it?

This sort of flawed justification is not consistent with the New Testament’s teaching on membership in the Lord’s body nor that of complete obedience to the word of God.

On the other hand, the book of Acts describes Christians as “obedient to the faith” (6.7), continuing in the faith (14.22) and “strengthened in the faith” (16.5), all of which indicate that a Christian’s relationship with God, and inclusion among faithful followers of Christ, is predicated on obedience!

And this means...

All who have not abandoned faithfulness to Christ and His teachings.

This third definition is in many ways the most basic. Discipleship is literally following around a teacher, learning and abiding by what He teaches, and then spreading that teaching among those who are not disciples.

If a person decides to stop following, stop learning, stop abiding, and stop spreading Jesus’ teaching, THEY ARE NO LONGER A DISCIPLE OF JESUS!

I don’t mean when a person stumbles they leave the faith. We, regrettably, sin sometimes. We have need to come before the Father confessing our sins, and He has graciously provided that provision to us (1 John 2.1)

Consider Paul’s warning in 1 Timothy 4:1–3 “Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.”

Note the simple digression: Some will depart from the faith. How? “devoting themselves”: They will CHOOSE to do so! To what? That which is deceitful and demonic, as opposed to that which is true and of Christ. How? Through liars, through listening to people who have no business speaking, people teaching and preaching what is false!

Now, have these people left the body of Christ? Are they still saved?

John describes for us something similar in 1 John 2:19 “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.”

Finally, remember that even Jesus spoke of those who would at one time be planted and growing in the Kingdom, yet fall away: Luke 8:13 “And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away.”

“The door to God’s house is opened only from within: by God, when men desire His presence, and by Men, when they desire to leave it.”

Application: Can a person be saved outside the body of Christ?

No, because those people defined as “saved” are members of the body of Christ.

To say that one is “outside the body of Christ” is exactly the same as saying they are “lost”!

Bruce Reeves, who is Lord Willing coming to hold our meeting starting next Sunday, once put it this way: “As the Lord saves, He adds, and as He adds, He saves. Therefore, if one is saved at all, he is a member of Christ's church, and if he is a member of the church, he is saved. One cannot be saved outside of the church of Christ, nor can he be lost if he remains a faithful member of the body of Christ (Eph. 1:3, 22-23; 4:4; 5:23; Col. 1:17-18; Heb. 12: 22-23).”

Whether a person persists in remaining outside the body of Christ, or forsakes their own discipleship and leaves the body of Christ, apart from repentance the result is the same: Condemnation!

What Did Jesus Establish? (from Bruce Reeves article in “Truth”

Our conceptual understanding of the church is critical to our appreciation for it as the fulfillment of God's "eternal purpose" (Eph. 3:10-11). The church is composed of the redeemed people of God who have been called out of the world by the gospel (2 Thess. 2:13-14).

The universal church includes the whole company of the saved who are in a relationship with Christ. The church is not part of the saved; the church is the saved (Acts 2:47; Eph. 5: 23; 1 Pet. 2:5, 9). This term is not used biblically to refer to humanly devised boards, councils, synods, etc., but rather to the saved.

The church does not save me, nor does she administer grace. Christ is my Savior, Redeemer, and Lord (John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Eph. 5:23). The Lord adds us to the church as a result of our having been saved: "So then, those who had received His word were baptized . . . and the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved" (Acts 2:41, 47).

As the Lord saves, He adds, and as He adds, He saves. Therefore, if one is saved at all, he is a member of Christ's church, and if he is a member of the church, he is saved. One cannot be saved outside of the church of Christ, nor can he be lost if he remains a faithful member of the body of Christ (Eph. 1:3, 22-23; 4:4; 5:23; Col. 1:17-18; Heb. 12: 22-23). The universal church is made up of individual believers, not local churches (1 Cor. 12:12-13, 27). The notion that local churches tied together constitutes the universal church is an unbiblical concept.

In the New Testament, local churches were autonomous and self-governing groups of Christians overseen by shepherds (1 Tim. 3:1-7; Titus 1:6-11). Local congregations are composed of individual members who agree to join together in fellowship (Acts 9:26), worship in a common assembly (1 Cor. 11:18), work out of a common treasury (1 Cor. 16:1-3) and submit to a common oversight (Acts 14:23; 20:28; 1 Pet. 5:2-3).

The local church is all-sufficient to fulfill the work God has given His people (Eph. 4:11-16). This truth, however, does not deny individual responsibilities that we all have as disciples but emphasizes the wisdom of God in ordaining the organization and work of the local church (Matt. 18:15-17).

It is distressing to see the low estimation some have of the local church, as well as their dismissive spirit toward the New Testament pattern for the work of local congregations. It is disconcerting when brethren have clarity regarding sound hermeneutical principles on such issues as salvation, instrumental music, marriage, divorce, and remarriage, but then abandon such principles when attempting to defend the social gospel at work in local churches of Christ. Church-sponsored and funded parachurch organizations (see endnote) among our brethren, although seemingly well-intended, manifest an underlying, but real dissatisfaction with the local church as God designed it. We must define the church the way Christ did.