The One Church
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Introduction
Introduction
Greetings...
The word church has morphed into definitions it was never intended.
Today the word church is typically defined as the “building wherein a religious group calling themselves Christians” come to meet.
Just do an “image google search” and see all the “buildings on display.”
Even Webster’s defines the word church as, “a building for public and especially. Christian worship.” (Inc Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. (Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, Inc., 2003).)
Just do an “image google search” and see all the “buildings on display.”
Inc Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. (Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, Inc., 2003).
This has led to the confusion that there are many “churches” in the world today.
Some go so far as to say there are thousands of churches across the world.
Inc Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. (Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, Inc., 2003).
But is this true, does the Bible teach this, let’s look this morning.
Everyone here most likely knows this is not true but how do we go about proving it?
The only way to prove how many churches there are is to examine what the Bible says and the arguments made for “multiple churches.”
With that in mind let’s examine our lesson for today.
The Bible On The Church
The Bible On The Church
Bible fact 1: The church is defined as singular.
Bible fact 1: The church is defined as singular.
The Bible declares there is one church.
4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—
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.
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.
Bible fact 2: The church has one leader.
Bible fact 2: The church has one leader.
The Bible plainly states Jesus is the leader of the church.
18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
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.
Bible fact 3: The church is one family.
Bible fact 3: The church is one family.
The church is one family with relatives living all over the world.
Gal 3:26
26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.
Summery
Summery
The facts are clear, there is one church, with one leader, made up of one family.
So why do so many believe in denominationalism?
Arguments For Denominationalsim
Arguments For Denominationalsim
The Vine & Branches argument.
The Vine & Branches argument.
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 ?
Actually Jesus teaches...
He is the Vine and the apostles, and those that follow their teachings, were the branches.
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.
The branches had to “abide in Jesus & Jesus in them.”
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.
9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.
I the branches were not “additional churches” but rather “the church” and if you could not be “the church” without abiding or obey Christ then this cannot be talking about denominationalism but rather the Head of the church Jesus and His body the church.
The “Many Members” argument.
The “Many Members” argument.
The argument goes something like this...
“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.
Is this what the Bible teaches in ?
First, let’s examine the illogical nature of the argument before examining the context of .
Cattle branding is done to indicate 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.
Denominationalism does not teach against this as they all, for the most part, look back to a particular person that started their denomination.
Baptist: John Smyth
Methodist: John Wesley
Mormons: Joseph Smith
Pentecostal: Charles Fox Parham
Seventh Day Adventist: Ellen G. White; James White; Joseph Bates; J.N. Andrews
The point is the cattle branding argument is a non-starter because it disproves denominationalism instead of proving it.
The one church was bought with the blood of Christ and is branded with the name Christian.
18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.
1 Pt 1:
2 Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, with the seal of the living God, and he called with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm earth and sea, 3 saying, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.”
26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.
What about .
This passage, once again, is easy to determine if context is cared one iota.
The context is each individual’s miraculous gift in the church of Christ in Corinth and how it relates to that congregation.
1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed.
Therefore, it isn’t talking about different churches and in fact Paul says so much in .
27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.
Summery
Summery
Denominationalism cannot stand up against scrutiny and has no proof text in the Bible.
In fact most of the founders and prominent denominational preachers decried denominationalism.
Martin Luther once said...
“I pray you to leave my name alone, and call not yourselves 'Lutherans,' but 'Christians.' Who is Luther? My doctrine is not mine. I have not been crucified for anyone...let us call ourselves only 'Christians' after him from whom our doctrine comes.”
John Wesley once said...
“Would to God that all party names and unscriptural phrases and forms which have divided the Christian world were forgot; that we might all agree to sit down together as humble, loving disciples at the feet of a common Master, to hear his word, to imbibe his Spirit, and to transcribe his life into our own.”
Charles Spurgeon once said...
“I look forward with pleasure to the day when there will not be a Baptist living. I hope they will soon be gone. I hope the "Baptist" name will soon perish, but let Christ's name last forever.”
Conclusion
Conclusion
There is but one body and therefore one church which is the church of Christ.
All those that have obeyed the gospel of Christ have been branded by His name and no other.
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.