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Me Lesson 14: What Is The Church? Why Should I Be Involved In It? Upon receiving Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior, we not only enter into a new relationship with God, but with fellow believers as well. The Bible states that as Christians, we are brothers and sisters in God's Family (John 1:12; Heb. 2:11); we are also fellow citizens of God's holy Nation (Phil. 3:20; 1 Pet. 2:9, 10); and members of Christ's Body (Rom.12:4, 5; 1 Cor. 12:12). We are commanded in Scripture to unite ourselves with fellow believers of Christ and put our new relationship with them into practice (Eph. 4:3, 4; Phil. 1:27). The Bible calls this united assembly of Christians as a Church. The Biblical Concept of the Church
The term "church" simply means "called out ones". people called out from sin, and called to unite as one people to proclaim the glory of God (1 Pet. 2:9, 10). The Church is both Universal and Local. The Universal Church - The united Body of all believers in heaven and on earth. Regardless of location or religious affiliations, all believers belong to this church. The Local Church - A visible assembly of people who profess faith in Jesus Christ, bound by common doctrine and experience, and united in the mission of spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ. All believers are commanded in Scripture to be part of this church. According to the following passages, what is the importance of the local church and what activities are conducted in it which are vital to the spiritual growth of believers? Romans 12:4-8
__________________________________________________________________ Hebrews 10:24, 25
__________________________________________________________________ Ephesians 4:11-13
__________________________________________________________________ Early New Testament Practice Read Acts 2:40-47. Upon hearing and receiving the Gospel message, to what four things did they commit themselves?
1. _______________________________________________________________ How would you describe the relationship of the Christians in the early church? What made you say so?
__________________________________________________________________ Based on this passage, what should be seen in the modern-day church of Jesus Christ?
__________________________________________________________________ The Teaching of the Church God has given the church gifted men to equip Christians with the Word of God (Ephesians 4:11, 12). As Christians, we ought to be committed to learning from them. We must make sure, however, that these leaders are teaching the Word of God. The Bible warns us to avoid teachers who uphold their ideas above the Scriptures (2 Tim. 2:16-18). Look for scriptural references that deal with the following subjects. Based on these texts, determine what teachings a church should hold on to regarding these subjects. The Bible
__________________________________________________________________ God __________________________________________________________________ Jesus Christ __________________________________________________________________ Salvation __________________________________________________________________ The Mission of the Church The Church does not exist simply for herself. It should not be concerned primarily for its own, but rather for those still in sin. Fellowship, worship and teaching are all essential aspects of church life. They are, however, only a means to accomplish a greater end. God allowed us to remain here on earth for a mission, and that is to "make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:19). We recharge and equip ourselves in church, so that we can be effective witnesses for Jesus Christ outside. According to Matthew 28:19, 20, what has Christ commissioned the church to do? __________________________________________________________________ What promise has the Lord given at the end of His command? How does this motivate us to obey? __________________________________________________________________ According to Acts 1:8, what has God endowed every believer to be effective witnesses? __________________________________________________________________ What then should we look for in a church concerning this aspect? __________________________________________________________________ Preparations for the Next Lesson 1. Am I involved in a local church? Why
or why not? What things should I be Note: Please understand also that there is no perfect church. We can always find certain flaws even in good ones. Rather than perfection, we should be looking for commitment to these biblical ingredients. 2. Answer Lesson 15.
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