Leçon 33: L'Eglise et le Royaume-

Pourquoi suis-je ici? Je suis ici pour participer au règne de Jésus-Christ. En outre, sachant que le Christ sera un jour de vaincre ses ennemis, je sais aussi que je vais prendre part à son royaume. Christ établira un royaume parfait et éternel, et chaque croyant l'église en âge de régner avec Lui en elle.

Avant de poursuivre, nous devons clarifier la différence entre les deux royaumes bibliques: Dieu universel royaume et son royaume de médiateur. Le royaume universel est la souveraineté absolue de Dieu sur toute sa création. Le royaume de médiateur est sa règle personnelle des individus spécifiques par le biais d'un médiateur (ou son représentant). Ce dernier royaume a commencé dans l'Ancien Testament et est le but ultime de l'histoire (voir leçon Vingt Deux). C'est dans ce royaume que les croyants seront un jour régner avec le Christ co leur roi.

[Un médiateur est un intermédiaire ou un représentant. Un royaume est un médiateur terrestre, politique, royaume dans lequel Dieu règles par le biais d'un médiateur. Dieu universel royaume est le fait que Dieu règne sur l'univers.]

Le royaume de médiateur est connue sous divers noms, tels que "le royaume des cieux», «le royaume de Dieu,» ou simplement «le royaume». Généralement, le contexte détermine laquelle de ces deux royaumes (universelle ou médiatrice), l'auteur a à l'esprit. Dans cette leçon, «le royaume» se réfère au royaume de médiateur.

[La Bible fait référence Schofield une distinction entre le royaume de Dieu et le royaume des cieux, mais les deux sont synonymes et interchangeables. La plupart des dispensationalistes ne font aucune distinction entre les deux.]

Il ne faut pas confondre le royaume avec le salut ou l'église. Bien que les gens utilisent souvent ces mots de façon interchangeable, le royaume est une idée distincte.

[Ie, "Joe est entré dans le royaume", qui signifie «Joe suis sauvé." Il ya un couple de passages qui enseignent que l'on pénètre dans le royaume en quelque sorte au point de salut. Cependant, nous allons voir qu'il est préférable de garder le royaume et le salut des idées séparées. Le royaume sera une réalité physique. L'église ne remplit pas toutes les promesses royaume.]

Cette leçon va explorer la nature du royaume de médiateur, son histoire, et la relation de l'Eglise à elle.

[N'oubliez pas que lorsque nous utilisons le mot «royaume» dans cette leçon, nous parlons le royaume de médiateur, et non pas la souveraineté universelle de Dieu ou le salut.]

I. La nature du Royaume

La Bible indique que le royaume de Dieu comprend trois éléments: (1) une règle divinement choisi, (2) un domaine de sujets à être jugé, et (3) l'acte même de régner. À moins que tous trois sont présents, il n'y a pas de royaume. David le confirme quand il dit:

Pourtant, l'Éternel, le Dieu d'Israël, m'a choisi à partir de toute ma famille pour être roi sur Israël pour toujours. Il a choisi Juda comme chef de file, et de la maison de Juda il a choisi ma famille, et de fils de mon père qu'il était heureux de me faire roi sur tout Israël. De tous mes fils et l'Éternel m'a donné beaucoup-il a choisi mon fils Salomon pour s'asseoir sur le trône du royaume de l'Eternel sur Israël. 1 Chroniques 28:4 5

Le prophète Daniel a également insisté sur ces trois éléments quand il a écrit du règne futur du Messie:

Dans ma vision de nuit, je regardai, et il a été devant moi comme un fils de l'homme, venant sur ​​les nuées du ciel. Il s'approcha de l'Ancien des Jours et fut conduit en sa présence. Il fut donné le pouvoir, la gloire et la puissance souveraine; tous les peuples, nations et hommes de toutes langues le servirent. Sa domination est une domination éternelle qui ne passera point, et son royaume est celui qui ne sera jamais détruit. Daniel 7:13 14

[Selon cette définition, est actuellement en Jésus Christ régner sur son royaume? N ° Certains pourraient dire qu'il est au pouvoir de l'église à sa tête, ou qu'Il règles les cœurs des croyants, mais ce n'est pas en accord avec l'idée royaume de Jésus et les apôtres ont enseigné. Ils ont enseigné un littéral, royaume terrestre, et non pas un être invisible, l'un spirituel.]

II. L'Histoire du Royaume de Dieu

Tout au long de la Bible, Dieu a toujours jugé par les représentants humains. Voici quelques-uns des hommes de Dieu a utilisé ou utilise de cette façon.

A. Moïse

C'est le même Moïse qu'ils avaient rejeté avec les mots: «Qui t'a établi chef et juge?" Il a été envoyé pour être leur chef et libérateur par Dieu lui-même, grâce à l'ange qui lui était apparu dans le buisson. Actes 07:35

Moïse était le représentant de Dieu. Dieu a jugé Israël à travers lui.

Saül et David B.

Alors Samuel prit la corne d'huile et oignit [David], en présence de ses frères, et depuis ce jour sur l'Esprit de l'Éternel saisit David au pouvoir. Alors Samuel partit pour Rama. Or, l'Esprit de l'Éternel s'était retiré de Saül, et un mauvais esprit de l'Éternel lui tourmentée. 1 Samuel 16:13 14

Saül était roi le représentant de Dieu. Cependant, à cause de sa désobéissance, Dieu a enlevé son droit à la règle (1 Samuel 15:23) et l'onction spéciale de l'Esprit qui allait avec elle, la «théocratie onction." [Review l'idée de la théocratie onction.] À ce stade, il convient de noter deux faits: (1) Au moment où l'onction était théocratique donnée à David, elle a été prise de Saül (David craint le même sort tard dans la vie selon le Psaume 51:11.). (2) Dieu a commencé une dynastie de David à travers laquelle il gouvernerait son peuple. Depuis ce temps, chaque roi sur le royaume de Dieu devait être de la lignée de David.

C. Solomon

[Dieu] dit à [David]: «Salomon, ton fils est celui qui va construire ma maison et mes parvis, car je l'ai choisi pour être mon fils, et je serai son père. Je vais établir son royaume éternellement s'il est inébranlable dans l'accomplissement de mes commandements et les lois, comme cela se fait en ce moment. "1 Chroniques 28:6 7

D. Christ

Comme mentionné ci-dessus, chaque roi médiatrice depuis que David a dû être de descendance davidique. Cela comprenait le Christ (Esaïe 11, Matthieu 1 et Luc 3).

1. Le royaume du Christ a été prédit.

En raison de la rébellion d'Israël, Dieu temporairement clos Son arrangement royaume avec la nation. [Cela s'est produit en 586 avant JC avec la captivité babylonienne.] Toutefois, de ce point sur ​​les prophètes ont prédit que Dieu serait un jour de restaurer son royaume d'une manière éternelle.

La domination ancienne sera restauré afin de vous; royauté viendra à la fille de Jérusalem. Michée 4:08

Il va régner sur le trône de David et sur ​​son royaume, l'établissement et son maintien avec la justice et la droiture partir de ce moment et pour toujours. Esaïe 09:07

[Notez que le même genre de royaume que David avait seront restaurés. Etait royaume de David un spirituel? Non, c'était littéral, terrestre, etc Donc, sera du Christ.]

2. Le royaume du Christ a été offert.

Tant le Christ et Jean le Baptiste a prêché un message royaume. Le Christ est venu sur terre que le roi avait promis, le Messie. Toutefois, les Juifs ont rejeté son offre et brutalement assassinées.

Jean le Baptiste a prêché:

«Repentez-vous car le royaume des cieux est proche." - Matthieu 03:02

Le Christ même a proclamé:

«Repentez-vous car le royaume des cieux est proche." Matthieu 4:17 (voir aussi Matthieu 04:23 et Luc 11:19 20.)

Les disciples ont dit à prêcher:

«Le royaume des cieux est proche." Matthieu 10:07

Note: L'offre du royaume d'Israël a été une véritable offre. Toutefois, le plan de Dieu comprenait le rejet d'Israël et de la mort du Christ. Ainsi, le Christ est venu sur terre pour deux raisons: d'abord, Il est venu d'offrir le royaume aux Juifs. Deuxièmement, Il est venu pour faire de la participation dans le royaume futur possible. En se laissant crucifier, il a fourni la voie du salut de telle sorte que les hommes pouvaient le connaître en tant que roi.

[Il ya un débat sur ​​ce qui serait arrivé si les Juifs ont accepté Jésus comme leur Messie. Certains disent que les objectifs du Millénaire aurait commencé là. C'est un point discutable car Israël n'a pas accepté Jésus comme leur Messie en ce moment.]

3. Le royaume du Christ a été reportée.

Le royaume de Dieu a été reportée. Il n'est pas en existence aujourd'hui. Après Sa résurrection, le Christ a donné à ses disciples encore les instructions concernant son royaume à venir (Actes 1:3). Les disciples supposé qu'il serait de rétablir immédiatement le royaume d'Israël et de commencer à régner. Christ, cependant, a enseigné le contraire.

Alors, quand ils se sont réunis, ils lui ont demandé, "Seigneur, es-tu à ce moment va à restaurer le royaume d'Israël» Il leur dit: «Ce n'est pas pour vous de connaître les temps ou les dates que le Père a fixés de sa propre autorité. "Actes 1:06 7

[Ceci est un bon texte qui montre que les disciples attendaient un littéral, royaume terrestre. Si le royaume était une spirituelle (c'est à dire, le salut), ils n'auraient pas posé cette question, parce que le royaume aurait été en vigueur.]

4. Le royaume du Christ sera un jour mis en place.

A sa seconde venue, le Christ établira Son règne terrestre. Ce sera un littéral, royaume physique centrée sur Jérusalem.

Le trône de Dieu et de l'Agneau sera dans la ville, et ses serviteurs le serviront. Révélation 22:03 (Voir aussi Isaïe 09:07, 07:13, Daniel 14, et Luc 01:31 33.)

III. L'Eglise et le Royaume-

Royaume médiateur de Dieu implique en réalité trois étapes: la théocratie de l'Ancien Testament, le royaume millénaire, et le royaume éternel. Comme mentionné dans la leçon Thirty Two, la Tribulation culminera avec la seconde venue du Christ. A cette époque, le Christ va complètement détruire ses ennemis, temporairement lier Satan, et établir Son royaume millénaire («Millennium» signifie mille années). Après le Millénium, Satan sera relâché de sa servitude temporaire, mener une révolte finale, la défaite, et d'être condamnés au châtiment éternel (Apocalypse 20:01 10). Dieu sera alors juger de la non sauvegardées de tous âges lors du Jugement du Grand Trône Blanc (Apocalypse 20:11 15), de détruire les cieux et la terre actuels et en créer de nouveaux (2 Pierre 3:10 13 et Apocalypse 21:1), et établir son royaume éternel (Apocalypse 21:02 et suiv.)

A. croyants âge des églises sont des citoyens du royaume.

Car il nous a sauvés de la puissance des ténèbres et nous a transportés dans le royaume du Fils qu'il aime. Colossiens 1:13

Notre citoyenneté est dans les cieux. Philippiens 3:20

Il faut interpréter ces versets en termes de «position» vérité. La vérité de position décrit ce que le croyant possède, mais ne connaît pas. Ainsi, même si nous vivons encore dans ce monde péché s'obscurcit, et le royaume du Christ n'a pas encore été établie, nous sommes libres de la puissance du péché et sont des citoyens du royaume de Christ positionnellement.

B. croyants âge Eglise régnera dans le royaume.

A celui qui vaincra, je donnerai le droit de s'asseoir avec moi sur mon trône, comme moi vaincu et suis assis avec mon Père sur son trône. Apocalypse 3:21 (voir aussi 20:06 Révélation).

Dans ce verset, le Christ parle à l'église d'âge croyants. Le mot «vainqueurs» se réfère à ceux qui ont vaincu Satan par la foi en Christ (1 Jean 5:4 5). Par conséquent, tous les croyants des églises âge sera une partie de la famille royale. Nous allons co régner avec Christ dans le royaume éternel.

[Ceci est vrai seulement de l'église Saints-âge. OT croyants n'auront aucun rôle dans le prochain millénaire.]

Apprendre à Live It

1. Les épreuves de la vie sont nombreux. Emploi, famille, ministère, et la maladie sont souvent la cause des difficultés. Comment pourrait le matériel appris dans cette leçon affecter la façon dont on traite avec les épreuves de la vie?

Il devrait nous aider à faire face avec eux mieux / persévérer à travers eux, sachant ce qui nous attend à la fin (Rm 8:18, Heb 11:10, 13-16, 24-26). Nous savons qu'il ya plus à la vie que cette vie. Tout dans l'histoire et dans l'univers est en mouvement à sa fin prédéterminé. Nos essais jouer leur rôle dans le plan de Dieu pour l'histoire. Nous connaissons la fin de l'histoire. Nous sommes sur l'équipe gagnante. Nos essais sont vraiment très temporaire. Nous avons une éternité pour être libre d'eux et de profiter de vrai bonheur.

2. Comment pourrait la connaissance de ces faits affectent la façon dont on considère le peu de temps pendant lequel il vit sur cette terre?

Il est relativement insignifiant comparé à l'éternité. Notre destin éternel, cependant, est déterminé dans cette vie. Un grand moment de joie qui est en magasin pour nous. Aussi, nous n'avons pas besoin «d'aller pour le gusto" maintenant, comme si tout cela est il est. Nous pouvons reporter / rebuter certains choses agréables que plus tard. Nous devons vivre dans la lumière de l'éternité.

Introduction à la destinée de l'Église

Pourquoi suis-je ici? Je suis ici pour participer au règne de Jésus-Christ.

En vingt-deux leçons par vingt-quatre, nous avons appris que le but de l'Eglise est de glorifier Dieu par le ministère de sa Parole. En vingt-cinq leçons par trente et un, nous avons appris que les objectifs de l'église sont l'édification, l'évangélisation, et à l'expansion et que chacun de ces trois peut être accompli en poursuivant des activités diverses. Parmi ceux-ci sont l'éducation, le culte, la communion fraternelle, l'évangélisation personnelle et d'entreprise, et l'expansion physique et organisationnelle.

Dans cette dernière section sur l'ecclésiologie (la doctrine de l'église), nous allons discuter le destin de l'église. Pourquoi suis-je ici? Je suis ici pour participer au règne de Jésus-Christ. En tant que croyant vivant dans cette dispensation, je sais que je suis sur le «équipe gagnante». Je ne vais pas faire face au jugement de Dieu pendant la Tribulation. Au lieu de cela, je peux attendons avec impatience d'être une partie du triomphe du Christ sur ses ennemis et régner avec Lui à travers toute l'éternité.

Leçon 32: L'Eglise et la Tribulation

Qu'est-ce qui va se passer dans l'avenir, et quelle partie ne l'église y jouer? La Bible parle d'une période de sept ans portant un jugement sans précédent. Ce sera un temps où un seul homme, le pouvoir de Satan, se lèvera pour le contrôle des ressources politiques, religieuses et militaires du monde entier. Ce sera un temps où Dieu déchaîne sa colère sur la terre et ses habitants. Cette période est appelée la Tribulation. Dans cette leçon, nous allons apprendre ce que la Tribulation seront comme et quand elle aura lieu.

I. La nature de la Tribulation

La période de tribulation sera un temps de jugement dans le monde entier une durée de sept ans. Il va commencer par la rupture de la première des sept sceaux de jugement (voir tableau ci-dessous) après l'enlèvement de l'église et prendra fin avec la seconde venue du Christ, époque à laquelle il va complètement détruire ses ennemis à la bataille d'Armageddon et établir son royaume.

A. Les Tribulations impliquera la continue déchaînement de la colère de Dieu.

Dès l'ouverture du jugement premier sceau de l'Apocalypse 6 à l'effusion du jugement dernier bol d'Apocalypse 16 (qui se terminera la Tribulation), Dieu sera versant sa colère. La succession des jugements Tribulation peut être visualisé comme suit:

Certains croient que seule la seconde moitié de la Tribulation impliquera la colère de Dieu [C'est ce qu'on appelle la mi-trib position.]. Cependant, les deux premiers sceaux, qui commencent la Tribulation, démontrent clairement que toute la période est caractérisée par l'effusion de la colère de Dieu.

J'ai regardé comme l'Agneau ouvrit le premier des sept sceaux. Puis j'ai entendu l'un des quatre êtres vivants dire d'une voix comme le tonnerre: «Viens!" Je regardai, et voici, parut un cheval blanc! Son cavalier tenait un arc, et on lui a donné une couronne, et il partit en vainqueur de conquêtes. Lorsque l'Agneau ouvrit le second sceau. . . un autre cheval est sorti, un feu rouge. Son cavalier a été donné le pouvoir d'enlever la paix de la terre et de rendre les hommes s'entre-tuer. Révélation 6:01 4

B. Les Tribulations impliquera l'importance d'un leader clé sataniques - l'Antéchrist.

Durant la Tribulation, Satan va responsabiliser l'Antéchrist, le faux prophète, et l'église apostate. De ces trois, l'Antéchrist sera le personnage principal avec les deux autres étant sous son contrôle. L'Antéchrist (1 Jean 2:22) est aussi appelé le roi de Babylone (Ésaïe 14:4), le méchant prince (Ezéchiel 21:25), la petite corne (Daniel 7:8), l'homme de péché ( 2 Thessaloniciens 2:3), et la bête (Apocalypse 11:7).

1. L'Antéchrist capacités

L'Antéchrist surpassera tous les autres dirigeants humaine et donc d'attirer un public universel.

a. Il sera un politicien capable (Daniel 8:23-25).

b. Il sera un génie militaire (Apocalypse 13:4).

c. Il sera considéré comme digne d'adoration (Apocalypse 13:4, 8).

2. L'Antéchrist de la carrière

L'Antéchrist apparaîtra initialement comme un leader peu connu politique, une "petite corne" (Daniel 7:08). Toutefois, dans un bref délai, il deviendra plus grand dictateur au monde. Les points forts de sa carrière sont les suivants:

a. La Tribulation commencera quand il fait un traité avec Israël, lui permettant de reconstruire le temple et de renouveler le culte sacrificiel (Daniel 9:27).

b. Au milieu de la Tribulation (après 3 ans 1 / 2), il va rompre le traité avec Israël, le culte de soi demande (Daniel 9:27 et 2 Thessaloniciens 2:4), tuer le Seigneur de deux témoins (Apocalypse 11:01 14 ), commencent à persécuter activement Israël (Apocalypse 12:1 6), et de détruire l'église apostate, dont il n'a plus besoin (Apocalypse 17:16).

c. A la fin de la Tribulation, le Christ reviendra, détruire ses ennemis, et jeta l'Antéchrist et le Faux Prophète dans le lac de feu (Apocalypse 19:11 21).

C. La Tribulation se traduira par le salut de beaucoup de gens.

Bien que Dieu punira les habitants de la terre en envoyant des catastrophes dévastatrices et en permettant à l'Antéchrist et ses forces de faire pire, Son châtiment sera un moyen de réunir de nombreux Juifs et les Gentils avec lui-même (Zacharie 13:01 et Apocalypse 7:09 17) .

II. Le temps de la Tribulation

A. La Tribulation aura lieu après l'enlèvement de l'église.

Évangéliques [Beaucoup d'accord avec tout ce que nous avons dit jusqu'à présent. Le moment exact de la tribulation est un point débattu. Récemment, le "Pré-Colère" théorie du Ravissement a gagné en popularité. Cette théorie suggère que les chrétiens vont à travers la première partie de la Tribulation, devant Dieu commence déversant sa colère (donc "pré-colère»). Nous croyons qu'une telle mesure est dans l'erreur.]

L'église connaîtra aucune partie de la Tribulation, car il sera rattrapé («enlevés») juste avant elle. Selon l'Ecriture, le Christ descendra du ciel et de «rattraper» les croyants vivants et morts âge de l'église à lui répondre dans les nuages. Il se rendra ensuite les emmener au ciel, où il restera pendant la Tribulation.

Car le Seigneur lui-même descendra du ciel, avec une commande fort, avec la voix de l'archange et avec la trompette de Dieu, et les morts en Christ ressusciteront premièrement. Après cela, nous qui sommes encore vivants et sont laissés seront tous ensemble enlevés avec eux sur des nuées pour rencontrer le Seigneur dans les airs. Et ainsi nous serons toujours avec le Seigneur. 1 Thessaloniciens 4:16 17

[Les morts «en Christ» se réfèrent à l'église Saints-âge, et non croyants OT. Pour être "en Christ" est d'être sauvé.

Le mot «ravissement» est utilisée nulle part dans la Bible. Il provient de la traduction latine de "rattraper".]

Un certain nombre de passages impliquent que l'Enlèvement aura lieu avant la Tribulation. Les passages ci-dessous indiquent clairement que les croyants ne seront pas soumises à la colère de Dieu. Depuis la Tribulation implique l'effusion de la colère de Dieu, les croyants ne passera pas par elle.

Et pour attendre des cieux son Fils qu'il a ressuscité d'entre les morts Jésus, qui nous délivre de la colère à venir. 1 Thessaloniciens 1:10

Car Dieu ne nous a pas à subir sa colère, mais pour recevoir le salut par notre Seigneur Jésus-Christ. 1 Thessaloniciens 5:09

Remarque: Le contexte de 1 Thessaloniciens 5:01 11 parle de la fin des temps. Par conséquent, la colère étant visée n'est pas l'enfer, mais la colère qui se produisent pendant la Tribulation.

Puisque vous avez gardé ma commande pour supporter patiemment, je vais aussi vous empêcher de l'heure du procès qui va venir sur le monde entier afin de tester ceux qui vivent sur ​​la terre. Apocalypse 3:10

Deux choses à noter à propos de cette promesse de l'Eglise de Philadelphie:

1. Elle s'applique à toutes les églises du Nouveau Testament.

Celui qui a des oreilles, qu'il entende ce que l'Esprit dit aux Églises. Révélation 03:13

2. Il promet que toutes les églises d'éviter la Tribulation.

Les mots grec traduit par "vous empêcher de" dans Apocalypse 3:10 indiquer l'action un de séparation de l'Eglise d'âge des saints de la Tribulation, et non pas la protection continue des croyants pendant la Tribulation.

B. La Tribulation aura lieu avant le retour de Christ sur ​​la terre pour établir son royaume.

Le royaume de Christ sera l'époque où le Christ règne personnellement en tant que roi et toute la création se soumet à sa domination. Cela se produira immédiatement après la Tribulation.

On se dressera nation contre nation et royaume contre royaume. Il y aura d'importants séismes, les famines et des pestes en divers endroits, et les événements peur et de grands signes venant du ciel. Car ceci est le temps du châtiment dans l'accomplissement de tout ce qui a été écrit. Comment terribles, il sera en ces jours pour les femmes enceintes et les mères allaitantes! Il y aura une grande détresse dans la terre et colère contre ce peuple. Il y aura des signes dans le soleil, la lune et les étoiles. Sur la terre, les nations seront dans l'angoisse et la perplexité dans le rugissement et la jetant sur ​​la mer. Les hommes rendant l'âme de terreur dans l'attente de ce qui est à venir sur le monde, pour les corps célestes seront ébranlées. Même ainsi, quand vous verrez ces choses arriver, sachez que le royaume de Dieu est proche. Luc 21:10 11 22 23, 25-26, 31

La Tribulation culminera avec la seconde venue du Christ sur ​​la terre avec tous les saints âge de l'église pour détruire ses ennemis.

Je vis le ciel ouvert, et devant moi était un cheval blanc, dont le montait s'appelle Fidèle et Véritable. Avec la justice, il juge et fait la guerre. Les armées du ciel le suivaient sur ​​des chevaux blancs, revêtues d'un fin lin, blanc et propre. Puis j'ai vu la bête et les rois de la terre et leurs armées rassemblées pour faire la guerre contre le cavalier sur le cheval et son armée. Mais la bête fut prise, et avec elle le faux prophète qui avait accompli des signes miraculeux en son nom. . . . Les deux d'entre eux furent jetés vivants dans l'étang ardent de feu et de soufre. Le reste d'entre eux ont été tués par l'épée qui sortait de la bouche du cavalier sur le cheval, et tous les oiseaux se rassasièrent de leur chair. Apocalypse 19:11, 14, 19-21

[Ne pas confondre avec le ravissement de la Seconde Venue. Ils sont deux événements distincts séparés par 7 ans. ]

Voici une chronologie (développé par Rolland McCune, THD) indique quelques-uns des plus importants événements de la fin des temps.

Récapitulation et révision

Dans cette leçon, nous avons appris:

1. La Tribulation est l'avenir, période de sept ans durant laquelle la colère de Dieu se déchaîne, l'Antéchrist monte au pouvoir, et des multitudes sont sauvés.

2. La Tribulation aura lieu après l'enlèvement de l'église et avant l'établissement du royaume de Christ à sa seconde venue.

Apprendre à Live It

1. Alors que dans une librairie chrétienne locale, vous remarquez un nouveau livre sur la prophétie biblique. Après l'acheter, vous prenez la maison et commencer la lecture. L'auteur déclare que l'enlèvement aura lieu vers le milieu de la Tribulation, car la première moitié de la Tribulation n'implique pas la colère de Dieu. Pourquoi est-ce une mauvaise position?

Tous de la Tribulation implique l'effusion de la colère de Dieu, et pas seulement la dernière moitié. La dernière moitié sera plus grave, cependant (parfois appelée «la Grande Tribulation" dans l'Écriture). Depuis les croyants sont gardés de cette colère, ils passeront par aucune partie de la tribulation.

2. Un ami chrétien est la vôtre est inquiet qu'il va traverser la Tribulation. Que pouvez-vous lui dire pour soulager son anxiété?

Dieu a promis que les croyants ne passera pas par la Tribulation (1 Thessaloniciens 1:10, 5:09, 3:10 et Rev).

Leçon 31: L'intendance et l'expansion de l'Eglise

La croissance du ministère, ou d'expansion, se déroule comme les églises locales s'engager dans l'édification et l'évangélisation. Une telle croissance nécessite la gestion des ressources physiques et humaines de l'église. Un autre mot pour cette gestion est ". Intendance» Dans cette leçon, nous examinerons:

1. La fondation de l'intendance

2. Le profil d'un intendant

3. Un exemple de l'intendance

4. L'importance de l'intendance

I. La Fondation de l'intendance

L'intendance est fondée sur deux principes fondamentaux:

A. Dieu est le créateur et propriétaire de toutes choses.

Puisque Dieu a créé l'univers, il possède lui et tout ce qu'il contient. Ce n'est pas seulement vrai des roches, des arbres et des animaux, mais aussi des êtres humains.

The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters. Psalm 24:1 2

B. Mankind does not truly own anything.

When people speak of their “possessions,” they are really speaking inaccurately. Everything that a person “owns” will be left behind for someone else. All that a person “possesses” has been loaned to him by God.

For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not? 1 Corinthians 4:7

II. The Profile of a Steward

A. A steward is given a trust (responsibility) by another.

Stewards were common in biblical times. A steward was expected to oversee the affairs of someone else. The word “steward” literally means “one who

manages a household .” A stewardship is that which has been entrusted to the care of a manager. A good synonym for stewardship is administration . The New Testament often compares believers with stewards. God has given believers tasks to accomplish and the resources needed to accomplish them. Christ illustrated this truth in many parables.

Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? Luke 12:42

B. A steward is to administrate (oversee) that trust.

Believers are to use all the resources entrusted to them by God to accomplish their appointed tasks.

It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. Luke 12:43 44

[In other words, believers are to manage/administrate/oversee everything God has entrusted to them. Eg, Joseph.]

C. A steward is accountable for the performance of his task.

A time is coming [at the Judgment Seat of Christ] when God will demand an accounting for how His affairs have been managed. This accounting will be based on the following principle: the greater the privilege , the greater the responsibility .

From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. Luke 12:48

D. The resources of the steward

Many believers incorrectly think that they must give God a portion of their resources. However, true stewardship is based upon the realization that all one has belongs to God.

1. Believers are stewards of their time .

How we use our time is a reflection of our priorities. Every second of every day must be used wisely.

Be very careful, then, how you live not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:15 16

[Obviously this does not mean that we can't spend time resting, relaxing, and just plain goofing off. But it does mean that we are accountable for how we spend such time. We should not simply "waste" large chunks of time doing nothing profitable, eg watching 3-4 videos, playing video games, "vegging out," etc. We are to "redeem the time."]

2. Believers are stewards of their talents .

Every believer has abilities which God wants to use to accomplish His purposes. God expects every believer to use his talents to enhance the ministry of his local church.

Nous avons des dons différents, selon la grâce nous a donné. Si cadeau d'un homme est de prophétiser, le laisser l'utiliser en proportion de sa foi. Si ce n'est de servir, laisser servir; si elle est d'enseigner, qu'il enseigne, si elle est encourageante, qu'il encourage, si elle est de contribuer à répondre aux besoins des autres, qu'il lui donne généreusement, si c'est le leadership, le laisser gouverner diligence; si elle est miséricorde, laissez-le faire joyeusement. Romains 12:06 8

Chacun doit utiliser le don qu'il a reçu pour servir les autres en bons intendants de la grâce de Dieu dans ses diverses formes. 1 Pierre 4:10

[Comment Dieu "câblé", vous? Où sont vos talents, des aptitudes, des cadeaux? C'est là où Dieu veut que vous servir dans l'église.]

3. Les croyants sont les intendants de leurs trésors.

Le Nouveau Testament souligne fortement l'utilisation correcte des biens par les croyants. De nombreux passages en garde au sujet de leur utilisation abusive.

Mais piété avec le contentement est un grand gain. Car nous n'avons rien apporté dans le monde, et nous n'en pouvons rien emporter d'elle. Mais si nous avons nourriture et vêtement, nous serons content de cela. Les gens qui veulent s'enrichir tombent dans la tentation et un piège, et dans beaucoup de désirs insensés et pernicieux qui plongent les hommes dans la ruine et la destruction. Pour l'amour de l'argent est une racine de toutes sortes de mal. Certaines personnes, avides d'argent, ont erré loin de la foi et se perça bien des tourments. 1 Timothée 6:06 10

James 5:01 6 identifie plusieurs des péchés liés à l'amour de l'argent:

a. Placing one's trust in that which is temporal (5:1 3)

b. Hoarding wealth rather than using it for good (5:3)

c. Using dishonest means to gain wealth (5:4)

d. Living in luxury (5:5)

e. Practicing self indulgence (5:5)

[Notice that a luxurious, self-indulgent life-style is wrong for the Christian. Why do you think we say this? Because from God's perspective, there are more important uses of money than luxury and comfort. The hard part is determining the proper standard of living. Most people increase their standard as their income increases (if it does). Instead, one should determine what he needs and use the extra to support various ministries, programs, charities, etc. Few actually do this.]

4. Believers are stewards of a message .

Paul considered the message that he preached to be his greatest responsibility.

I have become [the church's] servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness. Colossians 1:25

2 Timothy 2:1 2 indicates that the stewardship of this trust is the task of every generation of believers.

III. An Example of Stewardship

Une des exigences de Dieu pour les délégués dans cette dispensation est le soutien de l'église locale. Dans 1 Corinthiens 16:01 4 et 2 Corinthiens 8 et 9, Paul aborde une offre qui a été prise pour soulager la famine pour des églises en Palestine. Ces passages nous donner des instructions importantes concernant le don.

A. Le temps de donner

Offrandes devaient être collectés le dimanche.

Le premier jour de chaque semaine, chacun de vous devrait mettre de côté une somme d'argent correspondant à ses revenus. 1 Corinthiens 16:02

L'importance de ce fait est double: d'abord, l'argent donné pour le ministère était d'être canalisée à travers l'église locale, qui a rassemblé le dimanche. Deuxièmement, puisque donnant devait être fait alors que l'église a été assemblé, il devrait être considérée comme faisant partie du culte.

B. Le lieu de donner

Comme indiqué précédemment, les offres devaient être prises à l'église locale, qui était responsable de l'administration du fonds. Il a été églises locales qui gèrent les fonds recueillis par Paul. Paul a pris grand soin de garantir l'utilisation rationnelle de ces fonds, aussi bien dans la réalité et dans la perception. En d'autres termes, Paul a pris soin de travailler sous l'autorité des Eglises locales pour éviter la perception ou de l'accusation de fonds abuser.

And we are sending along with [Titus] the brother who is praised by all the churches for his service to the gospel. What is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us as we carry the offering, which we administer in order to honor the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help. We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of men. 2 Corinthians 8:18 21

[Be very cautious about supporting parachurch organizations. Strictly speaking, they are not biblically based (God's program is the church, not the parachurch), and they may not use the money they receive wisely, as evidenced by the recent TV evangelist scandals.]

C. The attitude of giving

1. Stewardship giving is voluntary .

New Testament giving is not a matter of law . Rather, it flows from a heart which recognizes that all that we have and are belongs to God.

Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion. 2 Corinthians 9:7

[Interesting note: The Greek word for "cheerful" comes from the root "hilarion," as in "hilarious." ]

2. Stewardship giving is a privilege .

Paul originally did not ask the churches in Macedonia to give to the offering for the Palestinian churches because he knew that the Macedonians were extremely poor. However, when they heard of the need, they pleaded with Paul to be included. Even though in great need themselves, they considered giving to be a privilege.

And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. 2 Corinthians 8:1-4

3. Stewardship giving should be done cheerfully .

Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7

D. The amount of giving

1. Stewards should give according to their income .

God wants believers to worship Him with the wealth and talents that they currently possess, no matter how great or small. The widow with her small copper coins (Mark 12:41 44) is a prime example of giving that pleases the Lord.

On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income. 1 Corinthians 16:2

For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have. 2 Corinthians 8:12

2. Stewards should give as much as possible .

The New Testament does not teach that a specific percentage of one's income is to be given to the Lord. The Old Testament tithe (ten percent) can only serve as a starting point. The sacrificial Macedonians are once again an excellent example:

For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. 2 Corinthians 8:3

[Actually, the Law required that OT believers give considerably more than just 10% (they were required to give almost 25%). Besides what was required, they gave their sacrifices and often free-will offerings too. Nevertheless, 10% is a good place for the believer to start. One should give at least that much.]

IV. The Importance of Stewardship

Stewardship is important for at least two reasons:

A. Stewardship brings glory to God.

1. Stewardship is an act of faithfulness .

Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. 1 Corinthians 4:2

2. Stewardship is an expression of Christ likeness .

Paul urged the Corinthians to give liberally in order to imitate the supreme act of giving, the self-sacrifice of Christ.

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9

B. Stewardship accomplishes the work of the ministry.

Dieu a déterminé à accomplir sa volonté dans cette dispensation, en confiant son travail pour les croyants. En dehors de l'engagement du peuple de Dieu à être des intendants fidèles, le travail du ministère ne peut pas avoir lieu.

1. Intendance des temps et leurs talents fournit des ressources humaines pour le ministère.

Les croyants doivent être disposés à consacrer leur vie à l'œuvre du ministère. C'est l'une des nombreuses raisons pour lesquelles Dieu nous a sauvés.

Car nous sommes l'ouvrage de Dieu, créés en Jésus Christ pour de bonnes oeuvres, que Dieu a préparées à l'avance pour que nous fassions. Ephésiens 2:10

2. Intendance des trésors fournit des ressources physiques pour le ministère.

Le Nouveau Testament donne des directions spécifiques concernant l'utilisation des ressources financières de l'église. Ils doivent être utilisés:

a. Pour répondre aux besoins des pasteurs et leurs familles

Ne savez-vous pas que ceux qui travaillent dans le temple tirent leur nourriture du temple, et ceux qui servent à l'autel de part ce qui est offert sur ​​l'autel? De la même manière, le Seigneur a ordonné à ceux qui prêchent l'évangile devraient recevoir leur subsistance de l'Evangile. 1 Corinthiens 9:13 14

[La Bible dit aussi que ceux du travail qui, dans la Parole sont dignes de "double honneur", très probablement une référence à leur payer.]

b. Pour répondre aux besoins des missionnaires

Car même quand j'étais à Thessalonique, vous m'avez envoyé une aide encore et encore, quand j'étais dans le besoin. Non pas que je suis à la recherche d'un cadeau, mais je suis à la recherche de ce qui peut être crédité à votre compte. J'ai reçu le paiement complet et même plus, je suis amplement fournie, maintenant que j'ai reçu de Epaphrodite les dons que vous avez envoyé. Ils sont une agréable odeur, un sacrifice acceptable, agréable à Dieu. Philippiens 4:16 18

c. Pour répondre aux besoins des autres, surtout les autres croyants

Par conséquent, comme nous avons l'occasion, faisons du bien à tous les gens, surtout à ceux qui appartiennent à la famille des croyants. Galates 6:10

Récapitulation et révision

Dans cette leçon, nous avons appris:

1. Intendance est fondée sur le fait que Dieu est le créateur et propriétaire de toutes choses.

2. Un steward est celui qui est responsable de gérer une fiducie donnée par l'autre. Croyants sont responsables de bien gérer le temps, des talents, des trésors, et le message qu'ils ont été donnés par Dieu.

3. Les croyants devraient volontairement et joyeusement donner autant qu'ils sont capables de leur église locale, chaque dimanche.

4. Intendance apporte la gloire à Dieu et accomplit l'œuvre du ministère.

Apprendre à Live It

1. Un homme dans votre église a un travail qui paye très bien. Il peut facilement se permettre de conduire une Mercedes et vivre dans une maison de $ 1,000,000. Would it be right for him to have such a car and home? Pourquoi ou pourquoi pas?

non, il n'a pas besoin d'eux, ils sont un luxe. En tant que chrétiens nous ne devrions pas vivre dans le luxe chic. Au lieu de cela, nous devons prévoir nos besoins et ensuite pour les besoins du ministère et les besoins des autres.

2. Une église dans la ville fait une grosse affaire sur le nombre de missionnaires qu'il soutient. L'équipe pastorale, cependant, a du mal à joindre les deux bouts et les installations de l'église sont dans le besoin désespéré de réparation. Pourtant, l'église continue à prendre de nouveaux missionnaires. Quelles responsabilités scripturale a négligé cette église?

sa responsabilité de répondre aux besoins de ses pasteurs et de faire son bâtiment présentable; seulement après la réalisation de ces obligations devrait envisager de prendre cette église le plus de missionnaires. Peut-être si ils ont fait cela, le pasteur travailler plus fort ou mieux, et de meilleures installations aideraient l'église grandir, donc l'église pourrait soutenir les missionnaires, même plus. Un programme de la mission solide est basé sur une église de maison solide.

Lesson 30: Structure and Expansion of the Church

So far, we have learned that the first two objectives of the church are the edification of the saved and the evangelization of the lost. Whereas edification produces evangelism, evangelism requires expansion .

The following lessons do not use the word “expansion” to describe numerical growth; that is accomplished through evangelism. Expansion refers to the development of new ministries within the church and the organization needed to carry them out. Sunday Schools, junior churches, choirs, Vacation Bible Schools, and youth groups are examples of ministries which may be started to meet congregational needs. Although not found in Scripture, these ministries are legitimate in that they help local churches accomplish the objectives of edification and evangelism.

[We must strive to make sure that everything we are doing fits into the overall purpose and goals of the church. Whatever doesn't fit should be eliminated. Also, there's a difference between extra-biblical things and unbiblical things. Eg, Sunday school is extra-biblical, ie, there is no direct biblical support for it. Infant baptism is unbiblical, ie, it goes against the Bible.]

We can learn several principles of expansion from the early church:

1. Expansion requires fidelity . [loyalty, faithfulness]

2. Expansion requires planning .

3. Expansion requires creativity .

4. Expansion requires cooperation .

5. Expansion requires accountability .

I. Expansion Requires Fidelity.

The early church expanded in a way that was true to the Word of God.

A. The early church was true to the commands of the Word of God.

When the church began on the Day of Pentecost, there were no New Testament Scriptures in existence to govern their ministry. The early believers sought to consistently apply the teachings of Christ concerning the church. Then, as God provided more revelation through the apostles, they faithfully applied those truths as well.

1. They proclaimed a God given message .

The early church understood that a pure message was essential. The truths of Scripture, with the person and work of Christ as the focal point, was the message of the early church. Deviation from this was not tolerated.

But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! Galatians 1:8

2. They practiced God given methods .

Some methods used by the early church are universal , that is, they apply to all churches of every era. These methods are standard, not only because the early church practiced them (in the book of Acts), but also because they are commanded in the Epistles . For example, the church is to authoritatively proclaim the truth (2 Timothy 4:2), organize converts into local assemblies (see Lesson Twenty Nine), and discipline its members (1 Corinthians 5).

[It is sometimes difficult to tell whether a certain practice was universal or temporary. A passage may be descriptive or normative. For example, we say that tongues was a temporary sign-gift. Others claim speaking in tongues was normal and that the church should do it today.]

B. The early church was true to the principles of the Word of God.

There were times when the early church encountered situations that were not directly addressed in Scripture. If there was no specific command concerning a particular issue, they dealt with it in a manner consistent with the truth that they already knew. For example, a controversy arose in Acts 6 concerning the care of widows. The apostles had no biblical instructions concerning this issue at that time. Thus, they began with what they did know (their own responsibilities) and devised a plan which was true to Scripture and met the need at hand.

[This is exactly how many ministries start: someone senses a need and fills it by applying biblical principles.]

II. Expansion Requires Planning.

Lesson Twenty Four pointed out that the organizational expansion of the early church did not just happen. Rather, it was the result of careful planning. For example, a controversy arose in Acts 15 concerning saved Gentiles. The problem had to do with the inclusion of Gentiles into the church along with Jews. Should the Gentiles be required to obey the Law of Moses? Did they have to be circumcised? After much debate, the issue was resolved, and a letter was written to the Gentile churches explaining the resolution.

Another example is found in Acts 16:6-10, where Paul's plans to go to Asia and Bithynia were changed by the Holy Spirit. Paul apparently had a planned itinerary for each of his missionary journeys.

A church properly expands as a result of careful planning, not haphazardly.

[Unless you're involved in planning an event, you probably don't realize how much work goes into it. Even a morning service is planned out for ahead of time. The point is that we should plan and organize, not "do ministry" haphazardly.]

III. Expansion Requires Creativity.

The ministry of a church must respond to changes in society . In other words, a church must apply the unchanging Word of God to an ever changing culture. This means that as new needs and issues arise, local churches need to respond with relevant and timely applications of eternal truth. Such creative expansion prepares the way for further edification and evangelism, as the following two examples show.

[Principles stay the same; methods may change. Evangelism is a universal command. How we do it may vary depending on time, place, culture, etc. This is why we should not be method-oriented.]

The distribution of the letter explaining the decisions of the Jerusalem Council had the following effect:

As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers. Acts 16:4 5

The selection of the first deacons in Acts 6 had the same effect:

So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith. Acts 6:7

[The problem here is determining how and if culture/society should change how we do things. Some churches adapt their services totally to the popular culture. They include rock or country music, skits, humor, short, needs-centered messages, etc. As separatists, we want to speak to modern man without advocating what we see as sinful elements of culture.]

IV. Expansion Requires Cooperation.

Churches often make the mistake of isolating themselves, even from other congregations of like faith and practice. Isolationism is detrimental to the body of Christ. Pastors and their congregations need the encouragement and assistance of like minded churches.

The Jerusalem Council in Acts 15 is a good example of cooperation between local assemblies. Several congregations were represented at the Council. Together, they discussed various options and decided on a biblical solution to the problem.

Churches of like faith and practice can and should cooperate in a variety of ways, such as:

A. Missions support

B. Educational institutions

C. Ordination councils [explain what an ordination is all about.]

D. Church planting

Many opportunities exist for cooperative efforts. Such cooperation is especially beneficial when churches work together on projects that are beyond their individual means.

[For example, churches may cooperate for evangelistic meetings or service projects. But these churches would be of similar faith and practice. We are against ecumenism, which is the cooperation of churches not of like faith and/or practice.]

V. Expansion Requires Accountability.

Accountability is a crucial aspect of biblical ministry and functions on two levels:

A. Accountability within the local church

As mentioned previously, expansion adds to the administrative structure of a local church. Leaders within that structure (such as Sunday School teachers, youth leaders, etc.) are accountable to the local church.

1. Leaders are accountable for what they teach .

If a leader willfully begins teaching something that is contrary to the church's published doctrinal statement, he should immediately be asked to resign.

2. Leaders are accountable for what they do .

If a leader willfully begins doing something that is contrary to the church's published standards of conduct for leadership, he should immediately be asked to resign.

[Most churches have a higher set of standards for leaders.]

B. Accountability between local churches

Accountability is a valuable benefit of cooperation between churches. Every ministry occasionally needs to have its weaknesses identified and priorities clarified through interaction with other churches.

Note: Because every church is independent, accountability between churches is voluntary .

[Often such accountability takes the form of an association or fellowship organization. These often become more of a liability than a benefit. Part of the problem with various parachurch organizations is that they have no or little accountability outside the organization. This is one reason we insist that ministry should be done under the auspices of a church.]

Apprendre à Live It

1. A friend of yours comes to a youth activity and afterwards comments, “Why do you have youth activities? You can't find them in the Bible.” How should you respond?

True, you can't find youth activities in the Bible. Other things not mentioned in the Bible: Sunday schools, carpet, electricity, light bulbs, pianos, pulpits, auditoriums, etc. Though extrabiblical, they are acceptable because they help youth ministries accomplish the objectives of the church. Thus, something is not wrong just because the Bible doesn't mention it.

2. After visiting a church for a few Sundays with your family, you realize that the pastor has very little knowledge of the Bible and cannot adequately communicate what he does know. There is little doubt that this man does not belong in the ministry. Who was responsible for placing this man in the pastorate?

The man himself; one or several local churches; perhaps a mentor, teacher, parent, etc.

How could this error have been avoided?

the convening of an ordination council to examine his fitness for the ministry

Lesson 29: The Church and Corporate Mission

We learned in Lesson Twenty Eight that the second objective of the local church is evangelism. The Great Commission describes this objective as “disciple making.” [“Make disciples” is the main verb in the great commission.] Evangelism takes place on two levels: personal witness and corporate mission . These should not be viewed as separate activities, for the former [personal] is necessary to accomplish the latter [corporate] .

Corporate mission is evangelism pursued through the united efforts of the members of a local church, using their combined resources.

[So when we talk about "corporate mission," we mean evangelism that a congregation as a unit pursues.]

In this lesson, we will examine:

1. The goal of corporate mission

2. The extent of corporate mission

3. The priority of corporate mission

I. The Goal of Corporate Mission

The corporate mission of a local church includes the work of personal witness, but it includes such witness into a larger goal or “bigger picture.”

A. The corporate mission of the church is to reproduce congregations .

Whereas personal witness seeks to produce converts , corporate mission seeks to produce congregations by organizing such converts into local churches. The bulk of the New Testament (from Acts to Jude) deals primarily with the starting and strengthening of local churches.

Paul's first two missionary journeys resulted in the reproduction of churches.

1. Paul's first missionary journey

During Paul's first missionary journey (Acts 13 14), he and Barnabas followed a clear plan: after being commissioned by their home church in Antioch of Syria, they established a new church in Antioch of Pisidia, from which they evangelized neighboring cities, establishing other churches.

[This is the same pattern we desire to see in mission work today. A primary mission of the church is to establish more churches. Lots of churches support many different "mission" works: hospitals, schools, food services, etc. But the primary mission work should be starting more churches.]

2. Paul's second missionary journey

Paul followed the same pattern during his next missionary journey (Acts 15:36-18:22).

On this occasion, Paul established the “mother church” in Ephesus, which commissioned Epaphras (Colossians 1:7) to establish churches in these other cities.

In both of these cases, Paul or a fellow worker communicated the gospel , organized congregations , taught them doctrine , helped them appoint pastors , and checked back on their progress . The end result was always an independent local church.

[This is the same pattern which should be followed by modern missionaries. A true missionary is a church-planter.]

B. The corporate mission of the church is to reproduce in kind .

1. Churches should reproduce doctrinally .

Even a casual reading of Paul's epistles reveals that he was determined to see sound doctrine established in the churches he started. To Timothy, Paul's representative in the Church at Ephesus, he declared:

What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you. – 2 Timothy 1:13-14

[If we sent out some people to start another church, we would want it to teach the same doctrine that we believe.]

2. Churches should reproduce philosophically .

Paul was not only concerned about reproducing a doctrinal system in the churches that he established, but also about making sure those churches followed his application of doctrine.

Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions so that, if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth. 1 Timothy 3:14 15

[Even in churches that share the same doctrine, there may be much difference in philosophy of ministry. We would plant a church that goes about its business in the same way we do and emphasizes the same things we do. The same doctrine doesn't always result in the same philosophy.]

II. The Extent of Corporate Mission

The corporate mission of the church should be marked by extension . Christ's last recorded message before His Ascension was:

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8

[By "extension" we mean that the church is responsible to extend the message of the gospel and the ministry of the church to the local community, to neighboring communities, and world-wide.]

This can be visualized:

The principle of extension means that:

A. Corporate mission takes place within the community.

When most people hear the word “missions,” they usually think of ministry that takes place on foreign soil. The corporate mission of the church, however, includes the reproduction of congregations in one's own community, provided the community is large enough to sustain multiple congregations.

[It's very likely that within Jerusalem and other cities in the times of the apostles, there were many "house" churches which met in peoples' homes. Thus, there were probably many such churches in large cities. Churches should support "home" missions within their own communities.]

Reproduction of congregations tends to promote service . The early church multiplied via many small house churches due to the lack of facilities large enough to house all of the believers in a particular community. Although larger facilities are available today, it may be wise to limit the size of a church in order to promote service. As a church grows, it may reach the point where it starts producing

spectators rather than servants . At that point, a new congregation should be started to provide more opportunities for service among its members.

[Studies have shown that no matter how big a church gets, a maximum of about 150-200 people are actively involved in the ministry of the church. Thus, once the church gets far above that number, people become more spectators than involved in service. Some feel that 300-400 is as large as a church should get before spinning off another church.]

B. Corporate mission takes place beyond the community.

The church that was established in Jerusalem was expected to minister beyond its own community. Its goal was to reproduce itself worldwide . Whenever Paul started a church and strengthened it to the point where it could function on its own, he left to start churches in other areas.

Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow, our area of activity among you will greatly expand, so that we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you. 2 Corinthians 10:15 16

[Church planting is God's plan for reaching the world. Part of the problem with many evangelistic efforts is that they win converts but do not channel them into good churches, or any churches. The biblical pattern is winning someone to Christ and seeing them baptized and added to the membership of a church.]

III. The Priority of Corporate Mission

A. Corporate mission should be a priority for the congregation .

The Great Commission was given to the church. This is seen from the fact that Acts 1:8 links the Great Commission to the Day of Pentecost, the birth of the church.

1. Corporate mission is not an option for the local church.

“Make disciples” (Matthew 28:19) is a command, not a suggestion. Reproduction of churches is the primary way in which a local church obeys this command. Therefore, there should never be a missionless church or a churchless mission.

2. Corporate mission cannot be separated from the other objectives of the Great Commission.

Evangelistic outreach should not be a local church's only concern. The objectives of the Great Commission are interrelated. Their relationship is seen in the following diagram:

B. Corporate mission should be a priority for the individual believer .

Because the Great Commission was given to local churches and the New Testament expects all believers to minister through local churches, the corporate mission of the church should be a priority in the life of every believer. When individuals become Christians, they are not to be independent in their outreach. They are part of a community of believers whose goal is to reproduce congregations.

Récapitulation et révision

Dans cette leçon, nous avons appris:

1. The goal of corporate mission is to reproduce congregations similar in doctrine and philosophy.

2. The extent of corporate mission includes the reproducing of congregations both within and beyond one's community.

3. Corporate mission should be a priority for the congregation as a whole and for the individual believer.

Apprendre à Live It

1. Many worthy and needy causes receive money from churches: hospitals, schools, famine relief, etc. Should a local church support any of these causes? Pourquoi ou pourquoi pas?

normally not; because they usually are not trying to accomplish the same objectives as the local church. If one can win souls and channel them into churches or start churches thru these means, then OK. In some countries, the above means are the only ways available to have any gospel influence at all. But none of these are ends in themselves. Obviously, a church can support whatever it deems worthy of support. But Biblically speaking, those ministries whose primary goal is evangelizing the lost and starting churches are central.

The church is not commissioned to feed the hungry, educate the ignorant, or cure the ill. It is commissioned to preach the gospel and start churches.

Under what circumstances could such causes be worthy of local church support?

if they are accomplishing the objectives of the local church and are submissive to the leadership of the church

2. A comment frequently made from the pulpit is that there are enough churches here in America and that we must, therefore, spend all our missions money on foreign missions. Is this a valid comment? Pourquoi ou pourquoi pas?

no; Corporate mission starts at home (ie, within one's own community). Home missions is legit. Also, who says there are enough churches in America? There are many communities without a solid church. Further, more American churches means more missions support.

3. A rapidly-growing church in your area has decided to build a multi-million dollar addition to their current facility in order to make room for more people. What might be a better option, and why?

to start a sister church in the area with several families who now attend the big church; to give more opportunities for service and it extends the ministry of the big church.

Lesson 28: The Church and Personal Witness

As we've learned, the primary objective of the local church is the edification of believers. The second objective of the local church is evangelism . Evangelism takes place on two levels: personal witness and corporate mission. This lesson deals with personal witness.

[Personal witness is what you do on your own when at home, school, work, etc. Corporate witness is what the church does as a group, like visitation or evangelistic services. ]

Evangelism is the effort to see people saved , baptized , and become active members of a local church. Evangelism should be a natural result of edification. The more a believer is edified, the more effective he should be in his personal witness.

[Note the extended definition of evangelism. It's not just winning people to Christ or getting a profession of faith from someone. ]

In this lesson, we will examine:

1. The role of the local church in personal witness

2. The method of personal witness

3. The message of personal witness

4. The results of personal witness

[A very good book on personal evangelism is Tell the Truth by Will Metzger. ]

I. The Role of the Local Church in Personal Witness

Many people view evangelism as a personal activity that has no connection to the local church. The Bible, however, indicates that all ministry in this dispensation is inseparable from the local church.

[This dispensation is the church age. "Para-church" organizations are those that are not part of the ministry of a particular local church. They attempt to minister either to all Christians or to a group of churches. Eg colleges. Because the church is God's organization for this age, all ministry should be done in conjunction with/under the auspices of a church or group of churches.]

A. The local church is the source of personal witness.

1. The local church has been given the authority to witness.

Just prior to His Ascension, Christ indicated that the authority to evangelize would be given when the baptism of the Holy Spirit took place.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses. Acts 1:8

This occurred on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2), the day upon which the church was established.

2. The local church provides the witnesses .

The local church is the training ground for evangelism (Acts 2:46-47). Those who are saved join a local church, where they learn to become effective witnesses.

B. The local church is the means of personal witness.

An individual's personal witness is enhanced by the preparation and support provided by his local church.

1. The local church provides specialized training .

Witnessing is a learned activity . It is the educational ministry of the local church which prepares believers to witness more effectively.

It was [Christ] who gave some to be . . . pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service. Ephesians 4:11 12

2. The local church provides personal accountability .

Personal witness involves communicating the truth of the gospel with one's words (doctrine) and actions (lifestyle). The local church has been given the responsibility to assure that its members remain pure in both of these areas so that their personal witness will accurately and genuinely communicate the gospel (Matthew 18:15-17 and 1 Corinthians 5).

3. The local church provides encouragement .

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another and all the more as you see the Day approaching Hebrews 10:24 25

Church members should encourage one another to tell others about Christ.

4. The local church provides strength through prayer .

Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. 2 Thessalonians 3:1

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. – Colossians 4:2-4

Church members should pray for each other's personal witness and that those to whom they witness get saved.

C. The local church is the end of personal witness.

Personal witness which only produces professions of faith is incomplete. The Great Commission calls for evangelism which not only produces converts, but which also sees them baptized and united in membership with a local church.

Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. – Acts 2:41

[Evangelism does not end when a person makes a profession of faith. Ie getting saved does not end the evangelism process. ]

II. The Method of Personal Witness

A. Personal witness should be relational .

By this we mean that personal evangelism should focus on building relationships prior to presenting the gospel. An unbeliever is much more likely to seriously think about the gospel if it is explained by a friend he knows and trusts than by a stranger.

[The vast majority of those who visit a church or eventually get saved do so because they have a friend who talked to them. Thus it is important to work within the web/network of friends we have. ]

1. Personal witness should be accompanied by an exemplary life .

One's life has to support one's message. One cannot expect an unbeliever to accept the Christian message from someone who does not act like a Christian. Peter stressed this important concept in his instructions to Christian wives with unsaved husbands.

Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. 1 Peter 3:1 2

[In some respects, we win a person to what we display in our own lives. That is, a person will formulate a view of Christians and Christianity by what he sees from an example of someone claiming to be a Christian-- you. Cf also Matt 5:14-16; 1 Pet 2:11-12.]

2. Personal witness should treat people as people .

Many method oriented evangelistic programs depersonalize those being witnessed to. One must remember that those to whom he is witnessing are not just objects. They are created in the image of God and should be treated with respect. This means that the evangelist will seek to show genuine interest in the unsaved and witness to them from that context. Both Christ and Paul evangelized this way (John 4:4 42 and 1 Thessalonians 2:8 12).

B. Personal witness should be message centered .

Though relationships with unbelievers are necessary, such relationships alone do not constitute evangelism. One must confront the unbeliever with the gospel message.

[Few if any ever get saved just by looking at a Christian's exemplary lifestyle.]

1. Personal witness should value the message more than the method.

When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power. 1 Corinthians 2:1 2, 4 5

While the Bible presents no single method of evangelism, it does present a single message. Methods change; the content of the message does not. Whatever the method, it must be consistent with God's character.

[Beware of any evangelism that stresses a step-by-step method. We don't want to get locked in to any certain technique. Also, not all methods are equally good or appropriate. Remember, evangelism is a major goal, but not the highest goal. To glorify/honor/please God is the most important. Thus we must evangelize in a God-honoring way.]

2. Personal witness should avoid methods that detract from the message.

Methods which appeal primarily to the emotions or are characterized by high-pressure “sales techniques” often cause people to make uninformed, hasty decisions. True saving faith can take place only if one understands the content of the gospel.

Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. Romans 10:17

[This obviously takes some time. Evangelism usually does not take place in 5 or 10 minutes.]

III. The Message of Personal Witness

It is extremely important that one understands the gospel message before he tries to explain it to someone else.

A. The focus of personal witness

1. Personal witness should not be man centered .

The tendency of many evangelistic methods is to make the gospel appealing in order to get more decisions. In so doing, however, the message is often corrupted. The following are common emphases of a man centered approach to evangelism:

a. Man centered witness views God primarily as a friend. This tends to minimize His authority.

b. Man centered witness views the lost from the standpoint of their needs. That is, one starts a gospel presentation by addressing an unsaved person's felt needs, such as love, acceptance, etc. This tends to minimize his sinfulness.

c. Man centered witness views Christ primarily as the Savior. This tends to minimize His lordship; He is viewed as existing for mankind's benefit.

d. Man centered witness stresses the idea that man seeks God, not vice versa. This tends to minimize God's grace and sovereignty.

2. Personal witness should be God centered .

In contrast to the characteristics of a man centered approach, the following are emphases of a God centered approach to evangelism:

a. God centered witness views God primarily as the Creator and sovereign Lord.

When Paul evangelized in Athens, he began by explaining these very truths.

The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. Acts 17:24 25

b. God centered witness views the lost as totally sinful.

As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.” – Romans 3:10-11

c. God centered witness emphasizes the lordship of Christ.

On the Day of Pentecost, Peter concluded his sermon by highlighting this truth.

Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. Acts 2:36

That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. – Romans 10:9

d. God centered witness stresses the need for repentance.

I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus. Acts 20:21

B. The content of personal witness

One's presentation of the gospel should be built around the following truths:

1. The character of God

a. He is our Creator; we are responsible to Him.

b. He is sovereign; He may do with us as He pleases.

c. He is holy; He will not overlook sin.

d. He is gracious and loving; He has provided a way for man to be forgiven of sin.

For more information on these truths, see Part One, Section One of this curriculum.

[It's important to start with God, because people need to know that their primary problem is a hostile relationship with God. ]

2. The character of man

a. Man became sinful by rebelling against God.

b. Man is incapable of doing anything to please God; he is totally sinful.

c. Man stands condemned before God; this condemnation results in both physical and spiritual death.

For more information on these truths, see Part One, Section Three of this curriculum.

3. The person and work of Christ

a. Christ is the God man; because He is God, He is perfect; because He is a man, He can save mankind.

b. Christ lived a perfect life; He satisfied God's demands for mankind.

c. Christ died a substitutionary death; He was punished for man's sin.

d. Christ rose from the dead; He is Lord of the universe and can grant forgiveness to mankind.

For more information on these truths, see Part One, Section Four of this curriculum.

4. The proper response to the message: repentance and faith

a. Man must acknowledge his complete sinfulness; he is unable to please God.

b. Man must repent of his sin; he must change his mind about his sinful way of life and turn from it.

c. Man must believe that Christ paid the penalty for his sin; he must acknowledge that Christ died in his place, was buried, and rose again.

d. Man must submit to the lordship of Christ; he must recognize that there is a cost to being a believer in Christ.

For more information on these truths, see Part One, Section Five of this curriculum.

[Note that the correct response is not simply a profession of faith. Repentance and commitment are also necessary. ]

IV. The Results of Personal Witness

A. God is responsible for the results of personal witness.

The abuses often associated with method centered evangelism are usually due to a misunderstanding of who is responsible for the results of evangelism. If someone's salvation is solely in the hands of the evangelist, then one can understand the tendency of some toward high pressure methods. However, the Bible makes it clear that God is the One who is ultimately responsible for the salvation of the lost.

What, after all, is Apollos? Et ce qui est Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 1 Corinthians 3:5 7

B. A genuine profession of faith will result in a changed life .

1. The initial response

A true believer will demonstrate his commitment to Christ in three ways:

a. Baptism by immersion

b. Local church membership

c. Spiritual growth

These do not guarantee the genuineness of one's salvation, but their absence does call one's conversion into question.

2. The continuing evidence

Lesson Twenty Seven pointed out that the book of 1 John was written to describe the marks of a genuine believer. Ils sont:

a. Belief in fundamental doctrines (deity of Christ, inerrancy of Scripture, etc.)

b. A righteous lifestyle

c. Love for other Christians

[If this evidence does not exist, one can have no confidence that he is saved.]

Récapitulation et révision

Dans cette leçon, nous avons appris:

1. The local church is the source, means, and end of personal witness.

2. Personal witness should be relational and message-centered.

3. The focus of personal witness should be God-centered, not man-centered. One's presentation of the gospel should include the character of God, the character of man, the person and work of Christ, and the proper response.

4. God is the One responsible for the results of personal witness. A true profession of faith will result in a changed life.

Apprendre à Live It

1. A popular “how to” book on evangelism states that when you visit someone whom you want to lead to Christ, you should begin by complimenting him on his home, children, etc. Why do you suppose the book suggests that you do this?

in order to make him more receptive to the gospel. Note the emphasis on method–”first do this, then this, then this, ….”

Is such an approach message centered or method centered?

method-centered

Is it man-centered or God-centered?

man-centered. Remember that methods change but the content does not. We should not be tied to a certain method/system of evangelism.

2. This same book says that it is the evangelist's responsibility to make sure that everyone who hears the gospel is brought to a point of decision; the hearer must either say yes or no to the gospel. If he says no, the evangelist must press him to change his mind. According to this method, who is responsible for the results?

the evangelist

Does an unbeliever need to decide to reject the gospel? Pourquoi ou pourquoi pas?

no; he already has been rejecting it. John 3:18 states that an unbeliever is “condemned already.”

Lesson 27: The Horizontal Expression of Edification – Fellowship

We have learned that the primary task of the local church is to educate its membership. The truths a believer is taught are expressed toward God ( worship ) and toward fellow believers ( fellowship ). Technically, the word “fellowship” is also used to describe the believer's relationship with God. The major emphasis of this lesson, however, will be the believer's relationship with other believers.

The New Testament word for fellowship means “to share something in common with someone else.” It is a word that stresses unity and refers to three relationships that the believer has:

1. Believers have fellowship with God .

2. Believers have fellowship in the faith .

3. Believers have fellowship with one another .

I. Believers Have Fellowship with God.

A. Fellowship with God is synonymous with salvation .

People often use the phrase “fellowship with God” to describe the quality of their relationship with God. Obedient, faithful believers are said to be “in fellowship,” whereas backslidden believers are “out of fellowship.” However, this is an improper use of the phrase. Paul clearly viewed “fellowship with God” as a description of salvation.

He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful. 1 Corinthians 1:8 9

B. Fellowship with God is evidenced by conformity to His character .

Spiritual growth is not optional for the believer; it is the natural result of salvation. First John was written to give some of the tests of salvation. Ils sont:

1. The test of righteousness

The true believer will strive to be righteous as God is righteous.

If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him. 1 John 2:29

[The idea here is doing right as a way of life, not sinless perfection. ]

2. The test of sound doctrine

The true believer will embrace the truth as revealed by the God who is the Truth.

We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. 1 John 5:20

3. The test of love for other believers

The true believer will love other believers because God is love.

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 1 John 4:7-8

II. Believers Have Fellowship in the Faith.

Unity among believers is based upon belief in a common set of doctrines–”the faith” (Jude 3). Apart from such, fellowship is impossible.

[Common doctrine is the proper basis of unity. Since we believe this, we will never cooperate with those who disagree with us about major doctrinal matters. Those who stress ecumenism (the unity of various faiths in a common goal) downplay doctrine and seek to build unity thru other means, such as experience (eg, tongues).]

A. Believers share the responsibility to proclaim the Word of God.

God has commissioned the local church to proclaim the Word of God. One way this can be done is through the support of missionaries. Paul was joyful over the support he received from the Philippian Church.

In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. Philippians 1:4 5

Support of missionaries, however, does not fulfill the believer's responsibility to proclaim the Word of God; there must also be personal involvement. To Philemon, Paul wrote:

I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith. Philemon 6

B. Believers share the responsibility to defend the Word of God.

Fellowship in the Word of God involves more than proclaiming it; there must also be a commitment to maintaining purity of doctrine. This can be done in two ways:

1. Believers must not cooperate with those who teach error.

If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him. Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work. 2 John 10 11

[“This teaching” here refers to apostolic doctrine regarding Christ. ]

Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 2 Corinthians 6:14

2. Believers must refute error.

[A pastor] must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. Titus 1:9

All believers, not just pastors, should expose false teaching.

[Cf also Titus 2:15. Refute means to challenge, expose or speak out against something. Some people accuse fundamentalists of being too negative and critical. This criticism is a reaction to the fundamentalist's desire to refute and expose error. Refuting error is necessarily negative, although it does not have to be done in a negative or caustic way.]

III. Believers Have Fellowship with One Another.

Fellowship, or unity among the members of a church, is one of the distinguishing marks of genuine believers.

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another. 1 John 1:7

The Bible places great emphasis on this unity. It is described by a word that is translated “one another” or “each other.” This word appears over 100 times in the New Testament. Since unity is so important, believers should encourage and support it.

[Not unity at any cost. Unity is a good goal, but not the highest one. Unity should primarily be focussed on the local church. It's good to have fellowship with many other Christians not from your church, but it is especially important to be in fellowship with those in your church.]

A. Believers strengthen their unity with one another through proper attitudes .

1. Believers should avoid the following attitudes toward one another:

a. Pride

Pride is the tendency to think more highly of oneself than one ought to (Romans 12:3).

Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Romans 12:16

[Cf also Prov 13:10 “Only by pride comes contention.” ]

b. Criticism

The Bible forbids a judgmental, condemning attitude toward other believers.

Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Romans 14:13

c. Envy

Envy is the improper desire to possess that which rightfully belongs to another.

Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. Galatians 5:26

2. Believers should develop the following attitudes toward one another:

a. Humility

The opposite of pride, humility was despised by the society in which the first century church ministered, as it often is by our culture. God, however, greatly values humility.

All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 1 Peter 5:5

b. Deference [to defer, to let another have his way]

The believer should possess an attitude which willingly yields his own rights and interests to the desires and needs of others.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:3-4

c. Patience

Patience is the willingness to bear with the shortcomings and quirks of others.

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Ephesians 4:2

B. Believers strengthen their unity with one another through proper speech .

Words have great potential to be harmful or helpful. Accordingly, the New Testament greatly emphasizes the constructive use of speech.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Ephesians 4:29

[Cf also James 3:5-8 ]

1. Believers should avoid the following kinds of speech toward one another:

a. Lying

Lying is deliberately misrepresenting the truth either in whole or in part.

Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices. Colossians 3:9

[Notice the "whole or in part" bit. Half of the truth is a whole lie. Misrepresentation is lying.]

b. Slander

Slander is speech that is intended to injure . The word literally means “to talk down.” What is said may or may not be true; however, it is the motive and/or effect that is the issue. In other words, why are you saying it and what harm might it cause? A good rule to follow when discussing someone else's problems is: Don't say it unless you and your listener are part of the problem or part of the solution .

Brothers, do not slander one another. James 4:11

c. Complaining

Complaining is a cancer that grows rapidly and has the potential of destroying a local church. Believers should practice constructive criticism rather than complaining. The difference between the two can be determined by asking the following questions: Is my comment addressed to the right person , is it being said with the right spirit , and does it include a biblical suggestion for change?

Don't grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. James 5:9

[If a person has a problem with something, he should deal with it the right way: go to the source. Most often, people just complain without approaching the person who can do something about it.]

2. Believers should develop the following kinds of speech toward one another:

a. Truth

The opposite of lying, truth is correctly representing the facts.

Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. Ephesians 4:25

b. Encouragement

Biblical encouragement is more than a pat on the back along with a promise that everything will be all right. In the Church at Thessalonica, there was a problem that caused the congregation great concern. Paul addressed the problem by explaining to them appropriate doctrine . He then added:

Therefore encourage each other with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:18

Therefore, encouragement is speech that provides comfort by focusing on the teachings of the Word of God.

c. Counsel

Paul challenged the members of the Church at Rome to counsel one another. Such counsel is biblical instruction intended to correct

sinful behavior .

I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to [counsel] one another. Romans 15:14

[Counseling should be of the kind that points out the problem and then gives the biblical remedy for it ("nouthetic"). All Christians should be capable of giving good counsel.]

C. Believers strengthen their unity with one another through proper actions .

1. Believers should avoid the following kinds of actions toward one another:

a. Partiality

A nineteenth century preacher once said that the gospel is the “great leveler,” meaning that there are no class distinctions within the church. The church is made up of one group of people:

sinners saved by grace .

My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism. – James 2:1

b. Retaliation

While few church members would consider hitting someone who offends them, some may retaliate in more subtle ways. Such retaliation can be anything from gossip to the “cold shoulder.”

Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. 1 Thessalonians 5:15

c. Hostility

Believers should not be unfriendly or antagonistic toward one another.

If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. Galatians 5:15

2. Believers should develop the following kinds of actions toward one another:

a. Service

God expects every believer to use the abilities He has given him to serve other believers within his local church.

You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. Galatians 5:13

b. Benevolence

Benevolence may be defined as acts of kindness , or doing good to others. Believers should continually practice benevolence toward all men, especially toward other believers.

Par conséquent, comme nous avons l'occasion, faisons du bien à tous les gens, surtout à ceux qui appartiennent à la famille des croyants. Galates 6:10

c. Hospitality

Believers should use their homes and possessions as means of being a blessing to others.

Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 1 Peter 4:9

Note: There are occasions when believers must break fellowship with other believers.

[Note that this is with believers. Each of these is grounds for church discipline. Those who practice these things are the most dangerous and troublesome people in the church because they destroy fellowship/unity.]

Il s'agit notamment de:

1. Doctrinal deviation

Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Parmi eux sont Hyménée et Philète, qui se sont égarés loin de la vérité. – 2 Timothy 2:16-18

[There is room for some doctrinal differences, but not on the major tenets of the faith. Teaching wrong doctrine is especially dangerous. ]

2. Esprit Divisive

I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Conserver à l'écart de leur part. – Romans 16:17

Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. Après cela, n'ont rien à voir avec lui. – Titus 3:10

[Cf Prov 6:16-19. The Lord hates those who sow discord among the brethren.]

3. Disorderly conduct

Keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. – 2 Thessalonians 3:6

If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of him. Ne pas associer avec lui, afin qu'il puisse avoir honte. – 2 Thessalonians 3:14

[Note that the discipline/dis-fellowshipping of an individual is to bring him to repentance. If he will not repent, one should treat him as an unsaved person and avoid him. Note also that this is why church membership is so important—if one is not a member, the church has no right to discipline the person.]

Récapitulation et révision

Dans cette leçon, nous avons appris:

1. Believers have fellowship with God. Fellowship with God is synonymous with salvation and is evidenced by conformity to God's character.

2. Believers have fellowship in the faith. As such, they share the responsibility to both proclaim and defend the Word of God.

3. Believers have fellowship with one another. Such fellowship is dependent upon proper attitudes, speech, and actions.

Apprendre à Live It

1. A nationally-known evangelist comes to town to conduct a crusade and asks your church to participate. This evangelist is known for including Catholics, liberal Protestants, and charismatics in his crusades. Should your church participate? Pourquoi ou pourquoi pas?

no; to do so would be wrong for two reasons: 1) You would be associating in spiritual matters with unbelievers (contra 2 Cor 6:14-7:1) and 2) You would be associating with disobedient believers (contra 2 Thes 3:6, 14). We are not to cooperate with those who deny the faith. Instead, we should rebuke and expose those who cooperate in such ways with unbelievers. (Eg “Evangelicals and Catholics Together,” Billy Graham)

2. You often hear a friend of yours making the following statements:

• “I don't mean to gossip, but have you ever noticed that

he . . . ? "

• “Is it just me or does so and so . . . ? "

• “Well, I think that she . . . and I'm not the only one who thinks so.”

• “Why don't they . . . ? "

• “When are they . . . ? "

What is wrong with such comments?

They are not constructive, edifying, etc.; rather, they are gossipy, critical, adversarial, accusatory, etc.

How should you respond when your friend begins to make such comments?

Cut him off before he gets started. Tell him to address his comments to someone who can resolve the problem. Rebuke him for his wrong attitudes and actions.

Lesson 26: The Vertical Expression of Edification

In the previous lesson, we learned that the primary activity of the local church is the education of its members and that education is the foundation of their edification. Edification is expressed in two ways: toward God ( worship ) and toward other believers ( fellowship ). This lesson will deal with worship.

[The relationship with God is sometimes called "vertical" while that with other believers is sometimes called "horizontal."]

Many years ago, the English word “worship” was spelled worthship .” Originally, the word was associated with the concept of worthiness. It referred to the act of displaying the worth or value of a person or object. Worship is any activity whereby believers display the worth or value of God .

[Note that it's not just what goes on at church during the "worship" service. One can worship God in many ways and at many times. So were not just talking about a church service.]

In this lesson, we will study the following aspects of worship:

1. The object of worship [who we worship]

2. The means of worship [how we worship]

3. The outgrowth of worship [the result of worship]

4. Improper worship [wrong ways to worship]

I. The Object of Worship

The sole object of the believer's worship is God .

Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God. – Exodus 34:14

Jesus answered, “It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.'” – Luke 4:8

A. True worship is based upon the character of God.

Because of His character, God alone is worthy of worship.

[The character of God is who he is. Psm 150:2 “Praise him for his surpassing greatness.”]

Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they sang: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” Revelation 5:11 12

The first section of this curriculum described several of God's attributes which make Him worthy of our worship.

1. God is to be worshiped because He is great .

David praised the LORD in the presence of the whole assembly, saying, “Praise be to you, O LORD, God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name.” – 1 Chronicles 29:10-13

[Verses like this tell us of the awesome majesty of God. This is why we need to be reverent and serious about God and worship. We don't play fast and loose with God, God's name, God's church, etc. ]

2. God is to be worshiped because He is good .

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. – Psalm 100:4-5

When a believer reflects upon God's character, it should cause him to worship God all the more.

[Remember that God's attributes/characteristics can be separated into these two categories: greatness (power) and goodness (moral perfections). We worship God because of Who He is.]

B. True worship is a response to the works of God.

[That is, we worship God because of what He has done/does. Psm 150:2 “Praise him for his acts of power.” ]

1. God is to be worshiped because He is the Creator and Sustainer .

“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” – Revelation 4:11

2. God is to be worshiped because He is the Savior .

You were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. – 1 Corinthians 6:20

When a believer reflects upon God's work, it should cause him to worship God all the more.

C. True worship is inseparably linked to the Word of God .

People often think of worship merely as an emotional experience. While worship does affect one's emotions, it primarily depends upon the believer's knowledge of the Word of God. Apart from understanding the content of the Bible, true worship is impossible, for it is only in the Bible that the character and works of God are thoroughly explained.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:16 17

II. The Means of Worship

[That is, how we worship. These are the ways we worship God. These activities emphasize or highlight God's character and thus display His worth/value.]

A. The believer worships God by confessing his sin .

Confession is the believer's acknowledgment of his sinfulness and God's holiness.

Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, and give him the praise. Tell me what you have done; do not hide it from me.” Achan replied, “It is true! I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel.” – Joshua 7:19-20

Besides displaying God's holiness, confession of sin also displays God's grace.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

B. The believer worships God by living a godly life .

Believers should always be reflecting the character of God in the way they live.

De la même façon, votre lumière luise ainsi devant les hommes afin qu'ils voient vos bonnes œuvres et glorifient votre Père qui est dans les cieux. Matthieu 5:18

[Cf also 1 Pet 2:12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. ]

C. The believer worships God by praying .

A significant part of the believer's prayer life should include praising God.

This, then, is how you should pray: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.” Matthew 6:9

[“Hallowed” mean “to be made holy.” Thus, “may your name be recognized as being holy.” ]

Prayer is the believer's way of communicating with God. Besides praise, prayer includes confession, thanksgiving, and petition. Every aspect of prayer ultimately depends upon the believer's understanding of God's character. For example, confession of sin recognizes that God is both holy and gracious; praise recognizes God's greatness; thanksgiving recognizes God's goodness; and petition recognizes God's omnipotence and sovereignty.

D. The believer worships God by singing .

Singing has always been an important part of worship. The Bible contains a book of songs (the Psalms) which ascribe glory to God.

It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your name, O Most High, to proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night, to the music of the ten stringed lyre and the melody of the harp. Psalm 92:1 3

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Psalm 100:1 3

III. The Outgrowth of Worship

The natural result of worship is service . One of the Greek words for worship in the New Testament is often translated “service.” It was Paul's favorite word for worship because it emphasized its practical nature.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God this is your spiritual act of worship. Romans 12:1

IV. Improper Worship

God is interested in the form worship takes. There are many forms of worship that God finds unacceptable. Sincerity and fervor do not “sanctify” an incorrect form of worship.

[It's amazing what passes for worship these days. Worship practices should be strictly limited by biblical principle. That is, what the Bible presents as worship should be our guide. Don't add or subtract from that standard.

From the Westminster Confession of Faith: The acceptable way of worshiping the true God is instituted by himself, and so limited by his own revealed will, that he may not be worshiped according to the imaginations and devices of men, or the suggestions of Satan, under any visible representation, or any other way not prescribed in the Holy Scripture.]

A. Idolatrous worship

[Aaron] took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.” – Exodus 32:4

Some people use statues, pictures, etc. as aids in their worship. Such a practice is forbidden in Scripture.

[For example, Catholics use lots of statues, Greek Orthodox use icons (pictures, engravings). It is likely that the Israelites were doing the same sort of thing: attempting to worship the true God thru this calf. Cf verse 5: "Tomorrow shall be a feast unto the LORD." Aaron was employing an illegitimate means of worshipping the true God. ]

You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God. – Exodus 20:4-5

God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth. – John 4:24

[Note that worship must be "in truth." It doesn't matter how sincere worship is if it's not the right form or the right way.]

B. Disobedient worship

God does not accept worship that is not in keeping with the teaching of Scripture.

[The priests] confronted [Uzziah] and said, “It is not right for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the LORD. That is for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who have been consecrated to burn incense. Leave the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful; and you will not be honored by the LORD God.” – 2 Chronicles 26:18

[This is an example of a king who attempted to do something good --burn incense to God-- which was unacceptable to God. The king had no right to burn incense; it was the priest's job. This tells us that even if one is trying to do a good thing, if he disobeys God's word in the process, it's wrong. How would this idea affect something like baptism? communion? evangelism? God does care about how we approach and serve him. We can't just do as we please. ]

C. Rebellious worship

God does not accept worship from rebellious people.

When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood; wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! – Isaiah 1:15-17

[He's not talking here about sinful people, but about rebels. No Christian is perfect. If you are rebelling against God, it does no good to attend church, pray, give money, etc. "Worship" from rebellious people is worse than worthless; God hates it. Cf. Isa 1.11, 13-14: Your New Moons and festivals "my soul hates."]

D. Disorderly worship

God does not accept worship that is chaotic.

Everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way. – 1 Corinthians 14:40

[Organization and decorum should characterize a worship service. Many are anything but that. Eg, the "laughing revival," much of Charismaticism, even some fundamental churches lack orderliness. This is important because we serve a God of order. ]

Note: The context of the preceding verse finds Paul reprimanding the Corinthian Church for their improper worship practices.

Apprendre à Live It

1. A friend of yours often talks about worshiping God. Yet, he has clear areas of disobedience to the Word of God in his life. What impact does disobedience have upon one's ability to truly worship?

It greatly hinders one's ability to worship. God does not accept the worship of disobedient or rebellious people. One may as well not bother.

What should you tell him?

He needs to get right with God before worrying about worship. He's being a hypocrite. Furthermore, part of worship is living a godly life.

2. You hear of a church where during the service some of the people mumble incoherently, some get up and dance around, and others lay on the floor laughing uncontrollably. Could this be called true worship? Pourquoi ou pourquoi pas?

no; True worship is orderly, not chaotic (1 Cor 14:40).

Pourquoi suis-je ici? I am here to worship God, serve His children, and reach the lost.

Introduction to the Objectives of the Church

We learned in Lessons Twenty Two through Twenty Four that the believer is part of the body of Christ, that this body is composed of local assemblies, and that the purpose of these local assemblies is to bring glory to God through the ministry of His Word.

Having determined the purpose of the church, we can now move on to address its objectives and how to accomplish them. In other words, having answered the “why” question, we are ready to answer the “what” and the “how” questions. What should a local church be doing and how should it be doing it? The Great Commission answers the “what” question by giving three objectives for the church: edification, evangelism, and expansion. The New Testament epistles answer the “how” question by giving detailed descriptions of how to meet each of these objectives. This second section on the doctrine of the church will focus on the objectives of the local church.

Lesson 25: The Foundation of Edification — Education

In previous lessons, we have learned that the three objectives of the local church are the spiritual growth of its members ( edification ), the salvation of the lost ( evangelization ), and the growth and management of its physical and human resources ( expansion ). Of these three, edification is primary. In order for edification to take place, there are three activities the local church should pursue. These are education , worship , and fellowship .

[Follow the flow: The purpose of the church is to glorify God through the ministry of the Word. We accomplish this purpose by means of edification, evangelism, and expansion. Edification is produced through education, worship and fellowship.]

The first of these [education] is the foundation of edification, while the other two are expressions of it. The fact that education is the foundation of edification is seen in Paul's statement that the teaching ministry of the pastor is

to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up [edified] until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Ephesians 4:12 13

In this lesson, we will examine the following aspects of education in the local church:

1. Its nature [what it's like]

2. Its goals [or purposes]

3. Its means [how it's purposes are to be fulfilled]

4. Its students [who is to be educated]

I. The Nature of Education in the Local Church [ie, what ed. is like]

The educational ministry of the local church involves teaching both the content and practice of biblical doctrine to successive generations.

[That is, the goal of education is to teach what the Bible says (content) and what should be done about it and how (practice).]

A. Education is the local church's first priority .

Since the edification of believers is the primary objective of the local church, and education is the foundation of edification, one must conclude that education is the most important activity of the local church.

[Obviously, one cannot fulfill the objectives of the church until one is educated about what they are, how to fulfill them, etc. In other words, education must precede everything else. Cf 1 Tim 2:2.]

B. Education in the local church should be Bible centered .

1. Bible centered education is comprehensive .

A local church that focuses only on selected teachings of the Bible while ignoring others is unbalanced and vulnerable to doctrinal error.

For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. Acts 20:27

2. Bible centered education is theological .

Education is more than the memorization of facts. Though the knowledge of facts is valuable, a Bible centered education is not intended to produce Bible trivia buffs. Rather, it is intended to produce believers who can correlate biblical truths and properly apply them.

[Correlation of biblical truth is the goal of systematic theology. It seeks to discern what the overall teaching of the Bible is concerning various topics. ]

C. Education in the local church should be practical .

Many believe that doctrine is impractical. However, Paul believed just the opposite.

All Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16 17

Because what one believes affects what one does, doctrine is extremely important. Correct doctrine more often than not leads to correct practice.

[Someone once said, "Ideas have consequences." This is true. Most actions stem from beliefs. In order to act right/correctly, one must understand correctly. Improper belief leads to improper practice. Eg tongues/healing/health-and-wealth, etc.]

II. The Goals of Education in the Local Church

A. Education in the local church is designed to produce theological stability .

In Ephesians 4:13, Paul describes pastors as educators whose teaching results in the edification of the church. In the next verse, he shows that edification results in stability.

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Ephesians 4:14

[If you understand correct doctrine, you'll be able to spot false doctrine, and are much less likely to accept it. We should develop biblical discernment, the ability to evaluate an idea to determine whether or not it is truly biblical. ]

B. Education in the local church is designed to produce transformed thinking .

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:22 24

When a believer is properly taught the Word of God, his thinking will be transformed [Rom 12:1-2] . As a result, he will have a discriminating mind. “Discrimination” means to make an evaluation or assessment about something. Although the word has a negative connotation in our society, appropriate discrimination is a mark of spiritual growth. It is the ability to evaluate all things in light of God's Word.

The spiritual man makes judgments about all things. 1 Corinthians 2:15

[What have we called this kind of discrimination? A Bible-soaked logic or a biblical mindset. That is, making evaluations and decisions based on biblical principles.]

C. Education in the local church is designed to equip believers .

The teaching/learning process is not intended to be an end in itself. It ought to be the means whereby believers are prepared to serve the Lord.

It was he who gave some to be . . . pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service. Ephesians 4:11 12

III. The Means of Education in the Local Church

A. Education in the local church is accomplished through formal instruction.

1. Formal instruction involves the authoritative presentation of biblical truth.

The teaching of the early church was authoritative. That is, the apostles' preaching was strong, direct, and uncompromising. This style of preaching is unpopular in our society. However, the Word of God must be authoritatively preached, even if doing so is unpopular.

[Titus 2:15 – “Encourage and rebuke with all authority.”]

2. Formal instruction takes place in the assembly .

As learned previously, the word “church” means “assembly” or “congregation.” The church assembles to hear the Word of God preached, among other things.

On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. – Acts 20:7

[This is one of the primary things church is all about. Since the preaching/teaching aspect of church is so important, it is vital that you attend a church where the pastor teaches the Bible correctly.]

B. Education in the local church is accomplished through informal instruction.

1. Informal instruction takes place through personal relationships.

Part of the reason that local church members are to assemble regularly is to develop relationships. Believers learn from one another by exhortation and example .

[Exhortation is verbal (preaching, classes, testimonies, etc.), example is non-verbal (others see and are influenced by your behavior). ]

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:24 25

[Most of us learn much by example. Remember that as adults are examples to you, you are examples to those younger than you.]

2. Informal instruction takes place through familial [or family] relations.

These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Deuteronomy 6:6 7

Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4

The educational ministry of the local church equips parents to accomplish this task.

[Strong families are the basis of strong churches. Thus it is in the church's best interests to promote strong families.]

IV. The Students of Education in the Local Church

A. All local church members are students.

One of the synonyms for a believer in the New Testament is “disciple,” which means a learner . Learning, therefore, should be a pursuit of every believer.

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation. 1 Peter 2:2

[“All” includes teens. You should be serious about learning biblical truth at church. You may be indifferent/apathetic about other subjects, but you should be an avid, serious student when it comes to biblical instruction. ]

B. Suggestions for pupils

1. Attend church faithfully.

2. Read and study the Bible daily.

3. Take notes during sermons.

4. Discuss what you are learning with others.

5. Read biblically-sound literature.

6. Take advantage of teaching opportunities.

7. Take part in other biblically-sound learning opportunities, such as Bible Institute classes.

Learn to Live It

1. A fellow youth group member says, “I don't study by myself. My youth leader is such a wonderful teacher that he gives me all I need.” Is this a healthy attitude? no

What would be some of the dangers of such an attitude?

What if the youth leader leaves? What if the youth leader is wrong? You follow him/her into error. You become dependant upon someone else to “feed” you. You cannot “feed” yourself.

What should you tell him?

that he needs to become a “self-feeder.” He shouldn't be overly dependent upon leaders.

2. You hear a fellow youth group member say that he wishes the class would quickly finish a doctrinal study in order to move on to more “practical” issues. What false conclusion has he made?

that doctrine is not practical or that it's unimportant

What might you tell him about the relationship between doctrine and practice?

They are inseparable–Doctrine determines practice. Incorrect practice is the result of incorrect belief. Mind (belief) directs the will (behavior). He should be concerned as much about doctrine as he is about practice.

Lesson 24: The Role of the Church as a Local Assembly

In Lesson Twenty-Three, we learned that the body of Christ is made up of all believers in this dispensation, the church age, and was established to bring glory to God through the ministry of His Word. This “invisible” body is visible through local assemblies. Of the 114 occurrences of the Greek word ekklesia in the New Testament, 99 refer to the local church. These assemblies are organizations designed to carry out the objectives of the body of Christ. Apart from the local church, these objectives cannot be accomplished properly . This lesson will focus on the organization of the local church, which includes:

[This lesson has to do with the local church, not the universal. ]

1. Administrative responsibilities

2. Leadership offices

3. Specific ordinances

4. Membership requirements

5. Biblical limitations

I. The Local Church is an Organization with Administrative Responsibilities.

The church of the first century is often viewed as being free from administrative details. This, however, was not the case.

A. The early church engaged in ministry planning .

Meetings were a necessary part of the ministry of first century churches. The book of Acts indicates that administrative meetings were held to address the following issues:

1. Acts 6 – The problem of service to widows

2. Acts 11 – The question of whether or not to accept Gentiles into the church

3. Acts 13 – The commissioning of the first missionaries

4. Acts 15 – The question of what requirements should be placed on Gentile converts

B. The early church developed procedures for implementing its plans.

The early church not only discussed what needed to be done, but also determined how to accomplish, or implement, its plans. For example, when they met to address the problem of service to the widows in the church, they solved the problem by creating the office of deacon .

So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them. Acts 6:2 3 (See also Acts 15:22 30.)

C. The early church engaged in evaluation . [Ie, checking to see how everything is working and trying to make it work better.]

At the close of Paul's first missionary journey (Acts 13 14), he and Barnabas returned to the Church at Antioch [the commissioning church, Acts 13:1-3] and presented the details of their ministry among the Gentiles.

On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. Acts 14:27

The meeting of the Jerusalem Council recorded in Acts 15 was designed to further evaluate the information presented to the Church at Antioch.

The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. Acts 15:12

[Thus we should evaluate ourselves and our ministries periodically to see if we are hitting what we are aiming at.]

II. The Local Church is an Organization with Leadership Offices.

A. The office of pastor

1. The titles of the office

The office of pastor is described with a variety of titles, each emphasizing a different aspect of the one office.

a. He is called the pastor . [comes from "shepherd"]

This title refers to the pastor's responsibility to care for the spiritual needs of the congregation, a responsibility he fulfills primarily through the preaching and teaching of the Word of God.

b. He is called the overseer . [Gk episkopos = bishop = the boss]

This title refers to the administrative oversight that the pastor is to exercise. He is to set the agenda for the church's ministry and lead the church in accomplishing its objectives.

[God holds the pastor especially responsible for what goes on at the church he pastors. Oversight means management. The pastor is in charge, not the deacons, the secretary, etc. That does not mean that he is free to be a tyrant, tho.]

c. He is called the elder . [Gk = presbuteros]

This title refers to the wisdom and experience of the pastor and the respect that the office should be given.

[We ought to respect the pastor. That's one of the reasons we don't call him by his first name. 1 Thes 5:12-13 tell us to avoid young, inexperienced pastors. ]

Paul's address to the pastors at Ephesus contains all three ideas.

From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. When they arrived, he said to them, “. . . Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. Acts 20:17-28 (See also 1 Peter 5:1-2.)

[The three terms, pastor, elder, and overseer, are synonymous, referring to the same office. The episcopal form of church government sets up a bishop over local pastors. ]

2. The qualifications for the office

The qualifications for the pastor are listed in 1 Timothy 3. This list gives both personal and professional qualifications.

[Personal -- inner qualities, characteristics, "character." Professional -- abilities pertaining to the duties of pastor.]

Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?) He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap. 1 Timothy 3:2 7

[Note that there's nothing here about being funny, a dynamic speaker, a "people person," etc. Those qualities are nice but not primary and really not necessary.]

3. The responsibilities of the office

a. The pastor is responsible to teach and preach the Word of God.

Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. 1 Timothy 4:13

[The public reading was important because many couldn't read and most did not own a copy of the Bible. Often the pastor was the most educated person in the community. ]

Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage with great patience and careful instruction. 2 Timothy 4:2

[This is the primary task of the preacher. This is so because the rest of his duties depend on this one.]

b. The pastor is responsible to equip the congregation for ministry.

It was [Christ] who gave some to be . . . pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up. Ephesians 4:11 12

c. The pastor is responsible to govern the congregation.

Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who [govern] you in the Lord and who admonish you. 1 Thessalonians 5:12

The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor. 1 Timothy 5:17

[Because of these responsibilities, the pastor has a great deal of authority. He's the one in charge. The deacons don't run the church; the pastor(s) does.]

B. The office of deacon

1. The title of the office

The word “deacon” simply means servant . The Scriptures use the word in a general sense for anyone who serves another and in a specific sense for the local church office of deacon.

2. The qualifications for the office

1 Timothy 3 lists qualifications for the office of deacon similar to those given for the office of pastor.

Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons. A deacon must be the husband of but one wife and must manage his children and his household well. 1 Timothy 3:8 10, 12

Note: The personal qualifications listed in 1 Timothy 3 are not special qualities found only in pastors and deacons. They are marks of mature believers. Therefore, all believers should be striving after them.

3. The responsibilities of the office

Unlike the office of pastor, the Bible does not clearly spell out the responsibilities of the deacon. Therefore, they must be derived from the title of the office and the example of the first deacons. In Acts 6, the first deacons were selected to minister to the congregation in order to free the pastoral staff to focus on more important matters.

We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word. Acts 6:3 4

[Biblically, deacons are not in a position of authority; however, authority may be delegated to them. The primary task of deacons is to serve.]

III. The Local Church is an Organization with Specific Ordinances.

A. The nature of an ordinance

1. An ordinance is not a sacrament .

Sacraments are intended to provide saving grace. However, if grace was linked to any work or ritual, it would cease to be grace. [Cf Rom 11:6]

[An ordinance is a rite or ritual that the church is responsible to administrate. Such ordinances are important and meaningful, but they have no saving value. The word “sacrament” suggests a means of grace or a work that saves. Since we are not saved by works, we avoid sacramental language.]

2. An ordinance is a symbol .

When Christ gave the ordinances, He intended them to serve as reminders of the spiritual truths which they portray.

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “this cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 1 Corinthians 11:23 25

[A symbol is representative, designed to bring to memory the thing represented. ]

B. The ordinances of the local church

1. The ordinance of baptism

a. The method of baptism is immersion .

The Greek word which is translated “baptize” literally means “to immerse” or “to submerge.” Every instance of baptism in Scripture is by immersion.

Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, . . . . Acts 8:38 39

[So when a baby is "baptized" by sprinkling, he is really not baptized.]

b. The purpose of baptism is identification .

Baptism is to be carried out in the “name” of the triune God. The significance of the “name” is that of identification. The one being baptized is visibly picturing his identification with the triune God through Christ.

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19

[Baptism publicly identifies one as a follower of Christ. It says of the one baptized, "I am a disciple of Christ."]

2. The ordinance of the Lord's Supper

a. It is a reminder of the cross work of Christ.

[By "cross work," we mean all that Christ accomplished by his death on the cross for us.]

For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. 1 Corinthians 11:26

b. It is a time of self examination .

A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. 1 Corinthians 11:28

C. The authority for the ordinances

The authority for the carrying out of the ordinances lies with the local church .

[That is, not just anybody can legitimately go out and start baptizing people or serving the Lord's Supper. Eg, baptisms at camp, Lord's supper of potato chips and pop, serving communion in a hospital, etc. are not valid. They have to be done in the right way and in the context of the church.]

1. The command to observe the ordinances was given to the apostles (Matthew 26:26-29 and 28:16-20).

The apostles were given the task of laying the foundation of the church (Ephesians 2:20).

2. The ordinances were practiced in the context of the local church.

Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Acts 2:41-42

[Christ ? apostles ? church ]

3. The early church was responsible to correct improper observance of the ordinances (1 Corinthians 11:17 34).

IV. The Local Church is an Organization with Membership Requirements.

The early church believed in the importance of church membership. The New Testament knows nothing of believers who are not members of a local church. The book of Acts speaks of believers being added to the church through baptism. Even more clearly, there are examples of people being removed from the church by action of the local assembly (Matthew 18:15 17 and 1 Corinthians 5). One cannot be removed from a church unless he is a member of that church.

Requirements for church membership include the following:

A. Church members are saved .

Only those who are saved may become members of a local church. This was the practice of the church from the beginning.

And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:47

B. Church members are baptized by immersion .

On the Day of Pentecost, three thousand people responded in faith to the message preached by Peter. All three thousand were baptized shortly thereafter.

Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. Acts 2:41

Therefore, church membership and believer's baptism should not be separated. One becomes a member of a local church through baptism.

[The biblical pattern is always being saved, then baptized and added to the church. Believers who refuse baptism are out of order. ]

C. Church members are living obediently .

The early church practiced church discipline. Those members who persisted in sin were to be dismissed from the assembly. Thus, in order to remain a member of a local church, one must live obediently.

It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that does not occur even among pagans: A man has his father's wife. And you are proud! Shouldn't you rather have been filled with grief and have put out of your fellowship the man who did this? “Expel the wicked man from among you.” – 1 Corinthians 5:1-2, 13

V. The Local Church is an Organization with Biblical Limitations.

Local churches are engaged in a great variety of activities. Some are appropriate and some are not. What limitations can be applied to help identify appropriate activities for the church? An understanding of why the church exists and what it is to do will help determine how it should minister.

A. The local church is limited to the objectives of the Great Commission .

Lesson Twenty Three identified the objectives of the church as presented in the Great Commission. Ils sont:

1. Édification

Edification is the process of building up the believer's life on the foundation of Jesus Christ.

2. Évangélisme

Evangelism is the effort to see people saved, baptized, and become active members of a local church.

[Evangelism does not stop short at one's profession of faith. It extends to baptism and spiritual growth. The church should strive to win people to Christ, baptize them, and encourage them to grow as Christians. ]

3. Expansion

Expansion is the growth and management of the church's physical and human resources. This is necessary for ongoing edification and evangelism.

Note: All the activities of the local church must be consistent with these objectives. Any activity, however beneficial, which is not consistent with these objectives should be avoided.

B. The local church is limited by the purpose of the body of Christ.

We learned in Lesson Twenty Two that the purpose of the body of Christ is to glorify God through the ministry of His Word. The application of this purpose will limit the activities of the church in two ways.

1. The activities of the church must reflect the character of God.

To “glorify” God means to demonstrate or make known His character. When this purpose is consciously pursued, the methods of church ministry will be evaluated in light of God's holy character. Consequently, church is no place for frivolous or worldly activities.

[The church building may be used for lots of different events. But when it comes to the worship service, it should be characterized by holiness and reverence and awe. ]

2. The activities of the church will center around the Word of God .

Every function of the church must provide either a means to proclaim the Word or a means to obey the Word.

Apprendre à Live It

1. A friend of yours tells you that there are three churches that he really likes and that he has decided to attend one on Sunday morning, the second on Sunday evening, and the third on Wednesday evening. How does your friend view the concept of church membership?

not very seriously. If he sees it as optional, he misunderstands.

What might you tell your friend to convince him that he needs to be faithful to one church?

The New Testament underscores the need to become a member of a local church, and membership implies commitment.

2. One Sunday afternoon, your little brother wonders why the family has to go to the business meeting at church that night. What “words of wisdom” might you give him?

Business meetings are a necessary part of local church ministry and help a church function more effectively and efficiently. All members should attend. All members should be concerned about how the church is spending money, what they plan to do, who they support, etc. You could say that those 4 meetings in Acts discussed earlier were business meetings. NOTE: Even teens who are members should stay for business meetings.