Identifying the Lord's Church (cover)Identifying the Lord's Church is a 4-part series about the church as we can read about it in the New Testament. This material is also available in paperback.

Contents:

Identifying the Lord’s Church: Conclusion

Identifying the Lord's Church

Many people make the mistake of equating the church with a physical building. Yet as we have gone through this study, we have seen nothing in the New Testament that would indicate that the church is some type of physical structure. However, the New Testament does use a building analogy to describe the church:

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:19-22).

You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5).

The Lord’s church is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets (their teaching contained in Scripture) with Jesus as the cornerstone (everything is built and based upon Him). Christians – individually – are the stones that make up this spiritual house.Continue Reading

Identifying the Lord’s Church (Part 4): What Is His Church to Be Doing?

Identifying the Lord's Church

As we begin this final lesson in our study, let us be reminded of what we have learned so far. Jesus built one church and His church is to follow His will as it has been expressed in the New Testament. Those who make up the Lord’s church are those who have been added to it by God upon believing, repenting, and being baptized.

Once we are part of His church, we need to know the work in which the church is to be engaged. After all, it is His church and we are blessed to have been added to it; therefore, we should seek to do His will. So in this final lesson, let us consider the following question: What is His church to be doing?Continue Reading

Identifying the Lord’s Church (Part 3): Who Makes Up His Church?

Identifying the Lord's Church

In this study, we have already seen that Jesus built just one church and that His church is to follow His will that is expressed in the New Testament. If we want to be part of this church, we need to be saved since the church is the body of the saved (Ephesians 5:23). Therefore, we need to know who will be saved in order to learn how we can become part of His church. So in this lesson, we are going to ask this important question: Who makes up His church?Continue Reading

Identifying the Lord’s Church (Part 2): What Rule Does His Church Follow?

Identifying the Lord's Church

In the previous lesson, we discussed the question regarding the number of churches that Jesus built. We saw from the Scriptures that He built just one church. Yet we need to know how His one church can determine what to believe, teach, and practice. So in this lesson, we are going to ask this question: What rule does His church follow?Continue Reading

Identifying the Lord’s Church (Part 1): How Many Churches Did Jesus Build?

Identifying the Lord's Church

As we look at the religious landscape around us, we see a myriad of churches that exist. How did all of these churches come to be? That is certainly a study in itself. For our purposes here, we want to answer this question: How many churches did Jesus build?Continue Reading

Identifying the Lord’s Church: Introduction

Identifying the Lord's Church

In this study, we are going to be considering the church – particularly, how we can identify the Lord’s church. This is an important topic whether we are learning about it for the first time or we are simply being reminded of it.Continue Reading