What About Church? (part 4)

4. Do I need to join a church to worship the Lord?

Yes. Many are under the impression that they could seek God on their own. After all, why should we bother going anywhere if we could just read our Bibles and pray at home? While this thought is convenient it goes against the teachings of Scripture and practice of New Testament Christians. Worship is acknowledging God and obeying His commands.

Hebrews 10:25 says: “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much more as ye see the day approaching.” Some have made a habit or a custom of neglecting church, such a practice is unbiblical.

The Biblical model of New Testament worship is seen in Acts 2:41. It starts with Salvation first (i.e. trusting in Christ alone), followed by baptism, as a step of obedience, and then church membership.

The early church was concerned with the worship of God, keeping His ordinances, prayer and fellowship of believers (see Acts 2:42).

What About Church (part 3)

3. Do I need to join a church in order to be saved?

No. The Bible teaches us that Salvation is by grace through faith in Christ alone (see Ephesians 2:8-9). There is not a church in the world that could take anyone to Heaven. If you repent of your sin and trust Christ as your Saviour then you are saved. Many today teach that Salvation is through church membership, or baptism, or by being a good neighbor. But nothing we do could ever merit God’s grace. This is why Jesus came. He came “to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).

What About Church? (part2)

2. What does the word 'church' mean?

The word ‘church’ literally means a ‘called out people.’ The church is a group of people and not a building. It also means assembly or congregation. This is significant because many theologians impose a definition on ‘church’ that is foreign to the New Testament. Roman Catholicism claims that ‘The Church’ is the universal visible body of believers. Protestants, on the other hand, teach that ‘The Church’ is a universal invisible body of believers. The problem with both views is that they ignore the plain meaning of the word ‘church.’ The only church in the Bible is a local assembly.
Furthermore, the problem arises when one applies the definition of the Kingdom of God (which is composed of all believers) to the church (which is a local assembly).

What About Church? (A home made gospel tract)

Whose idea is it anyway? To some people church is extremely important, others could care less, and yet there are those who absolutely avoid it. This tract is designed to provide you with answers to some of the most basic questions about church. Our goal is to answer questions succinctly from the Bible, and provide other passages of Scripture for further study.

The Bible is God’s Word. It is inspired and preserved for us so that we can know exactly what God wants us to know about life’s major questions. These questions about church are no exemption. In fact the Bible has so much to say about church, that this small tract could not possibly cover it all. Therefore, If you are sincere in desiring to know what the Bible teaches then this tract may be of some help. Your approach to God and His Word will either aid or hinder you spiritually.

1. Whose idea is it anyway?

Jesus Christ. In Matthew 16:18 Jesus said: “...I will build my church…” In Ephesians 2:20 we see that Christ is the ‘chief cornerstone’ of the church. This means that Jesus is the foundation of the church. The apostle Paul teaches us that Christ is the head of the church in Ephesians 5:23. Jesus is the founder and head (or Lord) of the church. (see 1 Peter 2:6-7).

Excerpts from Spurgeon's "The Bible" sermon

Text: "I have written to him the great things of my law, but they were counted as a strange thing." Hosea 8:12

"I charge you with the sin of the text. God has written to you the great things of his law, but they have been unto you as a strange thing. It is concerning this blessed book, the Bible, that I mean to speak to-night. Here lies my text -This Word of God. Here is the theme of my discourse, a theme which demands more eloquence than I possess; a subject upon which a thousand orators might speak at once; a mighty, vast, and comprehensive theme, which might engross all eloquence throughout eternity, and still it would remain unexhausted."