Bible
Study - Are You Really Sure Of Your Eternal Salvation?
Lesson 24
The Lord's Church
(Part C)
Each congregation of the Lord’s church
is to be overseen by a group of elders. In Acts 14:23 we read,
"So when they had appointed elders in every church."
Notice there is to be a plurality of elders in every church or congregation.
This is the way the Lord set up His church.
But what does the Lord intend for
the elders to do in His church? In Acts 20:28 the apostle Paul was
talking to the elders from the church at Ephesus and told them,
"Therefore take heed to yourselves,
and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers."
The church of Christ which the Lord built is to be overseen by a
plurality of elders. The qualifications of elders who are to oversee
each congregation of the Lord's church are given in 1 Timothy 3:1-7
and in Titus 1:3-9. There are some small congregations of the Lord's
church that do not have a plurality of men who meet these qualifications
and thus cannot have elders until men become qualified. Is
each congregation of the church you belong to overseen by a plurality
of elders? If not, why not? If it is to be the Lord’s church
and has men who qualify, each congregation is to be overseen by
a plurality of elders.
If we really accept the Bible as
our only authority, we will want to worship God only as He has specified.
We must reject human traditions and doctrines that members are required
to follow such as creed books, catechisms, manuals, articles of
faith, the book of Mormon, the Koran, constitutions, disciplines
and other guidelines of men, all of which produce different and
new religious doctrines. If a creed contains less than the
Bible, it contains too little. If it contains more than the
Bible, it contains too much. If it contains just the Bible,
then why have it? The purpose of creeds, which are formulated
by men, is to express beliefs that are different from what is taught
in the Bible.
We are warned in Colossians 2:8,
"Beware lest anyone cheat you
through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition
of men, according to the basic principles of the world,
and not according to Christ."
It would be a tragedy to find out on Judgment Day we have been cheated
of our eternal reward in heaven because we followed the doctrines
of men; but it will be too late then.
II Thessalonians 1:12 tells us
"That the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to
the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ." Jesus
Christ is to be glorified and honored in us. Besides doing all that
he tells us to do, we glorify the name of Christ by wearing the
name "Christian". I Peter 4:16 says,
"Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed;
but let him glorify God in this matter." It is an honor
to wear the name "Christian." In wearing
this name we are glorifying God and Christ.
We should not be ashamed to wear
the name "Christian", yet many seem to be.
Men want to wear other names that give honor and glory to someone
or something other than Christ. For example honor and glory are
given to Martin Luther, the day of Pentecost, the apostles, the
methodical way of doing things, the town of Nazareth, John the Baptist,
John Wesley, the hill of Calvary, the city of Rome, the city of
Antioch, the names of the different "saints", and the
list goes on and on. None of these names give any glory or honor
whatsoever to God or Christ to whom honor is due. How do you think
God feels about this situation? Do you actually think that He is
pleased with it? Do you wear only the name Christian?
By referring to one as a Christian,
does not make him a Christian. If one is not a Christian according
to the New Testament, then he is not a Christian at all. The
bible makes it clear that being baptized (immersed) in water is
part of becoming a Christian, not something to be done afterward.
God tells us in Jeremiah 10:23,
"It is not in man who walks to direct
his own steps." Man has tried but has always made a
miserable failure of it. In Colossians 3:17 we read,
"And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name
of the Lord Jesus." We are to do all in the
name of or by the authority of the Lord Jesus. Can it be said that
Jesus has authorized any of these different names?
Questions
Lesson 24
The Lord's Church
(Part C)
(click on the button of the answer
of your choice)
1) (Acts 14:23 & Acts 20:28) Each congregation
of the Lord's church is overseen by
The preacher.
A board of deacons.
A plurality of elders.
2)
The Bible specifies that the Lord's church is to be overseen by
a pope.
3) (2 Thessalonians 1:12) What name should be glorified?
The town of Nazareth.
John the Baptist.
Our Lord Jesus Christ.
4)
We should glorify every religious name.
5) (1 Peter 4:16) We should not be ashamed
to suffer as a
Pentecostal.
Christian.
Lutheran.
6)
We should wear different names religiously even if they do not glorify
Christ.
7) (Colossians 3:17) The things we do and say religiously must
be done by whose authority?
The Lord Jesus Christ.
The authority of each different church's creed book.
Our own authority.
8)
The things we teach and do must be done by the authority of Christ.