LESSON SIX – THE CHURCH AND ITS ORDINANCES

                 The Lord Jesus Christ, during His earthly personal ministry, established His Church for the purpose of carrying out the Commission he gave in Matthew 28:19-20.  It was also established as an institution of learning for His Children to be nurtured and a place in which to serve.

                The word Church is from the Greek word, EKKLESIA – which means “a called out assembly“.  The New Testament Church is defined as a “called out body of saved and scripturally baptized individuals for the purpose of fulfilling the Commission set forth by the Lord Jesus Christ, covenanting with God and with one another in a local place.”  Its Features are:

FOUNDER – The Lord Jesus Christ.  (Matthew 16:18)

TIME – During His earthly, personal ministry

PLACE – Jerusalem

GOVERNMENT -Theocracy – the Government of God, by God and for God.  (Ephesians 5:23)

OFFICERS – Pastor and Deacons (servants). (I Timothy)

ORDINANCES – Scriptural Baptism and Lord’s Supper

FINANCIAL SUPPORT -Through Tithes and Offerings

                There are only 2 ordinances of the New Testament Church: Baptism and Lord’s Supper.  Our Church believes in Scriptural Baptism based on the Baptism of John (please refer to lesson #3) as a sign of obedience and to “fulfill all righteousness”.  Another ordinance of the local Church is the Lord’s Supper or communion.  There are 3 kinds of communion being observed by Churches: open, close, and closed.  In this Church, we practice the Closed communion.  We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ observed the Lord’s Supper with only the faithful members of His first Church – the 11 Apostles.  Only those who are saved, baptized, right with God and immediate members of  the local body are to partake of the Lord’s Supper.  We observe the Lord’s Supper as a local Church affair with only the members present, but if there are visitors, we do not ask them to leave during the observance.  We leave the discretion to them.  (I Corinthians 11:23-34).

                It is important to note that as a Church we do not believe in the “Universal Invisible Church” of the Protestant movement and the “Universal Visible Church” of the Roman Catholic Religion.  The Bible considers the Church as a local assembly.  All the Church Epistles in the New Testament are addressed to local Churches.  We should not confuse the Family of God or the Kingdom of God with the Church of God.  The entrance to the Family of God and the Kingdom of God is through Salvation by faith, while the entrance to the local Church is water Baptism.   (John 3:3 compare with Acts 2:41).

Ephesians 3:21 – “Unto Him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.”