XIII. OF THE CHURCH
We believe that a church of Christ is a congregation of baptized believers (a) associated
by a covenant of faith and fellowship of the gospel; (b) observing the ordinances
of Christ; (c) governed by His laws; and (d) exercising the gifts, rights and privileges
invested in them by His word; (e) that its officers of ordination are pastors or
elders, whose qualifications, claims and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures;
(f) we believe the true mission of the church is found in the Great Commission:
First, to make individual disciples; Second, to build up the church; Third, to teach
and instruct, as He has commanded. We do not believe in the reversal of this order,
(g) we hold that the local church has the absolute right of self government, free
from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; and that
the one and only superintendent is Christ, through the Holy Spirit; (h) that it
is scriptural for true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the
faith and for the furtherance of the gospel; that every church is the sole and only
judge of the measure and method of its cooperation; (i) on all matters of membership,
of polity, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church
is final.
* * * * * * * * * *
*** (a) Acts 2:41. "Then they that gladly received
his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three
thousand souls."
*** (a & b) Acts 2:42. "And they continued steadfastly
in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers."
*** (b) I Cor. 11:2. "Now I praise you, brethren,
that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them
unto you."
*** (c) Eph. 1:22-23. "And hath put all things
under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which
is his body, and the fulness of him that filleth all in all."
*** (d) Eph. 4:11. "And he gave some, apostles;
and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the
perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the
body of Christ."
I Cor. 12:4,8-11. "Now there are diversities
of gifts, but the same Spirit....For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom;
to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same
Spirit, To another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working
of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers
kinds of tongues: to another the interpretation of tongues; But all these worketh
that one and self same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will."
*** (e) Acts 14:23. "And when they had ordained
them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to
the Lord, on whom they believed."
Acts 6:5-6. "And they chose Stephen, a man full
of faith and the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor and Timon, and
Parmenas and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: Whom they set before the apostles:
and when they had prayed, they laid their hands upon them."
Acts 15:23. "And they wrote letters by them
after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren
which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia."
Acts 20:17,28. "He sent....and called the elders
of the church.... Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over
the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which
he hath purchased with his own blood."
I Tim. 3:1-7. "This is a true saying, If a man
desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless,
the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality,
apt to teach; Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient,
not a brawler, not covetous; One that ruleth well his own house, having his children
in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house,
how shall he take care of the church of God?) Not a novice lest being lifted up
with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover he must have a good
report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the
devil."
I Tim. 3:8-13. "Likewise must the deacons be
grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; Holding
the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. And let these also first be proved;
then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. Even so must their
wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. Let the deacons be
the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. For they
that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree,
and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus."
*** (f) Matt. 28:19-20. "Go ye therefore, and
teach an nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and
of the Holy Ghost: [caching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded
you. . ."
*** (g) Col. 1:18. "And he is the head of the
body, the church.... that in all things he might have the preeminence."
Eph. 5:23-24. "Christ is the head of the church:
and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ.
. . "
I Pet. 5:1-4. "The elders which are among you
I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also
a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among
you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy
lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being
ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive
a crown of glory that fadeth not away."
*** (h) Acts 15:22. "Then pleased it the apostles
and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch
with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among
the brethren."
Jude 3-4. "Beloved, when I gave all diligence
to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you,
and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered
unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of
old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into
lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ."
II Cor. 8:23-24. "Whether any do enquire of
Titus, he is my partner and fellow helper concerning you: or our brethren be enquired
of, they are the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ. Wherefore
shew ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love, and of our boasting
on your behalf."
I Cor. 16:1. "Now concerning the collection
for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye."
Mal. 3:10. "Bring ye Al the tithes into the
storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith
the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out
a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."
Lev. 27:32. "The tenth shall be holy unto the
Lord."
I Cor. 16:2. "Upon the first day of the week
let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him."
*** (i) I Cor. 6:1-3. "Dare any of you, having
a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?
Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be
judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we
shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?"
I Cor. 5:11-13. "I have written unto you not
to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous,
or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one
no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not
ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore
put away from among yourselves that wicked person."
Next: XIV. OF BAPTISM AND THE LORD’S SUPPER