"CHALLENGES CONFRONTING THE CHURCH"

Introduction

INTRODUCTION
  1. The church in the first century often experienced grave challenges...
    1. Persecution - Ac 8:1-3; 9:1-2
    2. False teachers - Ac 15:1-2; 2Pe 2:1-3; Re 2:14,20
    3. Apostasy - Ac 20:29-31; 1Ti 4:1-3; Jude 3
  2. Today we see similar challenges confronting the church...
    1. False teachers leading many astray
    2. Churches apostatizing, resulting in new religious organizations
    3. With more than 38,000 denominations now existing!
  3. In this series of lessons, I would like for us to examine challenges we face today...
    1. Certainly not every challenge, for there are many
    2. But a few of the more common ones faced by many churches of Christ

[But first, it might be helpful to carefully distinguish between the universal church and local church as revealed in the Bible. Let's begin with describing...]

  1. THE CHURCH UNIVERSAL
    1. COMPOSED OF ALL CHRISTIANS...
      1. The church to which Jesus referred in Mt 16:18
      2. Made up all the saved, both living and dead - cf. He 12:22-24
    2. THERE IS JUST ONE...
      1. The universal church is called the "body" of Christ - Ep 1:22-23
      2. There is only "one body"; therefore, only one church! - Ep 4:4
    3. BEGAN ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST...
      1. In Jerusalem, following the death, resurrection and ascension of Christ - Ac 2:1-47
      2. As Peter later referred to this day, it was the "beginning" - cf. Ac 11:15
    4. ENTER ONLY BY BEING ADDED BY THE LORD...
      1. One cannot "join" the church by their own volition
      2. Rather, they are "added" by the Lord Himself when saved - Ac 2:41,47
    5. THE LORD KEEPS THE BOOKS OF MEMBERSHIP...
      1. There is no agency on earth that keeps the registry of true members
      2. Enrollment is in heaven; only the Lord knows those who are truly His - He 12:23; 2Ti 2:19
    6. CONSISTS OF ALL THE SAVED...
      1. The Lord is presenting to Himself a church holy and without blemish - cf. Ep 5:25-27
      2. Individuals in the church who sin and refuse to repent are "cut off", "cast out", "spewed out" - cf. Jn 15:2,6; Ro 11:19-22; Re 3:16
    7. MUST BE IN THIS CHURCH TO BE SAVED...
      1. For the Lord is the Savior of the body (which is His church) - Ep 5:23
      2. Since the Lord adds one to His church when they are saved, one cannot be saved and not be in the church universal!
    8. HAS NO EARTHLY ORGANIZATION...
      1. The church universal does have organization - cf. Ep 2:19-22; 1Pe 2:5
        1. What organization exists is spiritual in nature
        2. Christ is the cornerstone, together with His apostles and prophets as the foundation
        3. All Christians are "living stones" built upon that foundation
      2. But there is no earthly headquarters for the church
        1. E.g., no telephone number to call to speak with the "head" of the church
        2. For the Head and His headquarters are in heaven!
    9. CANNOT BE DIVIDED...
      1. For there is no earthly organization to divide!
      2. If division appears to exist...
        1. Some unscriptural organization of churches must have been created
        2. Such organizations can have division, but not the Lord's church universal!
      3. Those who would seek to divide the church through doctrine, conduct, etc., are simply cut off by the Lord Himself!
        1. As seen before, individual Christians are "cut off", "cast out", "spewed out"
        2. Local churches can have their "candlestick removed" - cf. Re 2:5
        3. We need to make sure we are remaining faithful to be in it!
      4. Thus there is and always will be, "one body"! - Ep 4:4
        1. Death cannot prevail against it - Mt 16:18
        2. It is a kingdom that will last forever - cf. Dan 2:44; Lk 1:32-33; Re 17:14
    10. DEATH DOESN'T AFFECT MEMBERSHIP...
      1. The church universal is made up of the saved, both living and dead - He 12:22-23
      2. When one dies, they are still with Christ! - Php 1:21-23; 1Th 5:10
    11. DOES NOT HAVE ONE OFFICIAL NAME...
      1. No one exclusive name or term is used to describe the universal church
      2. Various terms used include church of God, body, kingdom, etc. - 1Co 10:32; Ep 1:22-23; Col 1:13

      [Such are some of the defining characteristics of the church universal. In contrast, consider...]

  2. THE CHURCH LOCAL
    1. COMPOSED OF CHRISTIANS IN ONE LOCATION...
      1. A local church is made up of Christians in one geographical area
      2. E.g., the church at Corinth, the church of the Thessalonians - 1Co 1:2; 1Th 1:1
      -- In contrast, the church universal is made up of Christians everywhere!
    2. THERE ARE MANY CHURCHES...
      1. Paul had reference to local churches when he wrote Ro 16:16
      2. And again when he wrote Ga 1:2
      -- When it comes to the church universal, though, there is just one!
    3. BEGINS WHEREVER PEOPLE JOIN TOGETHER...
      1. As the gospel spreads and people respond to it, those in a particular area start a local church when they agree to work together as one
      2. Just as the church in Antioch began later than the church in Jerusalem - Ac 11:19-26
      -- Whereas the church universal began in Jerusalem on Pentecost, local churches have begun at different places and different times!
    4. ENTER BY JOINING OURSELVES...
      1. When one wishes to become an accepted member of the local church, they must "join themselves" to that church
      2. As Paul sought to do when he came to the church in Jerusalem - Ac 9:26-28
      -- Whereas one is "added" by the Lord Himself to the universal church, we can seek to "join" a local congregation (if its members are willing to accept us)
    5. ENROLLED BY HUMAN JUDGMENT...
      1. Whether we are accepted into a local church is a decision made by the leaders or members of that church
      2. Sometimes people are rejected when they should be received - 3Jn 5-9
      3. Other times they are accepted when they should be removed - 1Co 5:1-13
      -- Evil men may succeed in kicking one out of a local church, but only the Lord determines who stays in the universal church!
    6. CONSISTS OF BOTH SAVED AND LOST...
      1. Since enrollment occurs through human judgment, fallible decisions can be made
      2. A local church may therefore have some who are Christians in name only - cf. Re 3:1-4
      -- Hypocrites may become members of a local church; but they don't sneak by the Lord to become members of the universal church!
    7. DO NOT HAVE TO BE A MEMBER TO BE SAVED...
      1. One can be saved, and not belong to any local church
      2. Such was the case of the Eunuch immediately following his conversion, and of Paul when he was in transit between Antioch and Jerusalem - cf. Ac 8:39; 9:26
      -- Of course, this should be temporary; in the universal church, it is impossible!
    8. HAS EARTHLY ORGANIZATION...
      1. A local church when scripturally organized will have bishops and deacons - Php 1:1
      2. These bishops were also called elders and pastors, whose role was to oversee and feed the local congregation - Ac 14:23; 20:17,28
      -- The only role or position ever given men over the universal church on earth was the apostles and they were not replaced when they died - e.g., James in Ac 12:2
    9. CAN BE DIVIDED...
      1. Local churches can easily be divided over doctrine or personalities
      2. Such was the case with the church at Corinth - 1Co 1:10-13; 3:3,4
      -- While we can't divide the universal church, we can be responsible for dividing local churches!
    10. DEATH DOES AFFECT MEMBERSHIP...
      1. When we die, our membership in a local congregation ends
      2. When Stephen died, he was no longer a member of the Jerusalem church - Ac 8:1-2
      -- But our membership in the church universal continues on after death!
    11. MAY USE DIFFERENT SCRIPTURAL NAMES...
      1. Showing relationship to God or Christ - 1Co 1:2; Ro 16:16
      2. Identifying the location of the members - 1Th 1:1; 2Th 1:2
      -- There is no one official name, but we should use scriptural names!
CONCLUSION
  1. Understanding the distinction between the church universal and local is important...
    1. Failure to do so can lead to faulty thinking about the church
    2. Failure to do so can make one susceptible to many challenges facing the church
  2. Understanding the distinction between the church universal and local is encouraging...
    1. Most challenges confronting the church today do not affect the church universal per se
    2. Most challenges confronting the church today involve how local churches respond to them

The church of Christ universal is in good hands (those of Jesus Himself). Whether we remain in His church universal is greatly determined by how we face challenges that affect us as members of local churches of Christ!

The first challenge we shall examine may be the most important, for it determines how we respond to all other challenges we may confront: Authority In Religion!