Mt. 16:18
By Kevin W. Earls
We talk much today about restoring the New Testament Church. Why do we use this expression and why should we be interested in restoring the NT Church? Because the Church when the New Testament was being written (30 A.D. to 100 A.D.) was as near to being the perfect church as the world has ever seen. It was not actually a perfect church; read the New Testament and you will find many imperfections. But it was a near perfect church: Why? The obvious; the church was so close in time to days of the Master that His Spirit Pattern that was received from Him dominated the atmosphere and activities of that Church. Think of a stream or river; the farther back to the source you get, the purer the water is, while farther downstream, it can become more polluted.
This is our constant task: seeking to get back to the spirit and pattern of the original Church.
The very early Church: As it was getting under way Jesus wrote letters to seven churches. They are found in Revelation chapters two and three.
Ephesus: “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love” Re. 2:4
Smyrna: “Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer.”
Pergamos: “But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel . . . , you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.” 2:14-15
Thyatira: “Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce my servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.” 2:20
Sardis: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God.” 3:1-2
Philadelphia: “I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it, for you have a little strength, have kept my word and have not denied My name.” 3:8
Laodicea: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot, I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth.” 3:15-16
Even when wrong things were creeping in as time went on things got worse; the stream became more polluted. We must constantly guard against these things. We must repent and turn back: Constantly seeking the spirit and pattern of the early Church.
Let us go back to the originator and founder of the church and see what He has to say about the Church. Mt. 16:18: “on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hades shall not prevail against it.”
My Church: The Church is Christ’s because God gave Him all authority over the church. Ephes. 1:20-22. “He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come, and He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that fills all in all.”
He is the Head: Where are the headquarters for your church? “In Heaven.” There is no earthly head of Christ’s church. It is presumptuous for any man to claim to be the head of the church whether he be pope, bishop or other.
The Church is Christ’s because He bought it with His own precious blood; He paid for it. Ephes. 5:25: “Christ also loved the church and gave himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her . . ., that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and without blemish.”
Acts 20:28: Elders at Ephesus – “shepherd the church of Christ which He purchased with His own blood.”
How was He going to build this Church?
How did He build the Church? (accomplished fact).
First:
He laid a foundation. This He accomplished by His own life, ministry and teaching because His life, ministry, teaching established the one great fact or Foundation Stone upon which the church is built.
What is that great fact or foundation stone?
His identity as the Son of God!
“You are the Christ, the son of the living God.” “on this rock (foundation) I will build My church”
Paul was talking about building the church in 1 Cor. 3:11; “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” :10 “Let each one take heed how he builds on it.”
There are many would be modern builders who have rejected this foundation.
Identity as a builder, teaching and obeying; Mt, 7:24-27 “build on the rock not sand”
Second:
After establishing the foundation through His life and teaching the next step was to give authority to His apostles.
Mt. 16:19 “And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (see another trans.)
This was to be under the direct guidance of a third party, The Holy Spirit.
John 14:16 – “And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Helper, that he may abide with you forever; the Spirit of Truth … for he dwells with you and will be in you. :26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” 15:26; “the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will testify of Me.”
He would continue to establish the foundation; which would consist of the establishment of the divine pattern for the ministry, mission, message, ordinances, worship, organization and conduct of the Church.
Jesus continued to build:
“According to the grace of God which is given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.” 1 Cor. 3:10
Church is “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone.” Eph. 2:20,
Acts 2:42; “steadfastly in the apostles doctrine.” They helped lay the cement around Jesus’ work.
The First Apostles had a primary function that ceased when the foundation was complete. (There is still today the ministry of apostles, prophets and other giftings under the direction of the Holy Spirit.)
Third:
In building His church the next step was to establish in the church certain other offices or functions besides that of the early apostles.
How odd of Jesus to allow His church to exist for 2000 years and then suddenly discover He forgot something important to tell us.
If the foundation of the church is still being built by special “revelations” through modern day self-appointed “apostles and prophets”, then Jesus somehow “muffed the ball” in not finishing the foundation first.
Revelations through a modern self-appointed “prophet” not only alters but even nullifies much that had been established 2000 years ago. Jesus is not that kind of bungling builder.
Jude 3; “Contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints”. Finality
Offices and functions:
Ephes. 4:8; “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive. And gave gifts to men.” … :11-13; and He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”
“And God has appointed these in the church; first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues …” 1 Cor. 12:28
Fourth:
He builds HIS church by adding to that church daily those who are being saved.
Acts 2:47; “And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved”.
We cannot add anyone to the Church. All we can do is bring people to Christ and He adds them to His church. He brings material, good material, then it’s added.
Those who are genuinely saved (born anew) are added to the Church. Their names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
“but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” Luke 10:20
Fifth:
He builds His Church through the faithfulness of each individual member. We could do a tremendous amount to help Christ build his church by following the example of the early New Testament church in the following ways.
1. Practical Bible reading church. – “Continued steadfastly in the apostle’s doctrine” – daily – continued intermittently – periodically – occasionally – rarely ever
Berean church: “they searched the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so”
2. Praying church. – “in the prayers” Jesus taught both by word and example. prayer secret of Pentecost, spiritual power, wisdom; we can have greater power in our church, pay the PRICE – does not come easy.
3. Partnering and Paying church. “fellowship” relationships with sharing; money and possessions
We are ever going to build Christ’s church as we should if we don’t take seriously Christ’s command “Give and it shall be given to you.”
4. Participating in Breaking bread. Remembering the Covenant
5. Proclaiming: Leading others to Christ. Discipleship
6. Personal involvement: Ten Things That Build.
When Jesus said he would “build” His church, the Greek work He used is “oikodomeo”, and it is translated in the New Testament as “build, built, builders, building, edified, edifies, edify, edifying, edification, and built up.” Thus, you can see that whenever you see the words translated in the King James version “edify”, etc., that it means to build or build up.
Here is a brief list of the things given in the New Testament which God tells us are necessary for us to be builders, and which will help build into our lives that which God wants and thus contribute to the building of the church. In each of the following things listed, the Greek word “oikodomeo” is used to indicate that which builds up or edifies the church. (the following quotes are taken from the NKJV).
- Faith builds: “but you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.” (Jude 20). In contrast, doubt, fear, unbelief, etc., tear down and destroy.
- The Word of God builds: “So now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the Word of His grace, which is able to build you up.” (Acts 20:32). See also Mt. 7:24-27.
- Love builds: “knowledge puffs up, but love edifies (builds up).” (1 Cor. 8:1). “But above all these things put on love, which is the bond (uniting, building factor, like mortar, which holds together) of perfection (completeness or maturity). (Col. 3:14).
- Right speech builds: “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.” (Ephes. 4:29). “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt.” (Col. 4:6).
- Right attitudes build: “Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.” “Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification.” (Rom. 14:19, 15:2). See the Beatitudes of Mt. 5:3-12.
- Greater depth in Christ builds: “rooted and build up in Him and established in the faith,” (Col. 2:7). The “work of God” is to believe INTO Jesus Christ (see John 6:29, where the King James uses the word “in”, but a literal translation of the Greek word eis is “into”).
- God-ordained ministry builds: “having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together; grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling of God in the Spirit.” (Eph. 2:20-22). “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some, prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” (Eph. 4:11-12).
- The ministry of each member builds: “How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edifying.” (1 Cor. 14:26). “… from whom the whole the body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.” (Eph. 4:16).
- Gifts of the Spirit build: “But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men … for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification … Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel. (1 Cor. 14:3-5, 12).
- Spiritual sacrifices build: “… you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2:5). “Therefore, by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” (Heb. 13:15-16)
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