In lesson number five, we delve into the essential topic of the Church of Christ’s role and responsibilities. This exploration is crucial for our understanding and answering questions and clarifying misconceptions about the Church of Christ. Let us delve into what constitutes the work of this church, a topic of profound importance and relevance.
The Church of Christ is divinely designed, just as God masterfully created the universe and all within it. This purposeful and precise design leaves no room for human alterations or improvisations. The church’s creation is a testament to God’s wisdom, as depicted in scriptures like Psalm 19:1 and Ephesians 3:8-10. It stands as a beacon of God’s design, untainted by human modifications.
In the same vein, the Church of Christ’s primary mission is to proclaim the Gospel. This task surpasses all others in importance, aligning with directives in 1 Thessalonians 1:8 and Acts 2. It’s about reaching souls with the message of salvation, a duty that supersedes all worldly concerns or endeavors. The focus is on spiritual nourishment rather than just physical sustenance.
Furthermore, the Church of Christ operates on a biblical model of leadership and service, as outlined in Ephesians 4:11-12. This model includes apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, each uniquely edifying the church. Typical titles like popes or cardinals are absent, reflecting a structure based purely on scriptural roles and functions.
Members of the Church of Christ, each likened to a body part, play a significant role. They are called to active service, supporting and edifying one another in accordance with 1 Corinthians 12:12-31. Each member’s participation is vital, contributing to the church’s overall health and effectiveness.
Regarding aid and charity, the Church of Christ prioritizes its members, especially those who are widows, orphans, and the needy. However, this support is not indiscriminate. It is guided by principles laid out in scriptures like 1 Timothy 5:3-16, focusing on those genuinely in need and part of the church community. This approach ensures that aid is meaningful, targeted, and reflective of the church’s mission.
The Church of Christ also encourages self-reliance and personal responsibility in extending support. This ethos is evident in passages like 2 Thessalonians 3:7-10, where the emphasis is on working and contributing rather than solely relying on church support. It fosters a community of mutual support and individual accountability.
The Church of Christ also engages in supporting other congregations, especially during times of need, as seen in the early church’s response to a famine in Acts 11:28-30. This inter-congregational support is a testament to the church’s unity and commitment to helping fellow believers.
In summary, the Church of Christ is a divinely designed institution with a clear mission: to spread the Gospel and nurture its members in faith. Its structure and functions are rooted in the New Testament, focusing on spiritual growth and community support. The church prioritizes aiding its members, especially the vulnerable, while also encouraging self-reliance and active participation from all its members. This approach ensures that the church remains true to its biblical foundation, fulfilling its role as the pillar and ground of the truth (1 Timothy 3:15).
Discussion Questions and Answers
1. How are the elders of a local church to provide for the edification of the flock among them?
• They must feed the flock by providing strong teaching and watching out for the souls.
2. What part does assembling play in edification (Heb. 10:24-25, Col. 3:16-17)?
• It is a time for fellow saints to edify one another and stir up love and good works in each other. Our songs are intended to instruct and admonish one another.
3. What authority does a local church have to provide a meeting place?
• The church is commanded to assemble and must implicitly have a place in which to obey this command, for they cannot meet apart and usually cannot meet in quarters owned by a member.
4. What authority does the church have to pay someone to preach?
• God commands that those who preach the gospel may earn a living from the gospel.
5. What is to be made known by the church (Eph. 3:10)?
• The manifold wisdom of God to the principalities and power in the heavenly places.
6. What does Paul mean by saying that he robbed other churches in 2 Corinthians 11:8-9?
• He was supported by churches other than Corinth while he labored there so that he could provide them the gospel at no charge.
7. How did he sum up the preacher’s importance in Romans 10:14-15?
• He quoted the prophecy of Isaiah that asserted the need for a preacher to bring the gospel to those who should hear and believe.
8. What is a missionary society? What is a sponsoring church? Are they scriptural methods? Why?
• A missionary society is a separate organization from the church that is supported by a number of churches to do what should have been the work of the local church in the first place. The sponsoring church is a system in which one church receives contributions from a number of churches, in order to evangelize on a greater scale. These are unscriptural. When a church desired to support evangelism in other places, the funds were disbursed directly to the preacher, not some middle man or organization.
9. Does the church’s mission to evangelize the lost justify the use of banquet facilities, dramatic presentations, entertainment features, and exercise rooms to lure people (John 6:6:26-27, Rom. 1:16, 1 Tim.4:8)? What may be true of the religion and conversions of those so drawn?
• No, they are unscriptural elements of the social gospel, and only the pure gospel of Christ will save souls. These conversions may be only of the stomach and the religion may be a worship of the flesh.
10. In what ways is a congregation limited in its work of benevolence?
• A local church only has the example of providing benevolence to needy saints, not to those without the body of Christ. Furthermore, she is limited when considering widows for continual aid, in that only widows indeed may be enlisted.
11. How may benevolence funds be disbursed?
• Directly to the needy saint or to the elders in a particular area that needs help.
12. Who holds the first responsibility in cases of benevolence needs?
• The family of the indigent saint.