Westview Church of Christ  

Our purpose in this lesson is to introduce the church which Jesus promised to build. In Matthew 16:18 Jesus said, “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it”. Jesus died upon the cross of Calvary to purchase the church with his own blood.

We believe the Bible to be the inspired word of God, a perfect and sufficient guide [“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, (complete) thoroughly furnished unto all good works” 2 Timothy 3:16,17]. We do not just accept the parts of the Bible that we wish to agree with; it is the beginning and end of our faith and practice, and we dare not go beyond it.

We present these lessons in the name of Christ, desiring to help others find the truth, desiring that all will obey God’s commandments. Those who do so have the right to the tree of life and the promise of heaven in eternity. Jesus said that some will cry “Lord, Lord”, but will not do the “will of the Father” [Matthew 7:21]; and thus they will not enter into the place of rest promised by God.

We believe in the matchless and absolute authority of Christ, the perfect message that He and His inspired servants taught. [Hebrews 2:3 “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him”]. We pray for unity among all professed believers, even as Christ prayed that “they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me” [John 17:21].

We would hope and pray that all who read will consider carefully the information which we present and, searching through the Bible and finding it to be true, will accept it as God’s will.
 

“Kingdom” And “Church”

It is generally agreed that Jesus built His church in the first century A.D.; however it is popularly believed that the kingdom is to come at some future date. The Bible student will observe that the terms “church” and “kingdom” are used interchangeably by the sacred writers. For example: Jesus said, “I will build my church; and........I give unto thee the keys of the kingdom” [Matthew 16:18,19]. In Revelation 1:9, John said, “I, John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the Isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ”. If the kingdom was to come at a later date, how was it that John could be “in the kingdom” at that time?

Church In Prophecy

Daniel prophesied, “In the days of those kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed” [Daniel 2:44]. “The days” of which Daniel speaks, even by secular standards, is recognized as the time of the Roman emperors. Jesus declared, “the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand” [Mark 1:15]. When Jesus began His personal ministry on earth, the time referred to by Daniel had arrived - it had been fulfilled; the kingdom of God was at hand, or nearby.

Following the crucifixion of Jesus, and his resurrection, Jesus affirmed that He had not yet ascended unto His Father but made it clear that He intended to do so in the very near future [John 20:17]. Some 40 days after the resurrection, as He conversed with his disciples on the Mount of Olives, He was taken up and a cloud received Him out of their sight [Acts 1:9]. Thus, with the clouds of heaven, the Son of man came again unto the Ancient of days - then, at that time, there was given unto Him dominion, and glory and a kingdom, as was exactly prophesied in Daniel 8:13,14]. Thus, the apostle Paul, like John, could affirm that in his lifetime. [Colossians 1:13 “Who hath delivered us (past tense) from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son”].

A popular theory says that Christ will establish His kingdom when he leaves the presence of God and returns to earth on the clouds of heaven, but this is backwards. When He comes again, it will not be to receive a kingdom, but rather to “deliver a kingdom back to the Father”. When Jesus leaves Heaven and returns to earth, it will be to shatter the power of death and to give up the kingdom again to his Father. [1 Corinthians 15:24,25 “Then cometh the end, when He shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule, and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under His feet”].

What Is The Church?

The church of Christ is the spiritual body of Christ. Paul declares “he is the head of the body, the church; who is the beginning, the first born from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence” [Colossians 1:18]. Since Jesus said, “Upon this rock I will build MY church”; the church belongs to Him! Therefore the church is not a humanly devised organization. The members of this body did not join it. When men believe in Christ [John 8:24 “I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins”}; Repent of sins [Luke 13:3 “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish”]; confess Christ [Romans 10:10 “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation”]; and is baptized into Christ [Galatians 3:27 “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ”]; then they are added by the Lord to His church [Acts 2:47 “Praising God, and having favor with all the people, and the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved”].

People who have been added to this body in any given community make up a local church or congregation like “the church of God at Corinth” [1 Corinthians 1:2] or “the church in Jerusalem” [Acts 11:22], etc.

Each local church is organized. The church universal is not an organization (only a relationship). The Lord did not give the church universal any organization nor does He intend for it to have such. The only organization known to the Lord’s church is the LOCAL CHURCH [Philippians 1:1; Romans 16:16]. Each local church is autonomous (self-governing). Each local church was an established unit for function and complete to do what God wanted done [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”] [Titus 1:5 “For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:”]. This was Paul’s instruction to Titus.

As we have said, we believe in the inspired word of God and that it is the ONLY infallible guide in religious matters. We, therefore, urge all to follow its instructions and none else. “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God” [1 Peter 4:11]

Our worship consists of simple elements which were a part of the worship in the first century. Christians in the first century worshiped God in spirit and truth [“God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth” John 4:24]to observe the Lord’s Supper on the first day of the week [“And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread.....”]; to praise God by singing [“Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” Ephesians 5:19]; to offer prayers [“What is it then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the understanding also....” 1 Corinthians 14:15]; and to contribute of their means [“Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come” 1 Corinthians 16;2]. When men make changes to; additions; or subtractions from, the word of God and what He has authorized; then the worship becomes vain, “But in vain do they worship me teaching for doctrine the commandments of men” [Matthew 15:9].

The church of Christ is not a social club, a civic organization or a public welfare institution. While the influence of Christianity may be felt in all these fields of human endeavor, the church remains a spiritual body, designed for a spiritual purpose of leading men and women to God and ultimately heaven.

What Does The Church Offer?

It offers salvation from sin through the blood of Jesus Christ, our Lord. It offers hope to a troubled and defiant world. That hope that transcends the bounds of earthly control, is the opportunity to spend an endless eternity with God in heaven. Whether the world will recognize it or admit it, there is a heaven and a hell and the existence of man upon this earth is merely a brief sojourn until we pass to something else. Our attitude and concern for things spiritual will determine our ultimate destiny and the joy we can share in the life hereafter.

Will you please take time to look at the questions that follows and then if we can be of any help whatsoever, please let us know.

Click here to go to the answers for Lesson Three