Eschatology and Ecclesiology

1. Eschatology and Ecclesiology The Organization of the Church

2. The Revelation of the Local Church • As we saw in our study earlier, the great majority of references to evkklhsi,a (“church”) in the NT refer to a local assembly. • The local church is intended to be a local reflection of the body of Christ. It is an active, working, visible counterpart of the universal church. • The local church must, therefore, strive to maintain a regenerate church membership (1 Cor 1:2). • By definition, it is a local assembly of baptized, professed Christian believers, associated together to fulfill the great commission.

3. The Organization of the Local Church • There are indications that the very first local church in Jerusalem had basic organization. • They knew the numbers of their members (Acts 2:41; 4:4). • They united in public worship, prayer meetings, and fellowship (Acts 2:42). • They practiced the ordinances of the Lord’s Supper and baptism (Acts 2:41-42). • They enlisted 7 men from among themselves to look after the widows (Acts 6:1-6).

4. The Organization of the Local Church • The NT church had offices of elders and deacons (Acts 14:23; Phil 1:1). • The NT church had regular Sunday meetings, in which it ministered, collected offerings, and shared communion (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor 16:2). • The NT church sent letters of commendation from one church to another (Rom 16:1; Acts 18:24-27). • The NT church kept lists of its widows (1 Tim 5:9). • The NT church practiced church discipline among its members (Acts 5; 1 Cor 5:12-13).

5. Membership in the Local Church • The necessity of church membership: • “Any idea. . . of enjoying salvation or being a Christian in isolation is foreign to the New Testament writings. . . .The necessity of membership in the local church is never questioned. It is taken for granted. Had we asked the believers of the Apostolic period whether it was essential to join a church, they would not have known what we were talking about. Every believer became a member of a church” (Alan Stibbs, God’s Church, p. 92). • As noted earlier, from its very beginning, it was clear who were members of the church (Acts 5:12-14). • “The group was beginning to have a controversial separate identity. People were cautious about joining them” (NET Bible).

6. Membership in the Local Church • Qualifications for membership (Acts 2:36-41): • reception of the word proclaimed by the Apostles concerning the Lord Jesus Christ • repentance from sin • baptism • Only those joined to Christ can be members of His assembly; thus regeneration is the primary qualification (1 Cor 1:2).

7. Government of the Local Church • Christ Himself is Head of the body and Chief Shepherd (Eph 1:22-23; 1 Pet 5:4). • Several terms are used for the delegated leadership of the church • evpi,skopoj“bishop, overseer” (1 Tim 3:1; Tit 1:7) • presbu,teroj “elder, older man” (Acts 14:23; Tit 1:5; 1 Tim 5:17) • poimh,n “pastor, shepherd” (Eph 4:11) • Together these indicate an older, spiritually mature man who has demonstrated leadership in his home first and is able to teach and lead in the church (1 Tim 3:1-7; Tit 1:5-9). • The congregation is called to submit themselves to the leadership of the elders (1 Thess 5:12-13; Heb 13:17; 1 Pet 5:1-5). • Deacons are designated to serve the church, particularly in meeting physical needs (Acts 6:1-6).

8. The Discipline of the Local Church • Such discipline is based upon God’s own discipline of His children (Heb 12:6), with holiness as its goal (1 Pet 1:16). • Such discipline is required because the church is God’s witness to the world. • While such discipline is required and commanded, it must be practiced with great care. No attempt is to be made to make the church sinless by punishing every deviation; discipline should be practiced in love and humility. • The discipline of one local church should be appropriately respected by another local church. • Discipline has a twofold effect: • upon the individual, to chasten and restore him; • upon the church body, to protect it from further decay and preserve its testimony.

9. Next Week: The Ordinances of the Church Syllabus pp. 143-154 Saucy pp. 191-234