Church: Rediscovering the Biblical Blueprint

Church: Rediscovering the Biblical Blueprint

Introduction

It is Saturday morning, and it has been a long work week. My writing has suffered because of my new schedule. I had to reprioritize my time to make sure I was on track with my goal. My goal is to study and learn the word of God to position myself for a better life. Rarely do we take the time to do an in-depth study of the word of God. This is the first time in my life that I have taken the time to do an in-depth study of the word along with journaling associated with the word. Combining the two has given me greater insight into the world and more confidence that I have been saved and will have eternal life with my Heavenly Father.

What makes me a bit nervous as I sit here and write this morning is this: How do I go about associating my beliefs with the beliefs of an organized church, and how do I reconcile my beliefs with the beliefs of the organized church? What do the scriptures say about the church, its structure, practices, methodology, organization, name, and foundation?

Matthew 16:18 – "And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it." Matthew 16:19 – "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

Key verse – John 3:13 – "No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man."

Now, this may appear incredibly controversial, but is it possible that none of us came from heaven, we did not originate there, we have never been there, we did not exist there, and we were not created as spiritual offspring residing in heaven waiting for an earthly body? John clearly states, "No one has ever gone into heaven."

John 20:23 – "If you forgive anyone's sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven." Jesus gave the apostles the authority to forgive or not to forgive one's sins so that they may be saved. They had the power and authority as granted to them by Jesus to save or redeem people by forgiving their sins or send them into damnation by not forgiving their sins. That is what is meant when they say what you bind on earth (to forgive or not to forgive) shall be bound in heaven and what you loose (forgive or not to forgive) on earth will be loosed in heaven. This phrase appears again in Matthew 18:18 – "Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

Key Verse – Matthew 18:19-20 – "Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them."

Matthew 18:15-20 – Dealing With Sin in the Church 15 “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. 18 “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19 “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

This is further reference to the fact that what Jesus was referring to when he said “bind” and “loose” relates to their power and authority to forgive or not to forgive sin. Another reference to church is found in Matthew 18:17 – "If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector."

Who is the church? Matthew 16:18 – "And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church." By combining these two verses, we see that Peter is the foundation, the rock, on which Christ built His church.

Conclusion

If you sinned against your brother, you would: 1. Approach your brother. 2. Take along a mediator or two. 3. Take it to the church. The church had the right to judge the situation. Jesus gave the power and authority to judge (bind and loose) one's transgression or sin against another. In verse 20 of Matthew, we see that where two or three are gathered in His name, there He will be.

Do we need a church to have the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ? He will be there if we meet as believers in His name. In Acts 20:28 – "Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood." Paul tells the Ephesian elders in verse 28, "Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood." Verse 29 continues, "I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock." Here, there is a reference to the church of God, His flock, as in sheep. In Matthew 9:36, Jesus said, "They were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd." He is our shepherd; He has come to lead the flock. In John 10:1-42, we see the story of Jesus and His flock (sheep).

John 10:1-42 – The Good Shepherd and His Sheep 10 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate but climbs in by some other way is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” 6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them. 7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. 11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.” 19 The Jews who heard these words were again divided. 20 Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?” 21 But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” Further Conflict over Jesus’ Claims 22 Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. 24 The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.” 31 Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him, 32 but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?” 33 “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods”? 35 If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside— 36 what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? 37 Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father. 38 But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.” 39 Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp. 40 Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed, 41 and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a sign, all that John said about this man was true.” 42 And in that place many believed in Jesus.

He tells us in John 10:7 – "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep." John 10:9 – "I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved." John 10:14 – "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me." John 10:16 – "I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd."

Remember, God's will is to draw us to Jesus, and Jesus' work is to not lose one that God has drawn to Him. John 6:37, 39 – "All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away... And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day." John 10:27-30 – "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one."

Another function of the church (flock of believers) in those days was that it constituted those who followed and believed in Jesus. There is no reference made to a building, a set of rules, guidelines, or other things constituted by man.

1 Corinthians 5:12 – "What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. Expel the wicked person from among you." In those days, there were many false teachers of the word (the word being Jesus). Paul exclaimed, "Expel those who are wicked, who do not repent of their sins, who teach false doctrine, who break the laws or commands of God (his commandments, such as adultery, stealing, etc.), and who do not live responsibly. These you should expel from the flock or church as it was called." In 1 Corinthians 14:4-5 – "Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church. I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be edified." 1 Corinthians 14:12 – "Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church."

1 Corinthians 14:26-39 – "What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up." 1 Corinthians 14:33 – "For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people."

Ephesians 5:22-27 – "Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless."

By examining these scriptures, it is clear that the early church focused on community, spiritual gifts, and mutual edification rather than buildings and formal rituals. This understanding can help us reconnect with the true essence of the church as a body of believers united in Christ, guided by His teachings, and empowered by the Holy Spirit.