IDENTIFYING MARKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH

The twenty-first century is marred by religious division. There are hundreds of denominations scattered around the globe wearing different names and practicing different doctrines. There is only one church authorized by God to exist today, and that is the church He planned and purposed before time began (Eph. 3:9-11). Roman Catholicism and denominational churches are not sanctioned by God.

In a world fragmented by division, is it possible to identify the church revealed in the Bible? The answer is a resounding yes. Imagine you stopped at the grocery store one day after work. Once your groceries were bagged, you then made your way back to the parking lot, only to discover your car had been stolen. When the police arrived, they began asking a series of questions about your automobile. What is the color, make and model of your automobile? Is it a truck, SUV, or car? Is it two-door or four? What do the wheels look like? Are there any noticeable dents or scratches on your automobile? What is the VIN number? These pertinent questions will aid the police in identifying your automobile from the hundreds and thousands of other automobiles on the street. By the same token, if we turn to the Bible, we can begin the process of identifying the church of the New Testament? The reason we can identify the church of the Bible is because there are certain distinguishing marks that make it stand out above all other religious bodies. With these preliminary thoughts in mind, let us sift through the Scriptures and identify the New Testament church.

Number one, we could begin by asking, who founded the church? The Bible identifies Jesus as both the founder and foundation of the church (Matt. 16:13-18; I Co. 3:11). Jesus Christ built the church and bought it with His divine blood (Matt. 16:18; Acts 20:28). Any church that claims to be built on Peter or by some other man is not the church of the New Testament.

Number two, the church we read about in the Bible originated in the city of Jerusalem during the days of the Roman kings as announced by the prophets (Isa. 2:2-4; Dan. 2:44). According to Luke, the church began on Pentecost day in the Jerusalem as promised by the Lord and His spokesmen (Lu. 24:44-49; Acts 1:3-8; 2:1-47). Any church that began outside the city of Jerusalem is not the church of the New Testament. Furthermore, the church began in A.D. 30 or 33. Any church that began prior to or after that date is not the New Testament church.

Number three, Jesus is the one and only head of the church. There is no authority for the papacy. The apostle Paul said, “And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence” (Col. 1:18). Any church that claims an earthly head is not the New Testament church.

Number four, the authority that governs the church is the New Testament. Creeds and manuals of faith penned by mortal men are not authoritative. The Lord left His last will and testament to govern the church that belongs to Him (Heb. 9:15-17). Paul wrote, “And whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Col. 3:17). Any church that does not honor the authority of the Bible as the only voice in matters of faith and practice is not the New Testament church.

Number five, the terms of admission into the church are clearly set forth in Scripture. The jargon employed by most of the denominational world to accept the Lord Jesus into the heart and recite the “Sinner’s Prayer” is not Biblical. Peter and the apostles received “the keys of the kingdom” (Matt. 16:19; 18:18) on Pentecost day and instructed those who were convicted of sin to repent and be baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). Salvation is in Christ, and the only way to get into Christ is through baptism (Rom. 6:3-4; Gal. 3:26-29). Baptism puts us in contact with the cleansing blood of Jesus (Acts 22:16; Eph. 1:7). Any church that does not teach the necessity of faith (Jo. 8:24), repentance (Acts 17:30), confession (Acts 8:37), and baptism into Christ (Acts 2:38) is not the church of the Bible.

Number six, the organizational structure of the New Testament church is quite clear. The apostle Paul addressed “the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons” (Phil. 1:1). Every member of the church is a “saint,” but not every member serves as an elder or deacon. Men who function as elders and deacons must meet the criterion set forth in I Timothy 3:1-13. Contrary to the common practice in the denominational world, there is no one man pastoral system in the church of the New Testament. Furthermore, while women have unique abilities and responsibilities in the church, there is no authority for women to serve as elders, deacons, or preachers (I Tim. 2:8-15). Any church that utilizes women teaching or preaching in mixed assemblies, serving as elders or deacons, is not the church we read about in the Bible.

Number seven, the worship of the church in Jerusalem was not built around dramatic presentations and theatrics. The practice of the early church in the realm of worship conformed to the teaching of Jesus when He directed it be offered “in spirit and truth” (Jo. 4:24). New Testament worship consists of singing (without the accompaniment of mechanical instruments) (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16-17), praying (I Tim. 2:8), preaching (Acts 20:7), giving (I Co. 16:1-2), and the Lord’s Supper (I Co. 11:23-29). Any church that deviates from the divine pattern of worship in the New Testament is not the church founded on Pentecost in Jerusalem.

CONCLUSION

The Bible is supposed to be our guide in matters of faith and practice (I Pet. 4:11; Col. 3:17). In a world of religious division, we can find the true church if we approach the subject with an open heart and open Bible (Acts 17:11).