Sunday, June 25, 2017
THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH
2017
Is There A Distinction Between the Individual and the Church?
This year, we have been engaged in a study of the New Testament church.
We have been addressing the organizational structure of the
church - noting that congregations are to be independent and autonomous.
While we understand this, in some congregations there is
confusion about what the church can and cannot do.
Some contend that whatever an individual can do, so can the
church (this is used to broaden the scope of the work of the NT church).
So as we address the work of the church, it is important that we
understand the distinction between an individual Christian and the
church. We will show
this today in this lesson.
a.
Always a follower of
Christ – as we begin our study this morning we want to emphasize that
being a Christians is not just a compartment in our life.
IT is a lifestyle that affects every aspect of our lives and at
all times (a Christian 24/7/365).
It is a faithful submission to Jesus in everything – cf. 1 Peter
1:13-16, James 1:21-25, etc.
b.
Being a Christian is
going to influence every area of your life.
The Bible governs how we are to live our lives, not just in the
church, but in every aspect of our lives.
It has been said that there are five categories of relationship
that we all live in.
i.
Family –
husband/wife, parent/child, sibling, extended family, etc.
The Bible governs these relationships – 1 Peter 3:1-7, Ephesians
6:1-4, etc.
ii.
Civil – our
responsibilities to the government are outlined in Romans 13:1-7, 1
Peter 2:13-17, Luke 20:25, 1Timothy 2:1-4, etc.
Our rights to vote in this country are a privilege we should take
advantage of.
iii.
Social – we
need to be good citizens and care about our community. The way we
interact with other around us is very important.
Our godly example is emphasized in 1 Peter 2:12 – We honorable
conduct among the Gentiles, Col 4:5, etc.
Includes social media & personal benevolence falls under
this (Gal. 6:10, Jas. 1:27, etc.).
iv.
Economic –
we have a responsibility to work - 2 Thess. 3:10, 1 Thess. 4:11-12,
1 Timothy 5:8 – providing for your family, Col. 3:22-4:1, etc.
v.
Spiritual –
we realize that the church IS also part of our life.
Our need to promote unity, to support the elders, to do our part, etc.
(Eph. 4:1-16)
Heb. 10:24-25 – we need to assemble with the saints.
Give of our means to support the work – 1 Corinthians 16:1-2
c.
One must follow God’s
instructions in each of these areas.
A Christian cannot pass on responsibilities that belong to him to
someone else or to some other organization.
And that includes trying to pass on their personal
responsibilities to the CHURCH as well.
In the Bible the church is not responsible for providing a
secular education to your children, recreation and entertainment in the
afternoon and on weekends, tell you how to vote (though as it teaches
Biblical principles, some things become obvious), provide you a job (or
job training), etc.
AGAIN, I emphasize these are things necessary to accomplish, but it is
simply NOT the pattern of the church.
d.
NOTE: Consider
that as a Christian, whatever you do is a reflection on the church you
are a part of. Because you
are part of the body of Christ, everything you do is seen by the world
and often used to judge the church you profess to be following.
Live so as to bring glory to Christ’s body at all times.
NOT just when you are assembled.
Remember, you are a PART of the church, even when we are not
acting corporately AS the church.
a.
There are several
passages of scripture that make a clear distinction between the
congregation and the individual. Consider the following:
b.
Dealing with sins of
brethren
– Matt. 18:15-17 – the first step
to dealing with a brother in sin (against you) is to go to him between
you and him alone.
The 2nd step is to take with you one or two “witnesses”
(note: Even then you still do not have the church acting.
Step 3, “Tell it to the church”.
NOTICE that only then does the church become involved.
Step 4 is to withdraw from him.
c.
Separate treasuries – Acts 4:32-5:11 – concerning brethren caring for and helping
each other. In Acts 5 we
read about Ananias and Saphira having land that they sold, they gave
some of the proceeds to the church.
They lied about the rest of it.
WE are not given the reason.
BUT, the words of Peter show a distinction between our personal
funds and that which is given to the church.
“But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to
lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for
yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold,
was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in
your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”” (Acts 5:3–4)
He died on the spot.
When his wife came in about 3 hours later, she too lied and died
on the spot. This reaction
resulted in fear (respect) in the Lord’s church.
d.
Separate places to eat
– 1 Cor. 11:22, 34. As Paul
discusses the Lord’s Supper, he identifies some abuses.
They had turned the Lord’s Supper into a common meal.
Paul says, “What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in?
Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing?
What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise
you.” (1 Corinthians 11:22).
After this he explains the true supper and warns about eating in
a worthy manner. He
concludes saying, “But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest
you come together for judgment. And the rest I will set in order when I
come.” (1 Corinthians 11:34) AGAIN,
not the distinction between the church and individuals when it comes to
eating.
e.
Helping needy Christian
widows –
1 Timothy 5:16, “If any believing man or woman has widows, let them
relieve them, and do not let the church be burdened, that it may relieve
those who are really widows.”
Again, there are family responsibilities that extend beyond what
the church can do. It is
tragic that many have turned the church into a benevolent society that
is expected to take care of whatever they have neglected to do for
themselves.
a.
Why is there confusion?
Why do some reason that “what the individual can do, the church
(corporate) can do?
1) Because the church is made up of individuals.
Without individual Christians you do not have a local church.
2) Because, as we have already noted, there is a realization that our
example at all times is a reflection of the body of Christ that we
identify with. Immoral,
unethical and ungodly behavior by “members of the body” is seen the
character of that church.
3) Because there are areas where both the individual and the church act.
And without a proper understanding of HOW we establish authority
(CENI or Tell, Show and Imply) and the boundaries of scripture it is
easy to become confused.
4) This has prompted debate as to exactly what the church can do.
Some have used these facts to justify expanding the work of the
church beyond scriptural boundaries (e.g. Any type benevolence an
individual can do can also be done by the church; If an individual
Christian can have the teenagers over for a movie night, so can the
church; can a church build and or support a college, etc.)
b.
Teaching
– much of the teaching that results in churches growing is done by
individuals. Churches began
with individuals. Consider
Acts 8:4 after persecutions, the disciples went everywhere preaching the
word.
In Acts 11:19-26 describes the beginning of the church in Antioch.
It began with brethren who were scattered going there and
preaching the Lord. When the
church at Jerusalem heard about the response they sent Barnabas there.
He came and encouraged them.
He also went to Tarsus and found Paul who came down.
The 2 of them worked there for a year.
We find here a combination of individuals and the church
proclaiming the gospel. BOTH
individually and collectively they were engaged in the work of teaching
and the church benefitted.
c.
Benevolence
– in a future lesson we will address that there is benevolence the
church can be involved in (always to needy saints, as the need arises
[temporary], addressing the need directly, etc.).
However, as we just noted there
are individual benevolent responsibilities that extend way beyond this.
James 1:27, Mat. 25:31-46, etc.
Both have different parameters to consider.
d.
Discipline
– In 1 Cor. 5, we find that the church MUST take action to maintain its
purity (6-7) and for the sake of souls.
One who is withdrawn from is publicly marked (vs. 4-5, “When you
are gathered together”).
Yet ultimately, this depends upon individuals carrying it out,
even in individual responsibilities.
Consider 1 Cor. 5:9-13 which discusses HOW discipline is properly
executed.
NOTE: For discipline to properly work, 1) There has to be a godly bond
in the first place, something a soul in danger values, & 2) obeying
God’s instructions as individuals so that there is a cost to rejecting
God and the church (friends, this is the hard part, but oh so
necessary). Never forget the
goal – James 5:19-20 – to turn a sinner from error and save a soul from
death., AND 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15
e.
Church growth
– that churches ought to grow is clearly understood in the New
Testament.
But how does a church grow?
By “every part doing its share”.
Eph. 4:16, 1 Cor. 12:26-27.
Christians needs to be Christians at all times.
They need to care about the church and do what they can to
promote its growth, unity, purity.
f.
A study of these examples shows:
i.
While working together
there was still a distinction between the church acting as an entity and
the individual doing his part.
The distinction in responsibility is clearly made.
ii.
How far do we take this?
We understand that there are things we do personally that we are not the
church acting – consider the “due affection” a husband and wife render
to one another, a family going to the movies with friends, when I vote
(is the church voting?), etc.
iii.
There is no conflict in both carrying out their tasks.
Their work was done CONCURRENTLY (meaning, both entities act in
the same direction but they maintained their distinctiveness).
iv.
There is NOTHING to
indicate that the church was taking over the responsibilities of
individuals.
v.
Therefore, you CANNOT
look at these examples and say that whatever the individual can do, the
church can do.
And
thus we can see that there is clear distinction between individuals and
the church. As with all of
God’s word, we ought to respect His boundaries, even in this.
May these thoughts help us as the Lord’s body here be what God
wants us to be – nothing more and nothing less.
AND may they provoke each of us as individuals to a greater
service in His kingdom, so that both He and His church are magnified in
our lives. Think about it.