The church of the first century was created by Jesus and established by the Apostles. Jesus was the head and the body was the members. It was not a building, but a living thing. Two thousand years later, the principle remains the same.
Members often worshipped in each other’s homes, rather than the Jewish synagogues. There were no ordained priests and the only leaders were elected elders. Their main purpose was to preach the Gospel, the “Good News”, that Christ had died for our sins and had been resurrected as the firstborn of the dead. As believers, the members were also assured eternal life through Christ. Nothing has changed.
However, Man has added extra complexity, rules and doctrine which is what humans do. Today, there are hundreds of different denominations, each with their own ideas on how a church should operate and the simplicity has been lost. But, if you look hard enough, the church of God can still be found in many countries. I know, because I belong to one!
The Church – The Body of Christ
Jesus spoke of his church before he was crucified and told the Apostle Peter, “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” [Mt 16:18–19]
Jesus also established his authority as head of the church, telling the Apostles, “And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.’ “ [Matt 28:18]
On the day of Pentecost, 50 days after his resurrection and when the promised “Comforter”, the Holy Spirit, was given to the Apostles, “Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’ “ [Acts 2:38]
“Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.”
[Acts 2:41-42]
So the four and only requirements of the doctrine were established:
- Repentance
- Baptism
- Breaking of bread (Communion)
- Prayer
And as the Apostle Paul writes:
“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” [Eph 4:4–6]
“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]
And as Luke writes:
“When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.” [Acts 14:23]
“Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.” [Acts 20:28]
And finally, as Paul writes:
“Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.” [Eph 2:19–22]
“For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building.“ [1 Cor 3:9]
So, the church is not a building, it is the living body of the members and whose head is Christ. Elders are appointed to “shepherd the church”, acting as “overseers” and guided by the Holy Spirit.
Where the church meets is not important. For convenience, we now have dedicated buildings which we call churches, but we could have just as easily called them assemblies. It would have saved a lot of confusion.
Preserving the Church
In the last Epistle Paul wrote before he was executed in Rome, he sent a letter to the young preacher, Timothy. He gave instructions on how to maintain the cohesion of the church by working out problems with firm but patient teaching.
He also warned that Man will try to corrupt the purity of the church, telling people what they want to hear, instead of what is true. Nowadays, we can see how that has happened with so many different denominations:
“I solemnly urge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will one day judge the living and the dead when he comes to set up his Kingdom: Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.
For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths.” [2 Tim 4:1–4]