Lesson: HOW THE BIBLE DESCRIBES THE CHRISTIANS
TEXT: Jeremiah 1:4-5
MEMORY VERSE: 2Tim.2:19
‘Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: ‘The Lord knows those who are His’ and, ‘Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.’ (NIV)
INTRODUCTION:
The Christians individually are seen as living stones (cf. 1Pet.2:4,5) with which the church or spiritual temple for God’s dwelling on earth is built (Eph. 2:21-22; 1Cor. 3:9, 16,17) and collectively, as one nondenominational body of Christ. (Eph.4:4; Col. 1:18, 24) Whatever material descriptive that tends to make it one of the things of this world such as naming (nomenclature), God cannot endorse to be associated with it. Naming it would suggest a plurality of it and would conflict with God’s original will of bringing back to Himself, for all ages, one sheepfold through one shepherd, Jesus, the Christ. (cf. John 10:16) What is known as the Church of Christ or (Churches of Christ – allusion to locations in which the saints gather) is the one body of believers in the teachings of Christ expressed in living that kind of life Jesus came to the earth in the body to live to show his believers how to live. (cf. Eph. 4:17-20). It does not refer to building halls and labeling to show just nomenclature relationship.
OBJECTIVE: At the end of the lesson, those in class should be able to:
1. Know various descriptives in Scripture for Christians.
2. Other advanced descriptives due to function.
3. Know how those descriptives refer to the same group of believers in Christ and
4. Know how they are not denominational nomenclatures (names).
PRESENTATION
Step I: VARIOUS DESCRIPTIVES FOR CHRISTIANS IN THE BIBLE IN A COLLECTIVE SENSE
1. The Church Of God (1Cor. 1:1-2)
2. The Churches Of Christ (Rom. 16:16)
3. The Church Of The Firstborn (Heb. 12:22-23)
4. The Kingdom Of God (Eph. 5:5)
5. The Kingdom Of Christ (Eph. 5:5)
6. The Household Of Faith (Gal. 6:10)
7. The Vineyard Of God (1 Cor. 3:9)
8. The House Of God (1Cor. 3:9)
9. The Temple Of God (1Cor. 3:16, 17)
10. Members Of God’s Household (Eph. 2:19)
11. God’s Dwelling In The Spirit (Eph. 2:22)
12. A Sect (Acts 28:22)
13. A Chosen Generation (1 Pet.2:9)
14. Living Stones (1Pet. 2:4-5)
15. A Royal Priesthood (1 Pet. 2:9)
16. A Holy Nation (1 Pet. 2:9)
17. God’s People (1Pet. 2:9)
18. A Kingdom And Priests (Rev.5:9-10)
19. The Engaged Of Christ (lICor. 11:2-3)
20. The body Of Christ (Col. 1:18,24; 4:4)
21. The Truly Circumcised People (Phil.3:3) etc.
Step II: OTHER ADVANCED DESCRIPTIVES DUE TO FUNCTIONS
Other analytical descriptives of Christians (Church on earth) due to observable and expected functions and status may include:
1. The Recovered Garden Of Eden In The Spirit.
2. The Satellite Heaven On Earth.
3. The New Earth In The Spirit. (11 Pet. 3:13).
4. An Annex Of The Heavenly Government On Earth.
5. The House Built In The Spirit. (cf. Eph. 2:20-22).
6. The Enraptured In The Spirit. (Gal. 5:22-23;
James 1:2).
7. An Embassy Of The Government t Of Heaven On Earth.
8. The Place Of Divine Equality (cf. 1Cor. 4:7; Matt. 20:1-16).
Step III: ALL DESCRIPTIVES REFER TO THE SAME
GROUP OF BELIEVERS
(a) There is one group (body) of believers in Christ (Eph. 4:4), the Church (Col. 1:18, 24).
i. Nothing makes one individual or group of believers different from the others in the sight of God except in ignorance. (cf. 1Cor. 4:7).
(b) One Spirit of God in His Word (Jn. 6:63), one hope of returning to the Eden of God; one Lord Jesus, one faith, one Holy Spirit, one believers’ baptism and one God
(Jehovah) over all, confirm the status quo. (cf. Eph. 4:4-6).
Step IV: DESCRIPTIVES ARE NOT NAMES MEANT TO DENOMINATE THEM
(a) To name is to denominate or divide or separate for ownership. (1 Cor. 1:10-13)
(b) The only God-given name to both unite and save us is Jesus Christ (Acts 4:11-12).
CONCLUSION:
As God did not foresee a time He will vacate His throne for another King, so did He not anticipate to have more than One kingdom and one King over it at any point in time. His Holy One, Jesus is His only King and Priest forever in the order of Melchizedek Who could combine the divine politics and pastorate successfully in all the ages.
EVALUATION:
1. There are many names for Christ’s believers groups in the Bible. (True or False) Why?
2. It is good for us to build a strong church. (True or False) Why?
3. Paul thanked God for Christians in the city of Corinth who said they were for Christ dividing from others. (True or false) Why?
PRAYER: Thank God for His Word and pray for the spirit of oneness in Christendom in order that Christ be seen as one Shepherd over one sheepfold against all forms of denominationalism.
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