Building the Church Part 2.
Many people today understand the church as a building.
This is not a biblical understanding of the church. The word “church” comes from the Greek word ekklesia which is defined as “an assembly” or “called-out ones.” The root meaning of “church” is not that of a building, but of people. It is ironic that when you ask people what church they attend, they usually identify a building.
Romans 16:5
Greet the church that is in their house. Paul refers to the church in their house, not a church building, but a body of believers.
The cost of building the Church.
Jesus didn't hide the cost when he called people to follow Him.
Luke 14:25-33.
Large crowds were travelling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish. Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace.
In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples. Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out. Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.
The material God builds with.
1 Corinthians 1:26-29.
Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things, and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.
The workmen.
Ephesians 4:11-16.
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.
Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.
From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
The workmen.
Biblical leadership is important to ensure doctrinal soundness.
Titus 1:1-8.
The reason I left you in Crete was that you might put in order what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. An elder must be blameless, faithful to his wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient.
Since an overseer manages God’s household, he must be blameless not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain.
Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined.
Doctrinal soundness is our foundation.
Titus 1:9-11.
He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. Rebuking Those Who Fail to Do Good For there are many rebellious people, full of meaningless talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision group.They must be silenced, because they are disrupting whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach and that for the sake of dishonest gain.
Doctrinal soundness in vital areas, must not be sacrificed for the sake of a superficial unity.
In essentials unity
In non-essentials liberty
In all things love
Doctrinal soundness is our foundation.
Sound doctrine is important because what we believe affects what we do.
Behaviour is an extension of theology, and there is a direct correlation between what we think and how we act. For example, two people stand on top of a bridge; one believes he can fly, and the other believes he cannot fly. Their next actions will be quite dissimilar.
In the same way, a man who believes that there is no such thing as right and wrong will naturally behave differently from a man who believes in well-defined moral standards.
In one of the Bible’s lists of sins, things like rebellion, murder, lying, and slave trading are mentioned.
The list concludes with “whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine”1 Timothy 1:9-10.
In other words, true teaching promotes righteousness; sin flourishes where “the sound doctrine” is opposed... Got questions.org
1 Timothy 1:1-11.
As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. Such things promote controversial speculations rather than advancing God’s work, which is by faith. The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Some have departed from these and have turned to meaningless talk. They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm. We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers, and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me..
Why are there so many different Christian interpretations?
Ephesians 4:5 says
There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism.
This passage emphasizes the unity that should exist in the body of Christ as we are indwelt by “one Spirit” (verse 4).
In verse 3, Paul makes an appeal to humility, meekness, patience, and love—all of which are necessary to preserve unity.
According to 1 Corinthians 2:10-13, the Holy Spirit knows the mind of God (verse 11), which He reveals (verse 10) and teaches (verse 13) to those whom He indwells.
If every believer would dutifully study the Bible in prayerful dependence upon the Holy Spirit’s illumination, things would be very different.
Why are there so many different Christian interpretations?
2 Timothy 2:15-19.
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some.
Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”
Why are there so many different Christian interpretations?
Why are there so many different Christian interpretations?
Many Christians don’t listen to the Holy Spirit. There are Christians who grieve Him
Ephesians 4:30.
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Ask any educator, even the best classroom teacher has their share of students who seem to resist learning, no matter what the teacher does.
So, one reason people have different interpretations of the Bible is simply that some do not listen to the Teacher, the Holy Spirit.
The following are some other reasons for the wide range of beliefs among those who teach the Bible.
Why are there so many different Christian interpretations?
1. Unbelief.
The fact is that many who claim to be Christians have never been born again. They wear the label of “Christian,” but there has been no true change of heart. Many who do not even believe the Bible to be true, presume to teach it. They claim to speak for God yet live in a state of unbelief.
Most false interpretations of Scripture come from such sources. It is impossible for an unbeliever to correctly interpret Scripture.
1 Corinthians 2:14.
“The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned”.
An unsaved man cannot understand the truth of the Bible. He has no illumination. Further, even being a pastor or theologian does not guarantee one’s salvation.
Why are there so many different Christian interpretations?
An example of the chaos created by unbelief is found in
John 12:28-29.
Jesus prays to the Father, saying, “Father, glorify your name.” The Father responds with an audible voice from heaven, which everyone nearby hears.
Notice, however, the difference in interpretation:
“The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.”
Everyone heard the same thing, an intelligible statement from heaven, yet not everyone agreed one what had happened.
Why are there so many different Christian interpretations?
2. Lack of training.
Peter warns against those who misinterpret the Scriptures and attributes their spurious teachings in part to being untaught.
2 Peter 3:15-16.
Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.
2 Timothy 2:15.Timothy is told
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth”
There is no shortcut to proper biblical interpretation; we are constrained to study.
Why are there so many different Christian interpretations?
3. Poor hermeneutics.
Much error has been promoted because of a simple failure to apply good hermeneutics (the science of interpreting Scripture).
Taking a verse out of its immediate context can do great damage to the intent of the verse.
Ignoring the wider context of the chapter and book, or failing to understand the historical/ cultural context will also lead to problems.
2 Timothy 2:15 “rightly dividing the word of truth” KJV Means interpreting the biblical text correctly. In more scholarly language, it means to have good hermeneutics.
Jesus chided the Pharisees of His day for their poor hermeneutics, saying:
Mark 12:24. “you do not understand the Scriptures”
Why are there so many different Christian interpretations?
4. Ignorance of the whole Word of God.
Apollos was a powerful and eloquent preacher, but he only knew the baptism of John. He was ignorant of Jesus and His provision of salvation, so his message was incomplete.
Acts 18:24-28.
Aquila and Priscilla took him aside and “explained to him the way of God more adequately”
After that, Apollos preached Jesus Christ.
Some groups and individuals today have an incomplete message because they concentrate on certain passages to the exclusion of others.
They fail to compare Scripture with Scripture.
Why are there so many different Christian interpretations?
5. Selfishness and pride.
Sad to say, many interpretations of the Bible are based on an individual’s own personal biases and pet doctrines. Some people see an opportunity for personal advancement by promoting a “new perspective” on Scripture.
Jude:3-5.
Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people.
For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord. Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord at one time delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe.
Why are there so many different Christian interpretations?
Jude:6-11.
And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling, these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day.
In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.
In the very same way, on the strength of their dreams these ungodly people pollute their own bodies, reject authority and heap abuse on celestial beings. But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” Yet these people slander whatever they do not understand, and the very things they do understand by instinct, as irrational animals do—will destroy them. Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion.
Why are there so many different Christian interpretations?
Jude:12-16.
These people are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm, shepherds who feed only themselves.
They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted, twice dead. They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.
Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones to judge everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”
These people are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.
Why are there so many different Christian interpretations?
Jude:17-23.
But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.”
These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear, hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.
Why are there so many different Christian interpretations?
6. Failure to mature.
When Christians are not maturing as they should, their handling of the Word of God is affected.
1 Corinthians 3:2-3.
I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly.
An immature Christian is not ready for the “meat” of God’s Word.
Note that the proof of the Corinthians’ carnality is a division in their church (verse 4).
What’s wrong with Christians? (Doctrinal instability)
Why are there so many different Christian interpretations?
7. Undue emphasis on tradition.
Some churches claim to believe the Bible, but their interpretation is always filtered through the established traditions of their church. Where tradition and the teaching of the Bible are in conflict, tradition is given precedence.
This effectively negates the authority of the Word and grants supremacy to the church leadership.
On the essentials, the Bible is abundantly clear. There is nothing ambiguous about the deity of Christ, the reality of heaven and hell, and salvation by grace through faith. On some issues of less importance, however, the teaching of Scripture is less clear, and this naturally leads to different interpretations.
For example, we have no direct biblical command governing the frequency of communion or the style of music to use. Honest, sincere Christians can have differing interpretations of the passages concerning these peripheral issues.
Why are there so many different Christian interpretations?
7. Undue emphasis on tradition. (continued)
The important thing is to be dogmatic where Scripture is and to avoid being dogmatic where Scripture is not. Churches should strive to follow the model of the early church in Jerusalem:
Acts 2:42.
They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
There was unity in the early church because they were steadfast in the apostles’ doctrine. There will be unity in the church again when we get back to the apostles’ doctrine and forego the other doctrines, fads, and gimmicks that have crept into the church.
Why are there so many different Christian interpretations?
2 Timothy 2:15-19. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some.
Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal:
“The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”
The foundation doctrines of the Church.
Hebrews 5:12-14.
For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.
For everyone who partakes only
of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Many professing Christians are not able to discern between good and evil and for that matter whole Church denominations as well.
At the very least it is a sign of immaturity. As we saw in last week’s ministry, sometimes there are doctrines of demons been preached in Churches.
The foundation doctrines of the Church.
1 Timothy 4:8-16.
For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. That is why we labour and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Saviour of all people, and especially of those who believe. Command and teach these things. Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.
Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you. Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress.
Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.
The foundation doctrines of the Church.
1 Timothy 4:1-7.
The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.
If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed. Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly.
The foundation doctrines of the Church.
Hebrews 6:1-6.
Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works
and of faith toward God,
of the doctrine of baptisms,
of laying on of hands,
of resurrection of the dead,
and of eternal judgment.
And this we will do if God permits. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.
The foundation doctrines of the Church.
2 timothy 4:1-5.
In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.
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