1. Islam - Muslims teach there is only one God, the God of the Qu’ran. They acknowledge the Bible is from God, but believe it to be corrupted by man and therefore its truths within the Bible cannot be known.
 

a. Muslims accept Jesus as a prophet sent from God, but reject His being God (deity) Himself. According to Sura 112:1-4, of the Qu’ran, “Say: He is Allah, The One; Allah, the Eternal Absolute; He begetteth not, Nor is He begotten; And there is none like Him.”

 

b. Muslims, in general, understand the Christian Godhead to consist of Allah, Jesus and Mary (Sura 5:116).

 

c. Muslims understand the “Helper," a reference to the Holy Spirit in Jn. 14:16, to be the prophet, Mohammad.
 

2. Buddhism - a Buddhist may teach that there are many gods, or no gods. Their belief or unbelief does not effect the outcome of a Buddhist. They follow the “Eightfold Path” that will lead to Nirvana (never to be reborn).

3. Judaism - teaches that Jehovah God is one (singular); the Spirit is not a distinct person or being. God alone is the Creator, Helper and Savior. Between God and man stands no one.

4. Hinduism - Many scholars and researchers consider Hinduism to be one of the oldest religions, even pre-dating Judaism. These men fail to take into consideration the fact that from the beginning, the God of the Bible expected man to obey Him (Gen. 1-3). Patriarchal law of the Bible is the first true system of religion, and it antedates Hinduism.
 

a. Hinduism has 333 million gods, though they believe in a Supreme Being (Brahman) that
is over all the gods. Henotheism is the belief in one God without denying of others gods.

 

b. Hindus claim that Jesus Christ, Krishna, Buddha and Mohammed were incarnations of Brahman.
 
c. “Hindus believe that no particular religion teaches the only way to salvation above all others, but that all genuine religious paths are facets of God’s Pure Love and Light, deserving tolerance and understanding.” (Dangerous ‘Ism’s, p.304).
 

B. Each of these religions teaches a different concept of God. None however worship God in spirit and in truth. All reject the One true living God of the Bible in whom we must be right with.

III. DENOMINATIONAL VIEWS OF GOD
A. To believe that there is only one person in the Godhead is to deny Jesus the Christ is God the Father’s only begotten Son. Yet this is the very belief and teaching of the Oneness Pentecostals.

B. Roman Catholicism, Orthodoxy, and a majority of Protestant churches generally have a biblical view of the Godhead (Trinity). The denominations fail, not so much in the concept of God, but
in their comprehension of the Covenants of God, the kingdom concept, and the Second Coming found in the NT.

C. How can a person worship God in truth if they do not correctly understand and apply the truth? By misapplying, one rejects the God of the Bible; one removes God from His rightful exalted place and position, replacing Him with a god of their own design (God made in man’s own image).

D. Several cults under the guise of “Christianity” do not hold a biblical view of the Godhead:
 

1. Latter Day Saints of Jesus Christ. Mormons teach God has a material body. “The Father has a body of flesh and bone as tangible as man’s; the Son also . . .” (Doctrine and Covenants, Sec. 130:22). The Bible teaches: (Jn. 4:24; Lk. 24:39; Col. 1:15).

2. Jehovah’s Witnesses teach Jehovah is one God (no Godhead). “There was, therefore, a time when Jehovah was all alone in universal space. All life and energy and thought were contained in him alone . . .Then the time came when Jehovah began to create” (Let God be True, p.25). Christ, God’s Son was a god; a created angel and not eternal.

3. Church of Christ Christian Scientists teaches “God is a divine principle and not a being; God, Christ and the Holy Spirit are not beings. God’s trinity consists of the principles of Life, Truth and Love.” (pp. 17.4, 18.15-19.9; 140.8; 336.16).
 

E. Can these religions, denominations and cults all be right with God? Is God the author of confusion (1 Cor. 14:33)? We live in the land of the free, but is our freedom to worship as we please, truly pleasing to the One God with whom we must be right with? (Jn. 4:24; 8:31-32). What would the One true God have us to believe about Himself. We must go to His word to learn.

IV. THE BIBLICAL VIEW OF GOD
A. The God of the Bible (Old Testament and New Testament) is exclusive, not inclusive. There is no other God or gods beside
Him. The intent of making such a statement is not for the purpose of making others upset.

B. The Bible tells us the heavens and earth declare His glory (Ps. 19:1). We find within the pages of the Bible, God’s declaration of Himself to man. He makes Himself known to us by His word.

C. The greatest introduction to the greatest book ever written is in the Bible. “In the beginning God created” (Gen. 1:1). God is not a principle, but a Person; Creator and Sustainer. He is eternal, ever- present, all powerful, all knowing. (Ps. 29:4; Jer. 51:15; 23:23f.; 1 Tim. 1:17). When we speak of believing in One God in three persons, I do not mean:
 

1. One God in three Gods. Polytheism.

2. Three Persons in One Person. (appearing in different forms, incarnations of one person).

3. One Person in three Gods.

D. When we speak of the Godhead, we mean One God in 3 persons. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are called persons because they each relate to one another in distinct personal ways.
 

1. One rope - three rings. (not 1+1+1=3, but 1x1x1=1; ex. three-leaf clover – 3 or 1 leaf?).

2. The element water. One substance H2O - three phases (solid, liquid, gas). Ice - boiling water - steam.

3. One body and individuals members. (1 Cor. 12:20f.)

4. Husband and wife becoming one flesh (Matt. 19:5; Eph. 5:31). Reference to Christ and the church.
 

E. The word “God” in the Hebrew language of the Old Testament, in Gen. 1:1 is plural (Elohim) Deity (Gen. 1:1). 

 

1. The Old Testament teaches there is One God (Is. 43:10; 45:21). Deut. 6:4, called the “Shema,” “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!” The fact that God is called “one” in Deut. 6:4 does not mean there is only 1 personality of Deity. Nor does it mean there cannot be a Godhead.

2. The Hebrew word “one” is “echod” meaning a composite unity as in Gen. 2:24 where man and wife are called “one,” or in Num. 13:23, referring to grapes called “one” cluster.

3. 2 Jn.9. “Both” signifies two - the Father and the Son. They are not one in the same.
 
4. Jn. 17:20-21. If one in the same, who then was Jesus praying to in heaven, since He was God on earth? 

F. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit existed together before the foundation of the world. All three were involved in the work of creation (Gen. 1:1; Jn. 1:1-2; Col. 1:16-17). All three were involved in the work of redemption.
 

1. Matt. 3:16-17. God declares His Son.

2. If God is only one person, who spoke from heaven? Who descended upon Jesus? Separate personalities in two separate places at the same time interacting in a personal and distinct way. (Matt. 17:5; 2 Pet. 1:17)

G. The teaching of the Bible authoritatively speaks of God the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit.
 

1. The Father. Jn. 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” There are two distinct persons referred: God the Father, the Giver and God the Son, the Given. (cf. Jn. 8:42; Eph. 4:6)

2. The Son. Eph. 4:5, “One Lord.” Jesus stated He had come to do His Father’s will and not His own. How many wills are involved? Two. If you have two wills, there must also be two separate and distinct persons to whom these wills belong. (Jn. 4:34; 6:38-39; Lk. 22:42).
 

a. Jn. 1:1-2, “The Word was with God and the Word was God.” This verse declares “The Word” was with God (association); and the “Word” was God (actuality). This is proof of the plurality of persons. One cannot be “with” another if there is only one. (Rom. 1:20).

b. Col. 2:9, “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Jn. 16:16; 1:18). Matt. 6:9; 24:36; 26:39; 63f.; 27:46; Lk. 23:46; Jn. 14:28; 1 Cor. 15:24; Heb. 9:14.

c. Jn. 20:30-31. To deny Jesus is God’s Son is to deny the signs and miracles performed by our Lord as revealed in the Bible to confirm the very claims of His deity. 

3. The Holy Spirit. Some claim there is only one person of the Godhead because the Bible says there is only “one Spirit.” We need to understand there are three persons of the Godhead, one of whom is the “one Spirit.” (Eph. 4:4-6; Acts 5:3-4).
 

a. The Holy Spirit is a person; a divine being, not a force. He is an intelligent, speaking personality (Acts 16:6), but is not recognized in a bodily sense (Lk. 24:39). Bodies are material and have no personality within themselves (Jas. 2:26). 3 distinct offices and Persons.

b. Jesus promised to send the Spirit when He returned to the Father (Jn. 14:25-26; 16:7). It speaks of authority and offices within the Godhead. The Spirit is subject to the Son, sent by the Father to carry out His will towards His creation. His will - man’s redemption (Jn. 7:39).

c. It was by this means the kingdom would come and the truth would go forth. It is by this means we have this very word in which we believe and trust to be God’s infallible word. 

CONCLUSION
1. Time and time again in Scripture, the Bible speaks of the Godhead as three distinct persons. (Gen. 1:26; 3:22, 11:7; Is. 6:8; Matt. 3:16f.; 28:19; Jn. 15:26, 17:1f.; Acts 17:29; Rom. 8:9-10)

2. Man has sinned against Deity (Rom. 3:23; 6:23). If the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit were only one person, then how could Jesus be a mediator between God and man (1 Tim. 2:5)?
3. A mediator is one who stands between two or more persons. How can Christ do this if there is only one? (Gal. 3:20). Jesus, the Son of God is our mediator. He stands between God the Father and man.

4. Man is not God, nor will man ever become a god. But man is the highest of God’s creation on earth (Gen. 1:26). Every soul is important to God (Rom. 1:16; 2 Pet. 3:9). To deny the Godhead or the teachings of Jesus; to deny His Deity, is to deny the only One by whom we must go through in order to come to the Father with whom we must be right with (Jn. 14:6).

5. Are you right with God? Are your sins forgiven you and are you known by God? (Gal. 4:9). Gal. 3:27, “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”

6. Having obeyed the gospel, are you living right before God? If not, why not make yourself right with the God of the Bible?


TITLE: THERE IS ONLY ONE BIBLE THROUGH WHICH ALL MUST BE RIGHT BY
TEXT: Ephesians 4:1-6
PURPOSE: to understand there is only One Bible (Book) inspired of God -The Holy Bible

INTRODUCTION
1. Listen to the following words from the Bible:
 

A. Jesus declared in Jn. 8:29, “He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.”

B. Heb. 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must be believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

C. 1 Pet. 1:8-9, “Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith – the salvation of your souls."

2. A Christian is a disciple, or learner of Christ. If Christ always did those things that pleased the Father, and our desire is to be more like Jesus, then our desire must also be to do those things that please the Father. How do we know want is and is not pleasing to God? For us to know, requires us to go back to the Bible. Stating this truth, we are in fact, acknowledging the authority of the Scriptures and its authority to direct our lives. 
 

3. There is only One God with whom we must be right with. That God is the God of the One Bible through which we must be right by.

4. One dictionary definition for the word, “Bible” read as follows: “Any book or collection of writings constituting the sacred text of a religion.”

5. In the previous sermon, I affirmed that the One God with whom we must be right with is exclusive, not inclusive. Therefore, it follows that the sacred writings found within the One Bible is exclusive, not inclusive.

I. EXPLANATION OF THE “SACRED” GUIDEBOOKS OF THE RELIGIOUS WORLD
A. Buddhism, Judaism, Islam and Christianity are known as “book religions” because each is dependant upon and drawing their inspiration from “sacred scripture.” Sacred to its followers. 

1. Buddhism - writings ascribed to Gautama Buddha; Pali scriptures (2x as long as the Bible)
 

2. Judaism - primary sacred book is the Torah, Hebrew Bible (Gen. - Mal.), Talmud 

3. Islam - primary sacred book is the Qur’an; The 42 Traditions of An-Nawawi, Hadiths

B. Addressing denominational Christianity: 

b. Answer: 2 Tim. 3:16-17; Jude 3; 2 Pet. 1:32

2. Jehovah’s Witnesses; A.D. 1872; founder, Charles T. Russell.
 

a. Produced a doctrinal-biased translation: New World Translation Bible. 

 

b. Diaglott – Gr. translation. They teach Jehovah is one God. God’s Son was a god and a created being.
 

3. Church of Christ Christian Scientists; A.D. 1866; founder, Mary Baker Eddy.
 

a. Because Mary Baker Eddy was believed to heal by her followers, they believe her writings are inspired.

b. "Science and Health With Key to the Scriptures” is their final authority and the Bible, though studied, is considered to contain many errors.
 

D. Of all such “sacred books,” only the Holy Bible is God’s perfect source of revelation to and for all. Our going back to the Bible rests upon a complete confidence that the Bible is wholly inspired and entirely authoritative as we shall see in this lesson.

II. EXPLANATION OF THE SOURCE AND INSPIRATION OF THE WORD OF GOD
A. No teaching is more basic to true religion than the inspiration of the Bible. To reject the doctrine of inspiration is to reject true religion and the Bible itself. Truth becomes subjective. 'What is truth?"

B. Eph. 4:4, “There is one Spirit.” This is not a reference to God the Father nor the Son of God, but the 3rd person of the Godhead - the Holy Spirit. Who is the author of the Bible? 1 Pet. 1:10-12 

1. 2 Pet. 1:20-21 (Heb. 1:1-3). Peter called that which inspired men spoke - “Scripture.”  God gave to the world His living Word, Jesus Christ and His written word, the Scriptures. Although the Bible was written by prophets and apostles, the Bible originated not in their minds, but in the mind of God (2 Peter 1:20-21). How did these men bring forth the prophecies? By the Holy Spirit.

2. 2 Pet. 3:15-16. What did Peter say of Paul? He said Paul did some writing (epistles), and he said some things He wrote were hard to understand (but not impossible). What did Peter call what Paul wrote? He said what Paul wrote was “Scripture” - God’s written authoritative word.
 

3. 2 Tim. 3:16-17. Peter said what Paul wrote was Scripture. Paul writes to Timothy telling him, “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God.”  Vs.10, 14-15. That which Paul taught and Timothy learned and obeyed was God-breathed - “Scripture.” We too must learn and obey. 

a. 1 Cor. 2:6-13 - verbal, plenary, inspiration relates to the reception and recording of the truth. This is the Holy Spirit's part. He revealed God’s word. Inspiration of the original words - Hebrew and Aramaic words (Old Testament), Gr. words (New Testament). From God the Father by means of the Holy Spirit. 

 

b. Scripture offers credible testimony of qualified witnesses and comprises the doctrine of inspiration. The English Bible(s) is a translation of the word of God. A number of English Bibles are not translations, but paraphrases and are often biased in what they teach. 

4. Rom. 15:4, “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” That which was written before, Paul called “Scripture.” What was he referring to? The Old Testsment. Vs.3 - Ps. 69:9. 

 

a. Lk. 24:44-45. Jesus endorsed what the Old Testament prophetic Scriptures consisted of: The Law of Moses, Prophets and Psalms (1 Pet. 1:3-12). Vs.46-49. What is that Promise of the Father? Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to the apostles (Jn. 14:15-18, 26, 16:7; 13-15). This was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost, some 10 days after His ascension (Acts 2).

b. The Holy Spirit would teach the apostles “all things” and bring to them a remembrance of “all things” Jesus had said them. The Holy Spirit would guide the apostles into “all truth.” It was by this very means the kingdom came and the truth went forth. It is by this means we have this very word in which we believe and trust to be God’s infallible word. 

5. Jn. 4:24, Jesus commands to worship God in spirit and truth. I asked earlier. "What is truth?" Jn. 17:17-20. That which we have and that which they spoke is Scripture. God’s inspired sacred word. Jn. 8:31-32. We can know it because Jesus made sure we would have the Truth. 

a. There is only One Bible delivered from God to man by which we must be right by and that is the Holy Bible. This alone is man’s source for Truth and in it are revealed: God’s character; His will; His work; and His purpose for man from the beginning of time until time shall be no more.

b. The key to defeating religious error is to first recognize truth as revealed in the Bible.
 

III. EXPLANATION OF THE PROOFS FOR THE INSPIRATION OF THE WORD OF GOD

A. A claim of inspiration is not in and of itself the evidence for inspiration. Many claim to be inspired of God today but are either willful deceivers, or ignorant disciples. However, there are qualities of the Bible that support the Scripture’s declaration that God is its source. Quality of:
 

1. Agreement. The Bible was penned by some forty different writers over a period of 1600 years. The inspired writers of the Bible lived in different places and times; had different occupations and languages. In many cases the writers did not know one another. In spite of these obstacles, their message is one unified whole without contradiction. Accident? Lucky? (1 Cor. 2:1-13; Gal. 1:11-12; Col. 1:24-29; 2 Pet. 1:19-21)
 

2. Accuracy of detail. The Bible is not a history, geography or science book, yet when it covers these topics, it does so with utmost accuracy. Archaeology continues to give credence to that which is written in the Bible concerning historical and geographical conditions and events.

 

a. Within the Bible is stated scientific principles and realities unknown and unknowable to men centuries before technology was capable of allowing scientists to discover them. Columbus and Magellan proved the earth is round only about 500 years. ago. The Bible told us this truth thousands of years before these men were born. (Is. 40:22; Prov. 8:27)

b. The Bible tells us we are not able to number the stars. Not until 1940 did astronomers finally come to this conclusion. Almost 2500 years ago Jeremiah had declared this (Jer. 33:22). Almighty God cannot only count the stars; He calls them by name (Ps. 147:4; Gen. 1)

 

3. Prophetic accuracy. More than 1000 prophecies are noted in the Bible and is often explicit in details of time, persons, conditions and spans of time ranging from one day to hundreds of years.
 

a. The fact that every prophecy is fulfilled without fail and in accordance to the prophesies when first given, is further evidence that the Bible is true and of God.

 

 b. The only prophecies not yet fulfilled are those whose time has not yet come.
 

4. Miraculous activity. The messengers of God, both speaking and writing prophets of God had their messages repeatedly confirmed by the miracles they were empowered to perform. (1 Kin. 18:20-39; Mk. 16:20; Heb. 2:3-4). The miracles confirmed they spoke by inspiration of God.
 

5. Indestructible. God’s word is perfect and endures forever (Is. 40:8; Jn. 10:35). Satan can neither disprove it nor destroy it, but rather it is the devil who is disproved and destroyed by it.
 

a. Satan and his ministers have opposed the written word of God from the time God told Moses to write the first words of Genesis. Satan’s desire is to twist God's word to the destruction of God’s creation.(Gen. 3:1f; Matt. 4:3f; 2 Pet. 3:16, Gal. 1:8-9)
 

b. Is. 55:11 (cf. Ps. 19:7; Is. 45:23; Matt. 24:35; 1 Pet. 1:22-25)
 

B. The testimony of Jesus Christ Himself argues for the impossibility for the Bible to be the work of mere men and their limited imaginations. (Jn. 1:1, 14-18)
 

1. Jesus claimed to be a messenger direct from God in a sense that no true prophet before nor since would affirm. He claimed to be the Messiah, the Christ, the Anointed One of God.
 

a. He claimed to be an infallible teacher and confirmed His claims by His repeated proofs of dominion over every man and every possible experience realized by man (intellectual, physical, natural, spiritual). (Jn. 3:2; 9:32-33; 20:30-31; Acts 2:22; Heb. 4:15)

b. Details of Jesus’ birth, life, teachings, death, resurrection and ascension were foretold in over 300 Old Testament prophecies (Lk. 24:44-49). The ultimate miracle that forever seals the fact of His claim to be the Son of God is His resurrection from the dead. (1 Cor. 15:1-8)

2. Jesus considered the Scriptures to be the authoritative word of God and ascribed accuracy and authenticity to the Bible’s historical records from the creation account and the murder of Abel. (Matt. 19:4-6; 23:35)
 

C. While many deny the accounts of the universal flood, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and of Jonah and the great fish, Jesus Himself declared them to be true and relied upon their accuracies in speaking of things that were to come (Matt. 12:40; 24:37-39; Lk. 17:29)

CONCLUSION
1. Because the Bible is God's inspired word, it is able to make us “wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim 3:15). The Scriptures testify of Christ (John 5:39). Like the Christians at Berea, we should search the Scriptures daily. (Acts 17:11)

2. There is only One right way and only the Holy Bible teaches that one right way (Jn. 14:6). We will be judged by the words of Christ (Jn. 12:48). Jesus said there are only 2 paths - the narrow or the broad (Matt. 7:13-14). Jesus said if we want to go to heaven, we will obey His word. (Jn. 14:15)

3. Matt. 7:21-23. The Bible is the proven sacred guidebook for the lives of all. It reveals all truth (Ps. 119:105; Jn. 14:26; 16:13; 2 Pet. 1:3). It teaches there is only One true God (Deut. 6:4;
Is. 44:6; 1 Cor. 8:6), and declares His existence. (Gen. 1:1; Dan. 2:28, Acts 17:23-29)

4. The Bible proclaims Jesus to be the Christ, the Son of God (Rom. 1:4; Jn. 20:30-31), and that He rose from the dead (1 Cor. 15:3-4), and He will judge the living and the dead. (2 Tim. 4:1)

5. The Bible reveals God’s eternal plan to save man through the church (Eph. 1:22-23; 3:8-11; 5:23; Matt. 16:18; Acts 20:28).
 
6. Willard Collins wrote, “In this age, a Christian has a perfect God to serve; a perfect Bible to study and practice; a perfect Christ to follow; a perfect church of which to be a member; and he can go toward the perfect existence, Heaven.” (The Law of Exclusion, p.6)

7. May we never ridicule or make light of the beliefs of others (Tit. 3:1), but may we also never take lightly what we ourselves know to be Truth. Tit. 2:11-15. There is Only One Bible through which we must be right by. The Bible teaches for one to be right with God one must:
 

A. Hear God’s word (Rom. 10:17); believe God’s word (Heb. 11:6); repent (Lk. 13:3); confess Jesus as Savior and Lord (Rom. 10:9-10); be baptized into Christ in order to receive God's forgiveness of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Rom. 6:3-4)

B. The Bible teaches for one to be right with God having become a child of His, one must continue in those things that please the Father. (Rev. 2:10)
 

TITLE: THERE IS ONLY ONE FAITH WITH WHICH ALL MUST BE RIGHT IN
TEXT: Ephesians 4:1-6

PURPOSE: to understand there is only One faith by which we must be right in

INTRODUCTION

A. “Where did I come from?” The fact that we even ask this question shows we are lacking something, or more correctly Someone, in our life. The One God with whom we must be right with, graciously supplies us with the answer. We learn the answer to this question from the Bible. (Acts 17:24-26)

B. Knowing now where I come from, one may ask, “Why am I here?” Again, the One God with Whom we must be right with, graciously supplies us the answer. (Acts 17:27-28)
 

1. Rom. 1:21, “because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” They suppress the truth in unrighteousness and exchange the truth of God for a lie (vs.18, 25).

2. Many will never think to ask the next question until it is too late. “Where am I going?” The One God with whom we must be right with, graciously gives His answer.
We learn from the Bible - Acts 17:30-31. This is our Faith. Let’s go back to the Bible.
 

C. Eph. 4:1-6, “one faith” (vs.5). Not many, some or few, but one. One who disagrees may say, “That is so narrow minded. Don’t you know there are hundreds of faiths?” “Don’t you read the newspaper, ‘Attend the church of your choice?’” Regardless of what man publishes, my Bible still says, “one faith.”

1. The atheist must conclude there is no Spirit, no body, no hope, no Lord, no Faith, no God.

2. The religious must conclude there are many spirits, bodies, hopes, lords, faiths, gods.

3. The denominationalist must conclude there are multiple bodies, faiths, baptisms, yet each claiming one God and Father of all. Is God the author of confusion? No man has the authority to add to and take away from any of these “ones” (Deut. 4:2; Prov. 30:6; Gal. 1:8f.; Rev. 22:18f.)
 

D. With regard to the many faiths, one cannot worship God "in
spirit and truth" by the way he or she feels (Jn. 4:24). In doing so, it leads to subjectivism, and subjectivism leads to pluralism;
pluralism leads to individualism, and individualism leads to doing what each one thinks is right. (Judg. 21:25)

E. A minister friend told me of a preacher’s meeting he attended. One brother who was very vocal about what the church did and did not need today, stood up and said, “Don’t preach Scripture ‘stuff.’ People don’t want to hear to Scripture stuff. If church is not fun, not entertaining then people are not going to come back. Don’t preach Scripture stuff!“

1. Another brother has written, “Man cannot come with anything except but flawed attempts to understand the Bible. There is no infallible method for interpreting Scripture, thus truth cannot be known. Therefore, to believe you have the truth is an arrogant attitude.” - Rubel Shelly

2. Is the Bible just Scripture stuff? Does He allow us to adapt His word to what we like or dislike? Does God allow us to change the One Faith based on the culture? This is what these man are saying and this is what many within the church are now teaching and practicing. 

I. IS THE ONE GOD OF THE OLD TESTAMENT DIFFERENT FROM THE GOD OF THE ONE FAITH?
A. Is it impossible to know God’s word (truth) as some are telling us? (Heb. 11:6). Let’s go back to the Bible and see if God has changed. Is the God of the Old Testament different from the God of the New Testament? 

1. Ex. 3:13-14, Moses is speaking with God at the burning bush and Moses wants to know whom should I say sent me? God said, “I Am Who I Am.” Why did He say, tell them, “I AM has sent me to you”? This is His nature. I Am, I always was and I will always be. I Am forever.

2. His nature is one of holiness, goodness and of righteousness. He has always been and always will be holy, good and right – forever, never changing. (Heb. 13:8) The God of the Old and New Testament. (Jas. 1:17)

a. God does not change. God’s word does not change. Ps. 119:160, “The entirety of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.”

b. Turn to the New Testament and learn in Jn. 17:17, “Sanctify them by Your truth, Your word is truth.” Can we know God’s word, His truth? Jesus said we could. Jn. 8:32, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Did Jesus lie?

 

B. It took Jesus to die on the cross in order for us to be able to come to the Father and be restored to a right relationship with Him that we might have a home in heaven. Did Jesus, having done the one and only thing He could do, then allow us to pick whatever is pleasing to us? 

1. Did Jesus lie when He said you shall know the truth? There are people today who are saying, "We cannot know truth." "We can't know what the one faith is." Or they say, “We can’t be sure what is the right thing to do,” i.e., “That’s your interpretation, this is my interpretation.”

2. Understand, if we both do not agree as to what God’s word says, we cannot both be right. We both can be wrong, but we both cannot be right. God meant what He said when He said it and He meant for us to understand what He meant when He said it.
 

C. What is it we can know according to Jn. 8:32 and Jn. 17:17, that will set us free? God’s word. We can know the One Faith, and when that one faith is obeyed, it has the power to free us.

1. So when people say we just can’t know what to do when it comes to salvation, did Jesus lie when He said we can know? God expects us to know and understand. He gave us His word. We may misunderstand what He said, but that does not change the truth of God’s word. (Jn. 12:48)

2. If I told you I would pay you $25.00 to cut my yard and you cut only the front yard and say I’m ready to be paid. And I say, You did not cut the back yard. “I didn’t know you wanted the back yard cut.” Does his unknowing, change the fact that I wanted my yard cut (front/back)? No. I meant what I said and I meant for you to know and understand.

3. And so you don’t receive payment until you do what I meant for you to do. We may misunderstand God, but this does not change what God meant for us to do and that He expects us to know and do what He meant. (Matt. 7:21; Lk. 6:47; Jas. 1:22; Rev. 22:14) 

II. THE GOD OF THE OLD TESTAMENT SETS A PATTERN FOR THOSE UNDER THE ONE FAITH
A. What do we learn about the truth? Eph 4:5, there is “One faith.” What did God mean by this? Is He saying, “I Am the One God of the Bible and I want you to pick out one faith from among the many by which you will be able to serve and worship Me comfortably?”

1. Or is He saying learn and obey the One faith? Not just a faith, or any faith, but the faith. Col. 3:17, “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” What did he say do? 

2. Whatever we say or do, we need to make sure it is done by His authority. “In the name of the Lord,” means by His authority.” Ex. “Stop - in the name of the law!"

3. Anything that we teach doctrinally or practice in our worship and work needs to be based on having Jesus’ authority to perform these actions. Thus the need for book, chapter and verse. 

B. “Doctrine” - can we even call what we teach “doctrine”? The Lord does (2 Jn. 9-11). What did he say? He said we can know what is Christ’s doctrine. Christ said we can know the truth and it is the one Faith that will set us free. John called “the Faith,” “Christ’s doctrine.”

1. To accept any or all interpretations of the Bible based on the assumption that one cannot know God’s word is false. How did the God of the Old Testament deal with people? If we go back to the Bible, back to the beginning, back to the time of Adam and Eve, we find that God gave man guidelines. 

 

a. Adam and Eve were told if you live this way, I will bless you and you will live, but if you live this other way, I will curse you and you will die. Very simple law (Gen. 2:16-17). What is truth? God’s word. What is it God said? Eat of these trees and live or eat of this one tree and die.

b. Did Adam and Eve have the truth, have the guidelines, the pattern of what God wanted them to do to be pleasing unto Him? They knew what God wanted them to do and not do. What happened when they disobeyed? Consequence - they died in the sense that they were spiritually cut off from God, and further they would die physically because they would no longer have excess to the tree of life.
 

2. Moses spoke to the Israelites (Deut. 4:1-2). Familiar? Rev. 22:18-19. Don’t add to or take away from. Simply learn it and live it (obey it). The God of the Old Testament and the God of New Testament are one in the same.

3. Deut. 5:32-33. What is it that He said? Don’t turn to the right or the left, just be careful to do what He said. The God of the New Testament - Matt. 7:13-14. Broad is the way (way of least resistance) that leads to destruction. Narrow is the gate, difficult is the way which leads to life.

4. Matt. 7:21. God said be careful, keep the statues, judgements and commandments, broad is the way; not everyone that says Lord, Lord shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of the Father. The God of the Old Testament is the same as the God of the New Testament. He is still the great I Am!
 

C. How strict was God regarding His demand for obedience in the Old Testaement? Deut. 4:24-26. Obey or receive the results of disobedience. Nadab and Abihu (Lev. 10:1). For one reason or another they decided to take fire from another. Some one says, "One fire is as good as another, fire is fire!" True?
 

1. What’s the difference? The difference is God said only use this fire here. They decided to substitute that which God had required and authorized. As a result they were consumed by fire. They were killed for their disobedience and willful disregard towards God and His word. In rejecting God’s pattern, God rejected them. 

2. God is serious about His saying, “obey Me.” He had a pattern in the Old Testament. Anything the Israelites needed to know to obey and to be pleasing to God, He made it clear to them. He gave them a pattern.
 

D. Is God consistent with Christianity? Does the God of the New Testament also give us a pattern to follow? Rom. 3:27-31. “The gospel,” “the truth,” “Christ’ doctrine,” “the faith” all refer to the same body of teaching concerning Christ and His kingdom. “The law of faith” is a law.
 

1. John 12:48, “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.” What did Jesus say?
 

2. The words I have spoken are going to judge you. If we are going to be judged by His words, then He expects us to know what those words are.

3. What is truth? "Your word is truth," Christ’s doctrine - the Faith. Is it impossible to know what the truth is? If impossible to know and understand His word, then it is impossible for us to go to heaven. 

E. Rom. 6:17, “But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.” That form (pattern of doctrine). He called the words of Christ a doctrine. Jude 3. “The faith.” Once for all delivered to the saints.
 

1. What did Jude say to those who are called sanctified by God? "Contend earnestly for the faith." Not a faith, not any or every faith, but the one faith with which we must be right in. The truth is the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. (knowable, attainable, teachable - contend).
 

2. 2 Jn. 9, “Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son." Does it sound like Jesus takes serious the One Faith?

III. THE APPLYING OF THE ONE FAITH WITH WHICH WE MUST BE RIGHT IN
A. 2 Cor. 6:14, “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?”

1. Do not be unequally yoked. How can we be unequally yoked together? One way is for believers to extend fellowship to other religious groups though they don’t agree on Christ’s doctrine. “As long as we love one another we will all go to heaven and we will all be alright.” Is that what the New Testament teaches?

2. How does that agree with 2 Jn. 9-11? How does that agree with what Paul wrote to the Corinthians in 1 Cor. 1:10? How is it religious groups can come together and say they are in fellowship and in unity when they are not speaking the same thing, of the same mind, of the same judgment and still be perfectly joined together? They can’t!

3. The Lord expects us to know His word, and while people want to say, “that’s your interpretation,” we need to understand there is only one correct interpretation and that is the one the Lord meant when He said it. We might all be wrong, but we cannot all be right. If there is a disagreement of teaching, we cannot both be right. How are we to know?

4. Since we can know the truth, it is a matter of “testing the spirits” as John wrote (1 Jn. 4:1). An application of this passage involves comparing the teaching to what is taught in the Bible. If the doctrine contradicts the doctrine of Christ, then we know the teaching is not of the truth - not of the One Faith.
 

B. In our culture, it is acceptable in worship for women to preach, to lead singing, to lead prayers, and to wait on
the Lord’s Table where both men and women are present. While it may be acceptable culturally, the real question is whether or not it is acceptable to God.
 

1. The One Faith still says, “Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence” (1 Tim. 2:11-12). “Well, that’s just culture back then.” No.

2. Vs.13, “For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.” Paul goes on to explain why it is wrong and he refers to something that happened about 4,000 years before their time. What is it Paul says
regarding the one faith? He goes back to the creation order, not cultural observations.
 

C. In our culture, homosexuality is an acceptable lifestyle. Becoming more so every day. “And if you are not willing to accept it as an alternative lifestyle, you’re just an ignorant bigot not accepting these people for the way they are, they can’t help it?” This is what the world says.
 

1. But the God of the OT said it was an abomination to Him (Lev. 18:22). Understand also, during the time of Sodom and Gomorrah, it was culturally acceptable for people to live as homosexuals, yet the Bible still called this a very grave sin (Gen. 18:20). What does God do? Destroys the cities (Gen. 18-19). “Just because something is 'legal' doesn’t make it lawful.”

2. 1 Cor. 6:9-10. According to the faith, these people will not inherit the kingdom of God. Homosexuality is still condemned under Christ’s doctrine. Nothing to do with culture. Our Government may condone and endorse such a lifestyle, but our God still calls it sin and so should we who hold to the one faith because that is what it teaches.
 

D. What about these things within each generation we just don’t like. My generation doesn’t like Scripture stuff. Baby boomers and Gen. X - make me feel good, don’t make me feel guilty. Tell me a story that will make me laugh or cry; tell me sweet things, but don’t tell me I’m not right or that I need to change.
 

1. 2 Tim. 4:2. As a preacher, this is what I do. I may use an illustration to make a point. Jesus himself used parables to illustrate eternal principles. If all I am to do is put together a bunch of stories for you, then I have not obeyed the doctrine of Christ as an evangelist to preach the one faith and I will be held accountable for that. (Acts 20:27)

2. Sadly people seldom will allow themselves to be persuaded by the faith. They don’t mind being exhorted, encouraged, but they sure don’t want to be rebuked. Paul went on to say in vs.3-4, "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables."

3. Sounds like Paul is saying we can know for sure what is right and what is wrong when it comes to Christ’ doctrine, the One Faith, the gospel of Jesus Christ.
 

CONCLUSION
1. I began this lesson speaking about “Where did we come from?” “Why are we here?” and “Where are we going?” How did those respond when Paul preached?
 

A. Acts 17:32-34, “And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said, “We will hear you again on this matter. . . However, some men joined him and believed.” There is only One Faith in which we must be right in. How will you respond?

B. At the close of this day, all of us in the hearing of these words will have responded. We either will have turned towards God or away from Him. I pray you will turn as the Thessalonians did to serve the living and true God. They understood there was only one way to be right with God.

2. May this be the acceptable hour, the day of your salvation. Do you believe God’s word and the one faith it declares? Will you repent of the sin in your life, confess Jesus as Lord and be baptized into Christ? Having done this, walk in newness of life and be faithful unto death.


TITLE: THERE IS ONLY ONE SALVATION PLAN IN WHICH ALL MUST BE MADE RIGHT THROUGH
TEXT: Ephesians 4:1-6
PURPOSE: to understand God has given only one plan in the New Testament for the obtaining of one’s salvation

INTRODUCTION
1. Eph. 4:1-6. God wants all to know and understand the one faith with which we must be right in. He gave us His word. Yet many today seek to change the Lord's church and the requirements given by God to enter into His one body (Eph. 4:4).
 

A. Example - One man is on record as saying, “We are taking about changing issues that affect people’s comfort zones, the generational tastes, and their cultural biases.” He says we’ve got to change with the times.

B. Question. Does God allow us to change the gospel based on the culture of our day? The author of the Bible is the Holy Spirit (2 Pet. 1:21), and the penmen of the Bible, being inspired of God, issued numerous strong warnings against altering Scripture. Do not add to nor take away from. (Deut. 4:2; Prov. 30:6; Gal. 1:8-9; Rev. 22:18-19)

2. When it comes to learning what one must do to be right with God, what does the one faith (i.e. the doctrine of Christ, the gospel of Christ), as set forth in the New Testament, teach?

I. THERE IS ONLY ONE PLAN OF SALVATION
A. There is only one plan of salvation with which we must be made right through. “That is so narrow-minded, everybody knows the Bible teaches a bunch of ways to saved!” Is this true? Did God give us options by which a person can obtain salvation?
 

1. Most everyone who professes a belief in Christianity will agree Christ had to die so that we could be reconciled to God the Father. According to Rom. 5:8-11, Paul said, had it not been for the death of Jesus, we could not be reconciled. Without His death, our forgiveness of sins would be impossible. This speaks of the one plan. 
 

2. At the beginning of this lesson, I spoke of the man who advocated the changing of God’s word according to our comfort zones. So what if said, “Well, I’m not comfortable with the plan of salvation”?

B. 1 Cor. 14:33, Paul stated, “For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.”
 

1. If God said, In order for man's sins to be forgiven, I will send  My Son to earth to offer up His life for this is the only way for man to be saved and to have man's sins forgiven. God then tells man to just do whatever we feel to obtain His forgiveness so long as we are sincere. What would we think of His teaching. Confusing? 
 

2. 1 Cor. 1:10, Paul pleaded with the church at Corinth to "speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” (Jn. 8:32; 17:17)
 

C. We cannot do what Paul charges the church to do if we are not speaking and doing the same thing when it comes to matters of the faith. We can understand the Bible if we allow the Bible to speak for itself. The Bible defines itself and is its best dictionary.
 

1. When asked, “What would God have me do to be saved,” we need to allow God’s word to do the speaking for itself, rather than some man telling us what it means and what we must do. 

 

2. That is not to say it is wrong to have a preacher explain things based on his study of biblical history and key words. But if we allow a man to say, “Well yes it does say this, but now let me tell you what it really means,” then we are allowing ourselves to be misled and taught a different doctrine (another gospel). (Gal. 1:6-9). A perversion of the one gospel.

3. John exhorted those to whom he wrote in 1 Jn. 4:1, to "test the spirits." When I preach before a congregation, or teach before a class, you as the hearer or learner, have a responsibility to test the spirits by reading your Bible, taking notes and studying both in class and at home. Phil. 2:12, ”. . .work out your own salvation with fear.”

4. What does the one faith say about this one plan of salvation? We need to know since God is not the God of confusion. We want to know what His word teaches so that we can learn and obey it in order to be right with God.
 

II. THE ONE PLAN OF SALVATION ACCORDING TO THE ONE FAITH
A. Rom. 10:17. What have we just learned concerning the plan of salvation? I must hear it. What is the application of hearing it? Personal belief. Matt. 13:9, after Jesus spoke the parable of the four soils, Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” Heb. 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him (God -MLW).” What can we know based on God's word? 

 

1. If faith comes by hearing God’s word and without faith (personal belief) it is impossible to please Him, then we need to be able to hear that one faith, which includes the one plan of salvation - it needs to be preached (proclaimed)!

2. Rom. 10:14. Before one can believe, one has to hear. You cannot go to heaven without believing and obeying the gospel, but one cannot believe without first hearing.
 

3. Mk. 16:15, "Great Commission" - Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” What is He saying? Go preach it so people can hear it! How do I know this is part of the one plan? – it is in the Book, it is in the doctrine, the one faith.
 

B. Is hearing the only thing that is found in the doctrine that one must do in order to be saved? Rule of interpretation - we can never do less than that one verse and be pleasing to God. If God says we must hear (God's word), then it is essential to one’s going to heaven. However, just because that is all it says in one verse, does not mean that is all there is to do. 

 

1. We can never do less than what the one verse says, but we may need to do more as we read and learn of what else God has to say in His word on this subject of salvation. Have I told you anything thus far that was not in the Book? What else is it all must do?

2. Rom. 10:13-14; Heb. 11:6. The Philippian jailor asked Paul the question in Acts 16:30, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Did Paul say hear? He said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household” (vs.31).

 

a. Did Paul say anything about hearing the gospel? We understand he could not believe without first hearing it. “But it’s not in the verse.” – No, but it is common sense. We learn from this that we cannot go to heaven without believing. How do I know this? This is not what I think, or feel, this is what I know because this is what the doctrine teaches.

b. All done! Not quite. Lk. 13:3, Jesus said, “... unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” Acts 17:30, Peter, “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent.” Peter said repent. Jesus said if you do not repent, you will perish.

C. What does this mean? Draw the conclusion: if you repent, you will not perish. Did Jesus say here you needed to hear God’s word in order to go to heaven? No, He said repent. Did He say I needed to believe God’s word in order to go heaven? No, He said repent.
 

1. Does that mean you don’t have to hear and believe God’s word in order for you to go to heaven, because we don’t read it in this verse? Rule of interpretation - while you cannot do less, you may need to do more. I know in order for me to go to heaven I need to repent but I cannot do that until I hear and believe.

2. Is there anything else I need to do in order to go to heaven besides hear, believe and repent? Is there anything else given in the one plan of salvation I need to do in order to be right with God?
 

D. Matt. 10:32-33; Rom. 10:9-10. What did He say? “Confession is made unto salvation.” What did I just learn? I heard from Jesus and an inspired apostle, that if I do not confess Christ, neither will Jesus confess me before the Father. If I do not confess Him, I cannot be saved.
 

1. These passages did not say anything about hearing or repenting, only believing and confessing. Do I have to repent in order to go to heaven based on these verses? No, not based on these verses, but am I able to just pick and choose which verses I want to obey (disobey)?
 

2. The doctrine teaches we have to hear the word in order to be right with God. Hearing, we have to believe. Third, having heard and believed, we have to repent of our sins.
 
3. Now we find, without speaking of any of the others, I need to confess my belief in Jesus Christ in order to be right with God the Father. Can I do one and leave out the others? Can I do less?
 

E. While I can never do less than what one verse says, I may need to do more. I find in one verse the need to hear, in another the need to believe, and still another, the need to repent. Further, I learn of the need to confess Jesus in order to go to heaven. How do I know I need to do these? It is according to the one Faith. 

III. THE ONE PLAN OF SALVATION ACCORDING TO THE ONE FAITH - CONTINUED

A. Most religious groups professing a belief in Christianity up to this point, do not have a problem with what has been preached thus fa - that is, hear, believe and confess faith in Christ. (ABC’s of salvation - accept, believe, confess).

1. This is where they stop. But is this, according to the one Faith, where God stops regarding what is essential in the one plan of salvation? Is this where Christ stopped His teaching? 

 

2. Mk. 16:16, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” Someone may say, “See, it doesn’t say he that ‘believes not and is baptized not’ is condemned. He just said he that does not believe is condemned.”

a. Suppose I said, “If you will cut down a tree in my front yard and stack the wood in my back yard, I’ll pay you $500, but if you do not cut down the tree, I will not pay you anything.”

b. Now why did I not say, "..., but if you don’t cut down the tree and stack the wood I will not pay you anything?" The reason is - you can’t stack wood from a tree you did not cut down.
 

B. Baptism is only for those who believe. Jesus said he that believes and is baptized shall be saved. Now what did the Lord say? Jesus is the one that put the “and” in the text that joined belief and baptism together.

C. Acts 2:38, “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.’” A minute ago He said believe and be baptized to be saved. Now He says repent and be baptized for the remission of sins.
 

1. Is this another, or different way to be saved, or have we simply learned more of what we need to know regarding the Lord’s one plan of salvation? We have already agreed based upon God’s word, we need to believe, repent, confess, and now baptism in order to be saved.

2. Some would say, “But Jesus did not say all these things in any one place all together.” Why is it we do not have a problem putting together belief, repentance, and confession when we do not find them in any one place and all together? Is it because we are not comfortable with baptism?

D. Acts 8, account of Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch as they traveled in the chariot. Vs.36, the Eunuch says, “See here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?”  Vs.28, the Ethiopian is reading from Is.53, and Philip asks him if he understands what he is reading.
 

1. Philip started at the same Scripture (Is. 53:7ff.), and ”preached Jesus to him” (Acts 8:35). The Ethiopian sees water and says “see here is water . . .” Why did not Philip say, “Sit down, I’m trying to teach you about Jesus, you need to be saved!”

 

2. Obviously, one cannot talk with someone about Jesus without speaking of the need to be baptized because it was the Ethiopian who asked Philip, "What hinders me from being baptized?" Talking to him about Jesus also involved talking of the need for baptism in order to be right with God (Acts 8:37-38).

3. What did Mk. 16:16 teach: “He who believes and is baptized will be saved.” First believe Jesus is the Son of God and then you are a candidate for baptism and only after baptism are you saved from past sins. Some would have the Ethiopian saved prior to baptism. When did he rejoice? 

E. Acts 16:30, the Philippian jailor asks Paul and Silas, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Paul said “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” Some say, “Stop right there, see you’re saved if you just believe.” What does it mean to believe? 

1. Is hearing and believing enough, or do you have to obey that which is heard, because the one Faith teaches a person needs to repent and confess? And so, to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ requires believing in and responding to the doctrine taught by the apostles.

2. What does Christ’s doctrine teach in order to be saved? Vs.31-32. After the jailor and his household hears the doctrine of Christ, what do we find them doing? Vs.33. 

F. There is a sense of urgency in obeying the command of the one Faith to be baptized. Acts 2:38, teaches baptism is for the forgiveness of sins. Acts 22:16, baptism is for the washing away of sins.

 

1. On the road to Damascus, Paul (Saul) is struck blind. The Lord calls to him saying (vs.7), “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” Saul answers, saying, “Who are you Lord?”

2. Jesus responds, “I am Jesus of Nazareth . . . .“ Saul asks, “What shall I do Lord?” Saul hears God’s word, he believes in Jesus, he confesses Him as Lord. If He was saved at this point, why did not the Lord say, go your own way, and rejoice? What did the Lord tell Saul to do?
 

3. Go to the city and you will be told what to do. The need to be told what to do is consistent with the other examples found in the one Faith? Paul cannot have faith without hearing God’s word and so he goes to the city. For three days he prays.

4. If you were Paul, what would you be praying for if blind and in need of forgivness of sins? Vs.16. When were Saul’s sins wash away? He could not have been saved on the road 3 days earlier. If so, he was saved in his sins. He was not saved by belief alone; he was not saved by prayer (sinner’s prayer); not until he was taught the need to wash away his sins by means of immersion (baptism).
 

G. 1 Pet. 3:20-21, tells of Noah. Vs.20. Peter is drawing a comparison. Noah was not saved in the water, nor from the water, but through the water. Water was the element God chose to use, but the Savior was not the water. The Savior was God, who chose this means to save the eight souls.
 

1. Vs.21. It is because of the resurrection, the raising of Jesus from the dead that baptism can have any affect. We are not saved in the water, from the water, but it is through the means of this water that we come into contact with the blood of Christ.
 

2. Are we saved by believing? - yes. You can’t be saved unless you believe. Are we saved by repentance? Yes. Confession of Chrsit? Yes. Baptism? Yes. Not saved by any one act alone.
 

CONCLUSION
1. To be saved, we must be in Jesus. How do I know this? It’s in the Book. Rom. 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.” 2 Cor. 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” How do I get in Christ? How do I get myself added to His church since I know the church He built (Matt. 16:18) is made up of the saved (Acts 2:47)?

2. Gal. 3:27, “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” (1 Cor. 12:13). Rom. 6:3-4, “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” We know the element for baptism is water. Is it pouring or sprinkling? Paul says it’s a burial. Greek, “Baptizo” - to dip, plunge. It is to be immersed in a watery grave.
 

3. Who does Christ add to the church? The saved. What is the church? His body (Eph. 1:22-23). Can we be saved outside the church? No. How do we get into Christ - baptized into Christ.

4. If the saved are only those that are in the church, and we are added to the church only after we have been baptized into Christ, then we only become saved in Christ only after we have been baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of our sins.
 

5. This is not based upon what I think, what I like, or what some other man wants me to think - It is in the Book. And the one Plan of Salvation by which we must be made right with God teaches, I need to hear and believe God’s word, repent, confess, and be baptized into Christ.
 

6. This is God’s one plan of salvation with respect to entering the kingdom. Rev. 2:10, teaches we must be faithful to death and only then will the Lord give us the crown of life. 


TITLE: THERE IS ONLY ONE LORD TO WHOM ALL MUST RIGHTLY SUBMIT
TEXT: Ephesians 4:1-6 (read Phil. 2:5-11)
PURPOSE: to understand there is only one Lord to whom we must submit to - Jesus the Christ

INTRODUCTION
1. The one God with whom we must be right with went to great expense that we might possess the one Bible with which we must be right by. He has provided the one faith with which we must be right in and has delivered the one plan of salvation though which we must be made right by.

2. If we are to know this one God, we must look to His Book.  Eph. 4:1-6. Not many, but one - one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all.

3. In response to these words, the world says, “That is so narrow-minded!" The truth is the Bible teaches a very narrow-minded view of religion.

4. What if we quoted Eph. 4:1-6 to those who profess to be a Christian, asking them if they believe? If they disagree, they reject the very faith they say they believe. If they agree with what was qouted, they are forced to conclude that which they practice, is contrary to Christ’s doctrine. I will explain. Col. 3:17.

I. OPEN-MINDED WORLD
A. We live in an open-minded society. Every and all views are worthy of consideration and acceptance. Toleration and diversity are celebrated, yet society is intolerant of those who believe in absolutes.
 

1. The atheist concludes there is no Spirit, body, hope, Lord, faith, no God. Society says, "TOLERABLE!"

2. The religious conclude there are many spirits, bodies, hopes, lords, faiths, gods. Society says, "APPROVE!"
 

3. The denominationalist conclude there are multiple bodies, faiths, baptisms, yet one Lord. Society says, "BEARABLE!"

4. The New Testament Christian proclaims there is only one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all. Society says, "INTOLERABLE AND UNACCEPTABLE!"
 

B. The Bible declares Jesus to be the one Lord with whom we must rightly submit to. Paul uses this title more than 200 times  in reference to Jesus. The Lord (Gr. kurios) is unique to Jesus as the Son of God. Paul wrote of Jesus (1 Tim. 6:15-16). “Lord” - having power and authority.
 

1. John writes of Jesus, “And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS” (Rev. 19:16; cf. Dan. 2:47). Who is Lord of my life? Many today give the impression that Jesus was a very broad-minded person (Col. 2:8).

2. Beware, those on radio and television will often preach a salvation message based on belief only. You will hear something like the following: 

 

 

3. Others will urge their listeners to repeat the “sinner’s prayer.” Pray to Jesus for forgiveness. Is this what the Bible teaches? Is this the Jesus of the Bible; the words of the one Lord?

C. It was Jesus who said in Matt. 7:13-14, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” This statement sounds very narrow-minded. “Narrow is the gate and difficult is the way.”

D. Many in the religious world want to make the Jesus of the Bible a very broad-minded person allowing and accepting any response or indication one may make towards God’s instructions. In the mindset of many, “To believe is to be saved.” Believe what? It is not just about believing in the person of Jesus, but believing and doing what He said. 

II. NARROW-MINDED APOSTLES
A. After our Lord returned to heaven, He sent His apostles to preach glad tidings, that is, the good news, the gospel. That which they spoke was a narrow-minded message. Acts 4, Peter is speaking to the “rulers of the people and elders of Israel.”  Vs.12, Peter declared, "Nor is there salvation in any other..." This statement implies the exclusion of any and all others.

B. Paul in Eph. 4:4 states, “There is one body.” What is the body? Col. 1:18 tells us, “Jesus is the head of the body, the church.” The body is the church. How many churches did Paul say there are? One. Paul, that is so narrow-minded.

C. Having read Eph. 4:4-6, how can one honestly see it as a broad, general statement with numerous ways to interpret what is clearly stated? Those that do so are not being honest with the Truth.

D. If you ask a person, “How many faiths are there?” , what do you think will be their response? They understand you to be asking the number of religious bodies or religions in the world, and yet Paul tells us, there is but one true faith. How many faiths? One. That is a narrow-minded statement.

III. NARROW-MINDED LORD
A. We serve a narrow-minded Lord. He had a very narrow-minded view of Himself. Matt. 12:6, 8, Jesus being challenged by the religious, said, “Yet I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the temple” (vs.6). “For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath” (vs.8).
 

1. What did He say of Himself? He was “greater than the temple.” He declared Himself to be “the Son of Man.” Was He bragging? No, He was making that which is truth, known. He said He was “Lord even of the Sabbath” and made this statement in the presence of the Pharisees.

2. Matt. 16, Jesus and His disciples came into the region of Caesarea Philippi. Jesus asked them, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” (vs.13). Some said John the Baptist, some Elijah, Jeremiah or one of the prophets. Vs.15, Jesus asked, “But who do you say that I am?”

3. Jesus knew the response He wanted them to acknowledge. He desired the disciples to declare among themselves His God-given position/power and authority. Vs.16, Peter answered correctly, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” That is a very narrow-minded way to think about one’s self and to have others state, there is no other but You.
 

B. Luke 4:16-21. What did Jesus do? He was in the synagogue on the day of worship. Being given the book of Isaiah, He spoke of the prophecy of the Messiah to come. He read it aloud, handed the book back, sat down and pronounce the prophecy He read has now been fulfilled.
 

1. He said the Scripture speaks of Me. I am the One Isaiah wrote about. “I am the one who the Spirit of Jehovah is upon; I am the one who has been anointed and sent to preach the gospel to the poor, to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty, to bring liberty to the oppressed.”

2. Is this not a very narrow-minded way of thinking, to expect these people to have to accept that He is the Messiah? “Is this not Joseph’s son?” (vs.22). The religious rejected Him. Filled with anger, they sought to kill Him, to “throw Him down over the cliff” (vs.29).
 

C. Matthew 28:18, we read of Jesus who had come to the eleven disciples after His resurrection saying to them, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” What did He say? He has all power and authority. Jesus is Lord! Christians serve a very narrow-minded Lord.

IV. NARROW-MINDED TEACHING
A. Jn. 4:25-26. He taught the Samaritan woman at the well, He was the Messiah, the Christ, the one who would tell all things. Jn. 15:1, “I am the true vine, . . .My Father is the vinedresser.”

B. Jn. 14:6, teaching the disciples, He said to them “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Not a way, not ome of many ways, but the way! No man can go to heaven, except through Me, doing My commands and obeying the teachings of Mine.

V. NARROW-MINDED AUTHORITY
A. Matt. 5, known as the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus begins to teach them about what the Scriptures say, but then He goes further demonstrating His authority. Matt. 5:21-22, “But I
say . . .”; vs.27-28; vs. 31-32; vs. 43-44. What did He do during this sermon?

B. He said in a sense, “Here’s what you’ve been taught, but I give to you a deeper understanding as to what you should have done.” He shed light on the true meaning and intent of the Old Testament Scriptures. What or Who gave Him that right to add His interpretation? 

C. When Jesus concluded, Matt. 7:28-29 says, “that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.” He alone would be given all authority (Matt. 28:18).

D. Jesus has the authority to tell us through Himself and His apostles (Jn. 16:13-15; Acts 1:8), what we need to do to be saved and how we are to do it. There are many today who deny this narrow-minded authority of our Lord. Do we deny also?

VI. NARROW-MINDED WORSHIP
A. We read in Lk. 4 of Jesus being tempted by the devil. Vs.5-6 - Notice, the devil is lying.

1. The devil said, “All this authority has been given to me.” Jesus himself knew that authority was given to Himself. The devil would have Jesus believe, “All authority was given to the
devil himself, so that in turn he could give it to Jesus.”

2. This is what the devils does. He likes to make us think things are the way they are not. There is no truth in him. He is a murderer and the father of lies (Jn. 8:44). Luke 4:7-8. Worship and serve only God (Deut. 6:13; 10:20).
 

B. What about these good moral people whose god is not Jehovah God? Those who worship the god of Islam, or Buddha or other gods or men? Jesus said, “You shall worship the LORD your God (Elohim) and Him only you shall serve.” “Him only” makes worship and service exclusive, not inclusive.

C. Jn. 4. Jesus spoke about acceptable worship to the Samaritan woman at the well. She spoke of the worship of her fathers on Mt. Gerizim. “Our fathers worshiped . . .”

1. Jn. 4:21-24. Jesus said God is looking for true worshipers. This implies people can come to an assembly to worship God (object of our worship) and still worship Him in a false way.
 

2. He said one must worship God, the Father in spirit (right attitude). Some may say, “Well, I have friends who worship Jehovah God and they have a wonderful attitude. They love God and are sincerely worshiping Him with a right attitude of thanksgiving.”

3. They worship the correct object, they worship on the first day; worship with the right attitude. Is this all that God requires of those who seek to worship Him?
 

D. Jesus went on to say, those who worship God the Father must worship Him in truth (by the right authority). True worshipers will worship God with the right spirit and the right truth. They are those who truly desire to be pleasing to God; who worship according to Christ’s, and the apostle's doctrine (Acts 2:42.

VII. NARROW-MINDED TRUTH
A. In response to Jesus saying, I came into the world to “bear witness to the truth.” Pilate remarked, “What is truth?” (Jn 18:38). The world says, “We cannot know the truth.”

B. Jn. 8:32 states that you can “know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” Man says truth is relative, subjective, a matter of one's own opinion. The Bible says truth is the standard. Truth is the conformity to knowledge. It is objective, attainable and teachable. Jn. 17:17, “God’s word is truth.”
It is His word that will judge us (Jn. 12:48). Truth is to be understood and once learned – obeyed.

C. Unity and truth will never be found in a multiplicity of man’s doctrines, beliefs, judgments and think-so’s (1 Cor. 1:10; Gal. 1:6-9). Why so many teachings? Because so few are willing to
bow down to Jesus as Lord, and obey His authoritative word. Who is Lord of my life?

D. To live, work and to worship before God acceptably, we must have the proper attitude and we must have the proper authority - God’s narrow-minded truth, His Word (Col. 3:17).

VIII. NARROW-MINDED DISCIPLES
A. Many times I get accused of being narrow-minded because I preach things contrary to the denominations. But am I saying anything more than what the Lord has already said? No.

B. Jesus our Lord was very narrow-minded in His view of the faith and of true worship and if we are seeking to be His true learners (disciples), than we must stand up for the things He stood for and taught.

C. Mk. 12:30, God is to be your everything. (cf. Matt. 22:37-39).

D. Matt. 10:37-38, Jesus said, “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.” Lk. 9:23, Luke adds, “take up his cross daily and follow Me.”

E. Luke uses stronger words. “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate (to love less) his father and mother, wife... his own life also . . . he cannot be My disciple” (Lk. 14:25-27). Jesus does require that we love everything and everyone on earth less than we love Him. If we do not, we love Him less, or hate Him. 

IX. NARROW-MINDED PRIORITIES
A. Matt. 6:19-21, 24-29, 33-34. Put spiritual things first. Becoming a Christian is priority.

X. NARROW-MINDED PLAN OF SALVATION
A. Matt. 7:21, Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” Who is going to heaven? The Bible says not all will be in heaven, “but he who does the will” of the Father (Heb. 11:6; Jas. 1:22).

B. Lk. 13:3, Jesus declared, “unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” Repent or perish.“You are so narrow-minded to say that!” I have said nothing more than what His word teaches.

C. Jn. 3:3, 5, Jesus our Lord answered Nicodemus and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Vs. 5, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”

D. What about those who are trying to live right, but haven’t been baptized for the remission of sins? I can only tell you what the Bible says; what God has revealed. Draw your own conclusion based on the Scriptures.
 

1. Matt. 18:3, Jesus said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” Become humble and trusting.

2. Jn. 15:6, “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.” That is so narrow-minded. No, that is the bottom line! Jesus went to the heart of the matter.

3. Rom. 6:3, teaches when a person is immersed in water for the forgiveness of sins, they are “baptized into Christ Jesus” and are “baptized into His death.” They arise to walk in newness of life and are dead to sin, but made “alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (vs.11).

CONCLUSION
1. Maybe the next time you are called narrow-minded, it just might be you are being paid a compliment because this is just what Jesus was and what He taught. If we truly acknowledge Him as Savior and Lord, it will make a powerful and positive difference in our life. It will not be business as usual.
2. 1 Pet. 2:21 says, “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps.” How narrow-minded was Christ? We are to be no more narrow-minded, but let us not be any less narrow-minded than our Lord.


TITLE: THERE IS ONLY ONE BODY WITHIN WHICH WE MUST WORK & WORSHIP
TEXT: Ephesians 4:1-6
PURPOSE: to understand there is only one body within which we must belong to and serve in

INTRODUCTION
1. The theme of Ephesians is the Lord’s church: its unity, origin and place in the plan of God. It shows that Christians are one, and one body in Christ.

2. The book of Ephesians stresses the one body, that is, the church of Christ. There is only one body and it is within that one body we must rightly work and worship. Eph. 4:4 clearly states, "one body." Not many or a few, there is but one body.

3. In order to know if you are a member of this "one body," we must go back to the Bible.

I. CAN I KNOW I AM IN THE RIGHT BODY AND THEREFORE BE RIGHT WITH GOD?
A. Many have and continue to drift away from the "old paths" (Jer. 6:16), and as this digression spreads, it is becoming more difficult to correctly identify the present-day New Testament church when compared to the pattern as set forth in the New Testament.  

1. Jer. 6:16, "Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls."
 
2. The “old paths” refers to that which previous generations walked in order to obtain salvation. While this statement was made by the prophet Jeremiah under the Old Covenant, the principle applies to the New Testament.

3. As a result of one walking in the good way, the LORD through Jeremiah says, "Then you will find rest for your souls." "Rest" is God’s provision (God-provided). The Christian's rest is found in the God-provided Savior.

4. Matt. 11:28-30, Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

B. Regarding the “good way,” and its promised rest: Those who answer as Judah did saying, “We will not walk in it,” will suffer. The majority of those who consider themselves to be Christians today hold to the false belief of "Attending the church of one's choice." They have chosen to disregard the "good way" refusing to walk in it, neither hearing nor heeding God's word. While I do not question their religious sincerity, I find it difficult to believe they have given themselves to a deeper study of what the New Testament teaches about the Lord's church.   

C. In a discussion I had with one who was a Jehovah’s Witness, I was asked, “There are so many churches in the world, why do you think this is so?” I replied, “Because man desires to worship according to his own way, rather than God’s way.”

1. Can we practice Christianity any way we want and expect the one God of the Bible to respect us and accept our worship just because we say we love Him? Is this what the Bible teaches? (Gen. 4:5-6)? Jn. 14:15, our Lord said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”

2. Does the Lord command anything specifically about how I can know I am in the one body? If He does, this will help those who truly love Him to know which body to assemble with and to be apart.
 

D. Jn. 4:23-24, “true worshipers” must worship God how? “In spirit and truth.” This is not an option, but an imperative (must). Those who love the Lord; who thirst and hunger after righteousness (Matt. 5:6), must ask themselves:
 

1. Does the church I worship with, worship the right object (God of the Bible)? (Ex. 20:3)

2. Does the church I worship with; worship in spirit (right attitude - out of love and loyalty to God)?

3. Does the church I worship with; worship in truth (right authority)? (Col. 3:17; Jn. 17:17)
 

E. I believe the New Testament shows us how to identify the one body (that is, the church of the New Testament), of which we must be members of in order to be right with God. The denominational world may say, “Attend the church of your choice," but God calls us through His word to assemble and worship in the church of His choice. This being true, we must go back to the Bible to identify it.

F. How do I know the one body and the one church are one in the same? Col. 1:24, "I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the affliction of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church." "His body" refers to whom? Christ. How many bodies does Christ have? One. What is His body? According to Col. 1:24, "the church." Not a church, any church, but "the church." What can I know? The body and church are the same.

II. WE CAN KNOW WE ARE OF THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH IF FOUNDED BY THE RIGHT PERSON

A. The Bible tells us, to be a part of the church, this one body; it has to be started by the right person. Matt. 16:18, affirming Peter's response to Jesus' question of who He was, Jesus said, "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." Whose church? The church Jesus said He would build. And so because we want to be right with God, we will want to assemble and worship with the one right body, the one church founded by Jesus. He is the builder of His church.

B. Paul, in Acts 20, called for the elders of the church at Ephesus to come to Miletus. He spoke to them in vs.28 saying, "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which was purchased with His own blood." Whose church is spoken of? "The church of God." Who purchased the church with His own blood? Which one of the Godhead shed His innocent blood on the cross at Golgotha? Jesus, the Son of God. (cf. 1 Cor. 1:13). So whose church is it?

 

C. Therefore, it is not "my church" (as used in a derogatory sense, or sense of ownership). Neither is it the church of John the Baptist, Boniface III, Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Smythe, John Wesley, Joseph Smith, Charles T. Russell, nor is it any other man’s church that has come before or since Jesus the Christ. Jesus is both builder and purchaser of His one church. 

III. WE CAN KNOW WE ARE OF THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH IF FOUNDED ON THE RIGHT DAY AND PLACE
A. Isaiah 2:1-3 is a prophecy telling when and where the Lord’s kingdom was to be established. It would begin in Jerusalem. Acts 2, on the first Pentecost after the death, burial, resurrection and ascension of Jesus, the Holy Spirit was poured out on the apostles, and the first gospel sermon was preached. Many heard and those who believed, responded (vs.38).
 

1. Acts 2:41, "...and that day about three souls were added to them." Vs.47, "the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved." Those being saved were added to what church? The one Jesus built and purchased with His own blood, the church of Christ. "Of Christ" shows possession, or ownership.

2. The Bible tells us where the church began -  Jerusalem. Therefore, the church Jesus purchased with His own blood was not founded in Rome, Germany, Switzerland, Holland, England, America or any other place other than Jerusalem. (Lk. 24:47-49; Acts 1:4-8; 2:1f.)

3. The Bible tells us when the church was started. On the day of Pentecost (A.D. 30). The church did not have its beginning in A.D. 606, 1054, 1521, 1536, 1607, 1739, 1830, 1872 or any other date since the Lord’s church was established on the day of Pentecost.
 

B. Every Protestant Church was founded after the year A.D. 1521 (less than 500 years ago). This was the year Martin Luther was banned from the Roman Catholic Church (this church itself also being 579 years too late). After Luther’s death, those following his teachings began to call themselves "Lutherans," a name Luther himself forbid.

C. Some believe and teach that John the Baptist began the New Testament church. How can one claim John began the church when Jesus said He, Himself would build His church (Matt. 16:18)? John himself was never a member of the New Testament church for he had died before the New Covenant was established. Still, some suggest Jesus founded the church through John the Baptist. Is this what the Scriptures teach?
 

1. Matt. 3:2, John said, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" After Jesus heard John had been put in prison He departed to Galilee and "began to preach and say, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand'" (Matt. 4:17). The kingdom was near, but it had not come.

2. When Jesus sent His disciples out (Matt. 10:7), He said to them, "go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand'." John had already been beheaded when Jesus declared He would build His church (Matt.16), the kingdom of heaven. (Matt. 14:1-13; Mk. 6:14-29; Lk. 9:1-9)
 

D. The one body, the church; the spiritual kingdom on earth did soon come, but only after the death, burial, resurrection and ascension of Jesus. His church began in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost.

IV. WE CAN KNOW WE ARE OF THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH IF FOUNDED ON THE RIGHT NAME
A. Not only the right person, place and point in time, but it must have the right name and its members must bear the proper name. Matt. 16:18 - Jesus said He would “My church;” Acts 20:28 - Jesus purchased the church with “His own blood.”

 

1. Heb. 12:23, “church of the firstborn.” (cf. Rom. 8:29; Col. 1:15, 18; Rev. 1:5). Jesus is firstborn.

2. Col. 1:13, “the kingdom of the Son of His love.” (cf. Acts 28:23, 31; 20:28). Jesus is the Son.
 

3. Rom. 16:16, “The churches of Christ.” Jesus founded, built, and purchased.
 

B. To be the church of the New Testament, its name must be Scriptural. In Acts 20:28, we read of “the church of God.” Is this a Scriptural term to use since several denominations call themselves by this name? We must ask, based on God’s word, are those who call themselves by this name practicing New Testament Christianity according to Jn. 4:24, “in spirit and truth.” The right name alone does not promise truth will be taught, nor does the right name cancel or nullify false teaching.

C. During the time of the Old Covenant, God promised to give a new name to His people. Isaiah 62:2, “The Gentiles shall see your righteousness, And all kings your glory. You shall be called by a new name, Which the mouth of the LORD will name.” When comparisons are made between physical Israel and spiritual Israel, one finds both were called by the same names, except for one.
 

1. Members of the Lord’s church are called something the Jews were never called. Luke recorded in Acts 11:26, “And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.” When this new kingdom was established, its followers would soon be called by a new name. The word “Christian” originally meant to be a follower of Christ (of the person and of the practices He set forth).

2. Acts 26:28, “Agrippa said to Paul, ‘You almost persuade me to become a Christian.’” 1 Pet. 4:16, “If anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.” We are to have highregard for the name Christian.
 

D. The Bible teaches, if we are members of the New Testament church, we must be what the New Testament declares we are: Christian. The New Testament describes Christians as “disciples” (Acts 11:26), as “brethren” (1 Cor. 1:10); “the elect” (Col. 3:12); “saints” (1 Cor. 1:2); “believers” (1 Tim. 6:2).
 

1. Some may ask, “What are you religiously?” Very simply, I am neither Catholic nor Protestant. I am a Christian, a member of the one body of Christ, a member of the called out in Christ (1 Pet. 2:9), a member of the church of Christ (Rom. 16:16). I call myself a Christian because that’s the name God gave to those who love and follow Christ.

2. Col. 1:18, “He is the head of the body, the church.” 1 Cor. 12:27, “Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.” Individual members of the one body make up the Lord’s church. (Eph. 1:22-23)
 

V. WE CAN KNOW WE ARE OF THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH IF UNDER THE RIGHT ORGANIZATION
A. Eph. 1:22-23. Some say the body and the church are not one in the same, but Paul tells us Jesus is the head of His body, the church. The church on earth is both a physical body and a spiritual kingdom. Jesus is the King of His kingdom and head of the church. (Matt. 16:18)
 

1. Jesus is “the Chief Shepherd” (Rev. 19:16; 1 Pet. 5:4; Col. 1:18). It is to Him, all will ultimately give an answer to. (Heb. 4:13; 1 Pet. 4:5; 2 Cor. 5:10; Rom. 2:16; Jn. 12:48)
 

2. The Lord's church throughout the world does not answer to each other, but to Jesus. Neither do we answer for each other. Each congregation is autonomous and independent of every other; its organization is congregational. Each local body is self-governing under Christ. (1 Pet. 2:25)
 

B. There is a need to understand the concept of the body of Christ and that of the universal church and the local church or congregation.
 

1. The universal church consists of all who are in fellowship with God, both in heaven and on earth. God knows those who are His. 

2. We enter the universal church by our obedience to the gospel. We enter a local church by "joining" it as Paul sought to do with the church in Jerusalem (Acts 9:26). Often this act is spoken of in terms of "placing one's membership." One does not join the universal church, but is added to it when one becomes a Christian (Acts 2:47).

 

3. Death does not affect one's membership in the universal church, but physical death removes us from the local church.

4. The universal church began shortly after the death, burial, resurrection and ascension of Christ some 2000 years ago. A local church may have begun at any time after Acts 2 upto the present.

5. There is just one universal church, while there are thousands of local congregations that make up the body of Christ on earth.

6. The universal church has no address, phone number, zip code, area code, website or email address. Local churches generally have all of these.

7. The universal church has but one shepherd, Christ, while local churches may have a plurality of shepherds, also called elders and bishops.
 

C. The New Testament also instructs that qualified men are to serve as elders to oversee the local congregation of the Lord's church (Acts 20:28). Eph. 4:11, Jesus gave some to  be "pastors." Pastors are equivalent to elders and bishops in the New Testament. A preacher is not necessarily a pastor unless he is appointed as such and meets the qualifications of the office of an elder.
 

1. An elder or bishop (overseer) cannot be just any Christian man (Phil. 1:1). The New Testament gives the church qualifications for those who desire such an office to meet (1 Tim. 3:1-7; Tit. 1:5-9). Some discount the prerequisites as mere suggestions, but 1 Tim. 3:1-2 says one “must” meet these qualifications and if not, they cannot serve in that capacity.

 

2. The same is true for deacons and their wives (1 Tim. 3:8, 11). Deacons, like the precher, and individual members of the local congregation, serve Christ under the eldership. The New Testament church is made up of elders, deacons and members who minister (serve) in both word and deed. (1 Cor. 12:24-27; Gal. 6:10; Phil. 2:1-5; Col. 3:17)
 

VI. WE CAN KNOW WE ARE OF THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH IF IT RENDERS THE RIGHT WORSHIP
A. Jn. 4:24, worship in “spirit” (right attitude of a servant); in “truth” (right authority of the Master). Our attitude is one of wanting to worship as He directs and to do so out of a love for Him. If we have come to worship because we have to, then we have come in vain and our worship is not pleasing to God.

B. Our worship is directed towards God the Father because He is the object of our love and devotion. Jesus came to show us the Father (Jn. 14:9); He taught His disciples to direct their prayers unto the Father (Matt. 6:9).

VII. WE CAN KNOW WE ARE OF THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH IF IT YIELDS RIGHT ACTS OF WORSHIP
A. To identify the true New Testament church, it must be one that partakes of the Lord’s Supper every 1st day of the week. Acts 20:7, “Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread.” They came to partake of the Lord’s Supper, not as a celebration but as a memorial meal in remembrance of His sacrifice.
 

1. Some argue, “It does not say every 1st day of the week.” How often does the 1st day of the week come around? The New Testament also teaches to give on the 1st day of the week (1 Cor. 16:1-2). Do we ask, "Every 1st day?"

2. On the 1st day of the week, we come together to remember the sacrifice of God’s Son. He left heaven, came to earth as a man, lived a sinless life, and died for our sins that we might have life.
 

B. To identify the true New Testament church, it must be one that sings praises to God without mechanical instruments (Eph. 5:19). What are we to do when we sing? Speak. We open our mouths, praising God in song, speaking to one another as we sing. Can an instrument speak? No.
 

1. According to Col. 3:16, what do we do when we sing? We teach and admonish one another. Can an instrument teach and admonish? No.

2. One may say, "But it sounds so much better when accompanied with instruments!” According to whose ears? Others will say, “God did not tell us not to use an instrument.” The very fact that God told us to sing to the Lord eliminates all other ways by which we may want to praise God.
 

C. To identify the true New Testament church, it must participate in the giving to the Lord on every 1st day of the week (1 Cor. 16:2). We are to give as we have prospered, not giving our leftovers, but our first fruits of our labors (Mal. 1:7-8). According to 2 Cor. 9:7, it is a predetermined offering.
 

1. 2 Cor. 9:6 teaches the principle of sowing and reaping; sparingly and bountifully. (cf. Lk. 6:38)

 

2. 2 Cor. 9:7, “God loves a cheerful giver.” If you are not willing to give cheerfully, keep it. If not given to God in a manner of thanksgiving and honor, neither will God accept it in such a manner.
 

D. To identify the true New Testament church, it must only use Christian men in the mixed worship assembly to lead its members in prayer and praise, and to conduct its members in teaching. (1 Tim. 2:8, 11-14)
 

1. Many claim this was a matter of culture, but do a little research. There were many leading
women who were outspoken in the 1st century. This command went against the pagan culture and worship of their day just as it does ours today.

2. The Christian's convictions is not based upon the convictions of culture, but on the commanded order of creation (1 Tim. 2:12-13). God gave the adult male the responsibility to lead. God established the role of men and women and leadership for the local church. Equal in person; separate in position.
 

VIII. WE CAN KNOW WE ARE OF THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH IF IT PRACTICES THE RIGHT DOCTRINE
A. How important is doctrine? Denominations teach one is first saved and then told to attend the church of one’s choice. Some affirm, “Doctrine is just a matter of interpretation, so whose to say?”

 

B. As we have seen in these lessons, it is not just a matter of having a clear conscience to the neglect of God’s word to worship in spirit and in truth; having the right attitude of a servant and the right authority of the Master.
 

1. Acts 2:42, “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine.”

 

2. Rom. 6:17; 16:17; 1 Tim. 1:3; 1 Tim. 4:16. Do these references reflect a disregard for doctrine or indifference as to how one interprets the Scriptures? (2 Jn. 9-11)
 

CONCLUSION
1. There is one God with whom we must be right. He has given instruction within His word what we are to know, believe, do and contend for. The church of the New Testament will use only the Bible as its creed. No other book. (2 Tim. 3:16-17)

2. Christ promised to build His church. It is His exclusive body. It shall be presented to God “a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish” (Eph. 5:25-27).

3. When you obey the gospel, Christ adds you to His church, not to a man-made denomination (Acts 2:47).

4. The doctrine of the New Testament teaches for one to become a Christian, one must:
 

A. Hear God’s word (Rom. 10:17)
B. Believe Jesus is God’s Son; raised by the Father from the dead (Acts 8:37)
C. Repent of one’s sins (Lk. 13:3)

D. Confess Jesus as Lord (Rom. 10:9-10)
E. Be baptized for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38; Mk. 16:16)
 

5. The gospel when obeyed, makes one a Christian and a Christian only. Have you obeyed the truth based upon what the Bible teaches? If you love God, you will do as He has commanded. (Jn. 14:15)