1. BURMAH ROAD GOSPEL HALL SERIES ON THE DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH. I. THE “UNIVERSAL” CHURCH (From Word Web – Definition of “Church”) 4. One of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship – “The Church of England” 1. (church service) a place for public (especially Christian) worship - "the church was empty” 2. A service conducted in a house of worship "don't be late for church” 3. The body of people who attend or belong to a particular local church - "our church is hosting a picnic next week"

2. BURMAH ROAD GOSPEL HALL SERIES ON THE DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH. I. THE “UNIVERSAL” CHURCH What is a Church? Named after… a Country (England, Rome or Penang), a Person (Luther, Wesley), a Practice (Seventh-day Adventist, Presbyterian, Baptist), etc, “Brethren” or brethren? What is a Church in Scripture? For simplicity, there is a Church at Large (Universal) and a Church in the Locality (Local Church.) This first study is about the Church Universal – the Church at Large.

3. I C OR. 1:11-15 For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. I S C HRIST DIVIDED ? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius; Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.

4. S EEK EVER TO BE B IBLE -B ASED, C HRIST -C ENTRED, S PIRIT -S TIRRED, G OD -G LORIFYING, O RGANISM -O RIENTED C HURCH I. The CHURCH. A. What it is Not. 1. A Church is not a Physical Building with Central Headquarters, but a Spiritual Body with Christ as Head. 2. A Church is not an Organisation with a Membership and Few working, but an Organism with all Members Functioning. 3. A Church is not a Dictatorship insisting on Uniformity, but a Leadership inspiring Unity in Diversity. 4. A Church is not an Association of any special Clan but an Assembly of members worldwide from Pentecost to Parousia. Col. 1:18; Eph. 1:22, 23 Eph. 4:15, 16 Eph. 4:8, 11-14 Heb. 12:23 cf. Rev. 21:27

5. II. THE CHURCH – ITS CONCEPT A. ETYMOLOGICALLY. 1. Its Origin: a. Greek, Ekklesia - From a verb klesis = "to call" and a preposition ek = "out" or "out of". b. Thus, ekklesia = "an out-calling"; ekklesia occurs 116 times in 113 verses in the N.T. Ct. The Rapture (Parousia) – an Up-calling!

6. 1. ITS ORIGIN 2. ITS OCCURRENCES : a. Translated assembly (3 times; Acts 19:32, 39, 41) and church(es) (111 times). b. Located: i. 1 st occ. in N.T. - Mt. 16:18 => Universal Church ii. 2 nd occ. in N.T. - Mt. 18:17 => Local Church iii. 3 rd occ. in N.T. – 1 st time in Acts 2:47 22 times in I Cor. and 9 times in II Cor. Hence, CHURCH TRUTHS in the Corinthians. iv. 18 occ. in Rev. chs. 1-3; last occ. in 22:16 I Jesus have sent Mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. Cp. 3:22 - He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

7. A. ETYMOLOGICALY B. CONSTITUTIONALLY: IT IS A CALLED-OUT ASSEMBLY OF PEOPLE, I COR. 10:32 1. As Distinct from Jews. 2. As Different from Gentiles. 3. As Defined by neither Jews nor Gentiles, yet consisting of those from both groups who are: - b. Spirit-drunk believers;I Cor. 12:13c; cf. Eph. 5:18 a. Spirit-baptized believers;I Cor. 12:13a; c. Spirit-indwelt believers;I Cor. 3:16 d. Sanctified (because Justified) Saints. I Cor. 1:2 i. Positionally, called Saints. ii. Conditionally, called to be Saints. Gal. 3:28

8. A. E TYMOLOGICALLY B. C ONSTITUTIONALLY C. METAPHORICALLY, REFERRED TO AS : 1. God's Husbandry (Vineyard, Field (NIV) I Cor. 3:9b Where God is the Husbandman, Christ is the Vine and we are the Branches. a. Husbandry = “cultivated field”. The field is the world.Mt. 13:18 i. Hence, “cultivated field” = the local churches in the world. ii. Although we are not taken out of the world (Jn. 17:15), and we are in the world (Jn. 17:11), We are not to be of the world (Jn. 17:14, 16); instead we are to go into the world. (Jn. 17:18) That they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me. And the glory which Thou gavest Me I have given them; that they may be one, even as We are one: - Jn. 17:21, 22

9. C. METAPHORICALLY REFERRED TO AS… 1. GOD’S HUSBANDRY - I COR. 3:9B 2. GOD’S BUILDING - I COR. 3:9C, 10 WHERE PAUL IS THE MASTER-BUILDER; CHRIST, THE FOUNDATION; WE, THE BUILDERS/BRICKS (STONES) a. The Master-builder: i. Paul built on the One Foundation: Jesus Christ and Him Crucified. ii. Those building on Other foundations: Be warned of them. The Marks of the builders – if any man… i. The Servant-builder – he will be rewarded for his service. ii. The Saved-builder – he will be Saved, but his works will be burnt. iii. The Sinister-builder – he will be Destroyed for Defiling the Temple. I Cor. 3:10 3:11 3:12-17 3:14 3:15 3:17

10. C. METAPHORICALLY REFERRED TO AS… 1. GOD’S HUSBANDRY - I COR. 3:9B 2. GOD’S BUILDING - I COR. 3:9C, 10 a. The Master-Builder. b. The Materials in the Building. i. A Work of Quality. ii. A Word built on Sound Doctrine. iii. A Worthy Motive. A Work of Quantity. A Word built on False Doctrine. A Worthless Motive. Gold, Silver, Precious Stones Wood, Hay, Stubble Hence, build on its Christ-Foundation gold, silver and precious stones. I Cor. 3:11-15

11. 1. GOD’S HUSBANDRY.I COR. 3:9B 2. GOD’S BUILDING. I COR. 3:9C, 10 3. GOD'S TEMPLE.I COR. 3:16, 17 Where His Spirit indwells, and Christ is the Cornerstone, we the Stones. a. The Concept of the Temple. It is the metaphor for …. i. The Mystic al Church, the Body of C hrist. Eph. 2:21, 22 ii. The Loc al Church. I Cor. 3:16, 17; II Cor. 6:16 iii. The Physic al C hristian’s body. I Cor. 6:19

12. 1. GOD’S HUSBANDRY.I COR. 3:9B 2. GOD’S BUILDING.I COR. 3:9C, 10 3. GOD'S TEMPLE.I COR. 3:16, 17 4. CHRIST'S BODY.I COR. 12:12, 13, 27 Where Christ is the Head, and we are the Members. The Concept of the Body. a. There is Unity in the Body – the human body is a Unit.I Cor. 12:12, 13 Note: The Body is Christ.I Cor. 12:12 i. All have been Baptised into His One Body. 12:13 ii. All have been made to Drink of the One Spirit. 12:13 – Christ is not Divided; hence, no Denomination – hence, no Divisions. Keep the Unity of the Spirit. Eph. 4:3 (4-7)

13. THE “UNIVERSAL” CHURCH I. THE CHURCH. II THE CHURCH – ITS CONCEPT. A. ETYMOLOGICALLY B. CONSTITUTIONALLY C. METAPHORICALLY D. E SCHATOLOGICALLY 1. It is Mystical. a. A Spiritual Building.Eph. 2:19-22 b. A Spiritual Body.Eph. 1:22, 23; 2:15-18 2. It is a Mystery.Eph. 3:3-6 a. Concealed in the Old Covenant. 3:5 b. Revealed in the New Covenant.3:7-11 3. It was Missed out by OT Prophets.I Pet. 1:10, 11

14. C ONCLUSION : In Ephesians Paul uses four figures to describe the church and its relationship to the Lord Jesus:  A Body in relation to its Head Who is Christ. Eph. 1:22, 23  A Building in relation to Christ Who is the chief corner stone.Eph. 2:20  A Brotherhood or a family in relation to Christ as Head of the family. Eph. 2:19, NIV cf. Heb. 3:6  A Bride (Wife) in relation to Christ as the Husband.Eph. 5:22, 23 hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church

15. APPENDIX: APPENDIX: For a Review of the powerpoint file on The Universal Church or to listen to the message again visit the URL given below under the Loaves and Fishes link. THIS WEEK IS ALSO THE 7 TH ANNIVERSARY OF… #1 – www.berita-bethel-ung.com (21 Feb. 2005)www.berita-bethel-ung.com #2 – The Lord’s Day Ruminations (27 Feb. 2005) Visit the Website if you have never done so.