SIMPLE QUESTIONS ON THE CHURCH

SIMPLE QUESTIONS ON THE CHURCH

1. What is the Greek word for "Church" and what does it mean?
"Ecclesia"—a called out people.
(Rom. 9:24, 2 Thess. 2:14, 1 Pet. 6:10)

2. What is our Lord's first prophecy of the Church?
"And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him . . . Upon this rock I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it"—Matt. 16:16-18.

3. When did Christ begin the building of His Church?
"And when the DAY OF PENTECOST was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place . . . And the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved"—Acts 2:1, 47.

4. What is the relation of the Church to Jesus Christ?
"And 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"—Eph. 1:22-23.
(Eph. 1:18, 2:21, 1 Pet. 5:2, 4, Rev. 19:7)

5. What are the gifts by which our Lord builds up His church? "And He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, unto the work of ministering, unto the BUILDING UP OF THE BODY OF CHRIST"—Eph. 4:11-12 ARV.

6. What is God's great purpose in the Church?
"To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the Church THE MANIFOLD WISDOM OF GOD, according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord"—Eph. 3:10-11.
(Eph. 1:12, 1 Pet. 2:9, Eph. 2:7)

7. How does the Holy Spirit make us members of the Church when we believe on Christ?
"By one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit"-1 Cor. 12:13.

8. Are there any unsaved people in the true Church?
"Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His"—Rom. 8:9.

9. Is there more than one true Church? "There is ONE BODY, and ONE SPIRIT, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all"—Eph. 4:4-6.
(1 Cor. 12:12-13, 20, Eph. 2:18)

10. Prove that the members of the one true Church associated themselves together in many local "churches." "And so were the CHURCHES established in the faith, and INCREASED IN NUMBER daily"—Acts 16:5.
(Acts 14:23, Rom. 18:16, Gal. 1:2)

11. Why did the early Christians form local churches?
"And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' TEACHING and FELLOWSHIP, in the BREAKING OF BREAD and the PRAYERS"—Acts 2:42 ARV.

12. What are the two offices in the local church?
"... the BISHOPS and DEACONS"—Phil. 1:1.
("Bishop" and "elder" refer to the same office— Tit. 1:5, 7)

13. What are the qualifications of these two offices? "A BISHOP then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach . .. Likewise must the DEACONS be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre"-1 Tim. 3:2, 8.
(1 Tim. 3:1-13, Tit. 1:5-9)

14. May unsaved people sometimes enter the membership of the local church?
"But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be FALSE TEACHERS AMONG YOU, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction" —2 Pet. 2:1.
(Gal. 2:4, Acts 20:28-30, Jude 4, 12)

15. How will the false at last be separated from the true members of the Church?
"The one shall be taken, and the other 1eft. Watch therefore; for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come"—Matt. 24:41-42.