The Church: Universal & Local (II)

II. DISTINCTIONS MADE BETWEEN THE UNIVERSAL & THE LOCAL CHURCH:

A. Fellowship within the church (primarily, not exclusively)

1. Universally, Christian with God (1 Jo.1:3-7)

a. Kept constant through Christ (1 Jo.1:8 - 2:2)

2. Locally, Christians with one another (Acts 2:42)

a. Joint participation in God's work (Phil.1:5)

b. Accepting by faith that one another is in fellowship with God (l Jo.1:3)

B. Terms of entry (membership).

1. Universally, through salvation (Acts 2:47; Eph.5:23)

a. Registered (enrolled) in heaven (Heb.12:23; 2 Tim.2:19)

2. Locally, through acceptance (Acts 9:26; 3 Jo.9-10)

a. Enrolled by men.

C. The effect of death upon membership.

1. Universally, continues (Phil.1:20-23; Heb.12:23)

a. Retroactive to before Christ (Heb.9:15)

2. Locally, discontinued (Phil.1:24-26)

a. No membership to Moses, etc., only the living.

D. Their beginning.

1. Universally, after death of Christ, ca. 30 AD (Matt.16:18; Acts 2:47)

2. Locally, whenever the church first began to meet.

E. In number.

1. Universally, one (Eph.1:22-23; 4:4; 1 Cor.12:13)

2. Locally, many (Rev.1:20; Rom.16:16)

F. It's organization.

1. Universally, Christ as head (Eph.1:22)

2. Locally, elders & deacons (Phil.1:1; Acts 14:23)

G. Divisibility.

1. Universally, cannot be divided (Eph.4:4)

2. Locally, can be divided (1 Cor.1:10-13; 3:3)

H. Shepherds.

1. Universally, only one (Jo.10:11; 1 Pet.2:25; 5:4)

2. Locally, plurality (1 Pet.5:1-4; Acts 14:23)

I. Composition (who are members)

1. Universally, all the saved (Eph.5:23)

a. living & dead.

2. Locally, lost may be accepted (1 Cor.5:1-5)

a. But should not knowingly (1 Cor.5:7, 11-13)

J. Necessity of belonging.

1. Universally, necessary to be saved (Eph.5:23)

2. Locally (Acts 9:26; 3 Jo.9-10)

K. Practice of assembling.

1. Universally, not assembled on earth (Heb.12:22-23)

2. Locally, not to forsake (Heb.10:23-25)

L. It's work.

1. Universally, no organization, no work as organization but as individuals (Acts 8:4; l Tim.5:8, 16)

2. Locally, they organized and worked together in:

a. Benevolence (1 Cor.16:1-2)

b. Preaching (Phil.4:15-16)

c. Edification (1 Cor.14:26; Eph.4:12)

d. All overseen by elders of local church when they existed (Acts 11:29-30; 20:28)

M. It's founder.

1. Universally, Christ (Matt.16:18)

2. Locally, whoever first began meeting as the church.