The title of this article is a question that I have been asked several times. The answer
must be given on the basis of the teaching of God's word, and not according to human
tradition, opinion, and denominational and sectarian thought. Those who seek truth must
look to the scriptures, for only they have been breathed out by God. (2 Tim. 3:16-17;
1 Cor. 2:13) The person who speaks should do so as one who speaks the very words of
God, without addition, subtraction, or any modification whatsoever! (1 Cor. 4:6;
1 Pet. 4:11) The Bible is right!
The fact is, the New Testament does not give any "proper name" for the Lord's
congregation. What we do find are descriptive words and phrases that give us details
about God's people. The details tell us about the people themselves who comprise
the body of Christ, or they tell us about the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit who
possess the saved, or they tell us about some relationship that deity and the
people sustain to one another.
The word that is used most of the time in the New Testament to refer to the people
of God is ekklesia. It means "congregation, assembly, or group." It is used 114 times in
the Greek New Testament. Jesus promised to build his congregation (Matthew 16:18). He
is the head of the body which is the congregation of the saved. (Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 1:18,24)
The congregation that Jesus promised to build is comprised of all the saved, living and dead,
who have obeyed the gospel of the Messiah since the day of Pentecost. (Acts 2:41,47;
Hebrews 12:23)
The New Testament uses the phrase "congregation of God" to describe the saved. This
tells us that they are God's group, that is, it is God's congregation. (1 Cor. 1:2; Gal. 1:13)
In the letter to the Romans, Paul wrote, "Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the
congregations of Christ send greetings." (Rom. 16:16) Instead of being a proper name,
the phrase "congregations of Christ" informs us that they are "of" Christ, that is, they are
Christ's congregations. They belong to him and honor him as their Master. His blood
acquired them. (Acts 20:28) We even read about "the congregation of the Thessalonians."
(1 Thess. 1:1) This congregation existed among people in Thessalonica, and accordingly
it was made up of Thessalonians.
Let us not assume that since the New Testament does not ascribe a proper name to the
Lord's congregation, that any "descriptive phrase" is acceptable to God. For instance, the denominational names such as Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, Jehovah's Witness,
Episcopal, Pentecostal, Roman Catholic are wrong because they are not explicitly or
implicitly authorized by the New Testament as designations for God's people. They are
"names" or phrases that honor men or movements. They do not honor God! They resulted
from a departure from God's one way of doctrine, worship, organization, and practice.
(Mat. 15:13-14)
There is great spiritual satisfaction to be derived from simply "speaking as scripture
speaks and being silent where scripture is silent." (1 Pet. 4:11) Let us not go beyond what
is written. (1 Cor. 4:6) There is joy from remaining in the teaching of Christ. (2 Jno. 9-11)
If we hold these things dear in our hearts, we will always seek to do things God's way, for
in doing so, not only are we safe but we are also right!
R. Daly
Copyright 2012
must be given on the basis of the teaching of God's word, and not according to human
tradition, opinion, and denominational and sectarian thought. Those who seek truth must
look to the scriptures, for only they have been breathed out by God. (2 Tim. 3:16-17;
1 Cor. 2:13) The person who speaks should do so as one who speaks the very words of
God, without addition, subtraction, or any modification whatsoever! (1 Cor. 4:6;
1 Pet. 4:11) The Bible is right!
The fact is, the New Testament does not give any "proper name" for the Lord's
congregation. What we do find are descriptive words and phrases that give us details
about God's people. The details tell us about the people themselves who comprise
the body of Christ, or they tell us about the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit who
possess the saved, or they tell us about some relationship that deity and the
people sustain to one another.
The word that is used most of the time in the New Testament to refer to the people
of God is ekklesia. It means "congregation, assembly, or group." It is used 114 times in
the Greek New Testament. Jesus promised to build his congregation (Matthew 16:18). He
is the head of the body which is the congregation of the saved. (Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 1:18,24)
The congregation that Jesus promised to build is comprised of all the saved, living and dead,
who have obeyed the gospel of the Messiah since the day of Pentecost. (Acts 2:41,47;
Hebrews 12:23)
The New Testament uses the phrase "congregation of God" to describe the saved. This
tells us that they are God's group, that is, it is God's congregation. (1 Cor. 1:2; Gal. 1:13)
In the letter to the Romans, Paul wrote, "Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the
congregations of Christ send greetings." (Rom. 16:16) Instead of being a proper name,
the phrase "congregations of Christ" informs us that they are "of" Christ, that is, they are
Christ's congregations. They belong to him and honor him as their Master. His blood
acquired them. (Acts 20:28) We even read about "the congregation of the Thessalonians."
(1 Thess. 1:1) This congregation existed among people in Thessalonica, and accordingly
it was made up of Thessalonians.
Let us not assume that since the New Testament does not ascribe a proper name to the
Lord's congregation, that any "descriptive phrase" is acceptable to God. For instance, the denominational names such as Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, Jehovah's Witness,
Episcopal, Pentecostal, Roman Catholic are wrong because they are not explicitly or
implicitly authorized by the New Testament as designations for God's people. They are
"names" or phrases that honor men or movements. They do not honor God! They resulted
from a departure from God's one way of doctrine, worship, organization, and practice.
(Mat. 15:13-14)
There is great spiritual satisfaction to be derived from simply "speaking as scripture
speaks and being silent where scripture is silent." (1 Pet. 4:11) Let us not go beyond what
is written. (1 Cor. 4:6) There is joy from remaining in the teaching of Christ. (2 Jno. 9-11)
If we hold these things dear in our hearts, we will always seek to do things God's way, for
in doing so, not only are we safe but we are also right!
R. Daly
Copyright 2012
No comments:
Post a Comment