GOSPEL BASICS
Copyright Protected 2003
THE ONENESS OF THE CHURCH
Joe D. Gibbs, Sr.
What exactly do we mean by the tern "oneness of the Church"? The oneness of the church has to do with the fact that there is only ONE CHURCH. There is only one scriptural church in which men and women can be saved today (The Christian Age).
Special Note: Every teacher should drill this Bible truth into the minds of his or her students. Let them know that the: Methodist Church
Catholic Church
Baptist Church
Presbyterian Church
Lutheran Church
Church of God in Christ
Mormon Church
Jehovah's Witness
Pentecostal Church
Assembly of God Church
Church on the Rock,
and over 300 others you can think of are not Churches of Christ, but man made churches! Drill it until you're tired! Drill it until you're hoarse! Drill it until they think they're tired of it. I have one more thin to say - DRILL IT!!!
The oneness of the church can be seen in four (4) periods. The four periods in which the oneness of the church can be seen are:
1. The period of Prophecy
2. Preparation
3. Promise
4. Perfection (completion) beginning in Acts 2:1-47 - the first Pentecost after the resurrection of Christ.
THE ONENESS OF THE CHURCH:
THE PERIOD OF PROPHECY
Isaiah 2:2
Notice: "House" is not houses! ONE HOUSE!
This should be illustrated! The same bears the truth with the rest of these scriptures.
Daniel 2:44
Notice: "A KINGDOM" and "IT" twice, are not Kingdoms! ONLY ONE KINGDOM!
SPECIAL NOTE: "Kingdoms" in the latter part of Daniel 2:44 has reference to earthly Kingdoms such as the Babylonian, Assyrian, Medo-Persian and Roman Kingdoms. These kingdoms were represented by the various body parts of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream (Daniel 2-3).
Micah 4:1
Notice: "HOUSE" not houses! ONLY ONE HOUSE!
Zechariah 1:16
Notice: "My HOUSE" not houses! JUST ONE HOUSE!
THE PERIOD OF PREPARATION
Matthew 3:1-2
Notice: "The KINGDOM" not kingdoms! JUST ONE KINGDOM!
THE PERIOD OF PROMISE
Matthew 16:18
Notice: "My CHURCH" not Churches! JUST ONE CHURCH PROMISED BY CHRIST!
THE PERIOD OF PERFECTION
or Period of Completion,
which can be defined as the age of the existence of the Church of Christ in it's state of completion.
Acts 2:47
Notice" the Church." JUST ONE!
Romans 12:4
Romans 12:5 > ONE body!
I Corinthians 12:12
13
20 > ONE body!
Ephesians 3:6 ----------> Same Body Just One!
Ephesians 4:4 ----------> ONE body
Ephesians 3:23 ----------> THE body
Colossians 3:15 ----------> ONE body
I Timothy 3: 14-15
Notice: "House" "Church"; not houses or churches!
SPECIAL NOTES:
1. It is important for each teacher to show that the Kingdom is the Church, the house is the Church, the body is the Church!
The Kingdom is the Church according to Matthew 16:18-19:
Notice: The same institution that he referred to as the "church", he (Jesus) referred to as the Kingdom in verse 19!
The House is the Church according to I Timothy 3: 14-15:
"...the house of God, which is the church..."
The body is the Church according to Colossians 1:18 and Ephesians 1:22-23:
"and he is the head of the body, the church..."
"...hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church, which is his body."
So, we see that the church is the body!
2. The word "Church" in its plural form (churches) has reference to local congregations of the Church of Christ.
Romans 16:16 "churches" local congregations, such as in: Corinth, I Cor. 1:1-2
Galatia, Gal. 1:1-2
Asia, Rev. 1:10-11
