The purpose of this lesson: To consider the simplicity of the church in name, and to think of the complexity of the church in its purpose.
The three branches of the American Restoration Movement have been big on having the correct name for the church. The earliest designation of the church (in the New Testament) evidently was the way. Depending on the translation used, Acts 9:2 refers to Jewish Christians who also attended the Jewish synagogue in Damascus as the Way. (The King James Version translates it this way, but the Revised Standard Version, the Todays English Version, the New International Version, the Jerusalem Bible, the New King James Version, and the New American Standard Version all translate those Greek words the Way.) This designation occurs six times in Acts (9:2; 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22), and it may refer to the way of salvation (consider Acts 16:17); the way of God (consider Acts 18:26), the way of the Lord (consider Acts 13:10; 18:25), etc. There is no clear New Testament statement of what way referred to.
The challenge: not to stress or give importance to considerations the New Testament does not give to the concept of the church. For example, at times the church was referred to as the Way. Were that designation being used today as a name for the church, many Christians would object strenuously, even though the Way is a designation appearing in scripture.
Other than the undefined way, there is nothing that could honestly be called a name attached to the church in the New Testament. The most frequent designation of those who followed Jesus Christ was simply the church. There were the designations of the churches of the gentiles (Romans 16:4); the churches of Christ (Romans 16:16); the church of God (Acts 20:28; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 10:32; 11:22; 15:9; 2 Corinthians 1:1; Galatians 1:13; 1 Timothy 3:5, 15); the churches of God in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 2:14); churches of the saints (1 Corinthians 14:33); churches of Galatia (1 Corinthians 16:1); churches of Asia (1 Corinthians 16:19); churches of Macedonia (2 Corinthians 8:1); the church of the Thessalonians (1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:1); the church of the firstborn (Hebrews 12:23); and numerous references to churches in houses (consider Philemon 2). In all of the of references, please note this is not references to names, but declarations of possession. It is the church (or churches) that is composed of or belongs to; it is not a name.
It would be most helpful to grasping the New Testaments concept if the students could see the of designations as expressing either a possession or being a part of. This is not an attempt to read into, but an attempt to acknowledge what is there. The of is like adding an s to the phrase. Hopefully, the numerous references will be helpful in seeing this point. The of could be used in reference to the gentiles, a region, a city, as well as God and Jesus. For example, it surely is just as in keeping with scripture to use of God as it is to use of Christ.
Whereas name was and is an important consideration in many centuries, it was not an important consideration in the New Testament. This is not a suggestion that it is wrong to use any of the of designations in the capacity of a name for the church today. For such things as legal records and transactions often it is necessary to have and refer to a specific name for a congregation to have a legal entity. However, to affirm that one of designation is theologically sound, and other of designations are theologically unsound is questionable. To associate an exclusive name with the church Christ built is to do something that was not done in the New Testament. It is not wrong, but it is a legal necessity and not a biblical directive.
Stress that Christians have legal necessities for using a name today (like banking transactions, possessing a deed, and acquiring some debts) that were not a part of the Christian world of the first century.
The emphasis in the New Testament is on being a follower of Jesus Christ so that the Christian manifests his (her) genuineness by motives and behavior rather than by depending on claims. The emphasis in the New Testament is on what does a Christian look like or how does a Christian behave rather than what is the proper name for a follower of Jesus Christ. Do remember that church is not used in the Old Testament. The Christian should never forget that there are many statements about Christian motivation and behavior in the epistles. Again, if you are a Christian, the emphasis is on what you are instead of what you call yourself. The notion, If I call myself the correct name that I am okay, is not a New Testament concept.
There is a vast difference in acknowledging the validity of a Christian principle and in applying that Christian principle when the principle is under stress. Or, it is easy to affirm in good circumstances; it is difficult to practice the affirmed in hard circumstances. Example: it is easy to oppose gossiping when there is nothing to talk about, but it is difficult not to gossip when there is a bad situation that you feel compelled to speculate about. Commonly, being is more important than affirming. May the way Christians behave bring credit to whatever name they use; may they not just use a name to affirm an affiliation.
Through the years of much of the twentieth century and the early years of the twenty-first century, there have been two basic approaches to being the church that Jesus Christ built. One could be called the castle mentality, and one could be called the outreach mentality. Basic to each is the view of people whose lives reject the influence of Jesus Christ (knowingly or unknowingly). These approaches to being the church that Jesus built answer the question of dealing with ungodly influences very differently.
The question: how does the church address and deal with ungodly influences which target godly behavior in godly people? The castle mentality seeks to protect those who are Christians by preventing ungodly people from coming within the church. The outreach mentality seeks to provide the ungodly hope through Jesus Christ. (The ungodly are influenced through conversion.) The castle view tends to be an inward view; the outreach view tends to be an outward view.
Consider first the castle mentality. This considers all people outside the church as being intentionally ungodly. These people represent a bundle of ungodly influences. They are to be feared because they can corrupt the church easily. Thus, the safest thing to do is to build a wall around the church, close the gate, and protect the church from all harmful influences or harmful teachings. The primary emphasis is on protecting the church. What often happens is that Christian principles are reduced to lists of dos and donts and accepted (approved) procedures. A person is allowed into the congregation only if he (she) passes unwritten tests, believes accepted concepts, and behaves in ways that are acceptable to the Christian group. Those who enter the church are to be regarded with skepticism until those persons are given the groups approval. The basic concern of this mentality is protection.
This view basically says the churchs responsibility is to preserve the saved. That is done by protecting the saved from ungodly influences. Often this is accomplished through those who are considered to be the spiritually mature telling other Christians where they can and cannot go, who they can and cannot associate with, etc.
Consider the outreach mentality. This considers some people out of the church as being seekers. These people may be victims of ungodliness, but they are not in knowing and willful rebellion to God. They are teachable, but not easily identified at first encounter. Such people are not to be feared (the fear of terror) but given the hope that Jesus Christ provides. The church should teach them. The risk is ungodly influences, but these influences will be reversed through biblical teaching. All godly principles can be understood and applied by the individual. The primary emphasis of the church is on giving Jesus hope to people who are without hope. The objective of the church is to show Jesus hope to those who struggle to escape sin and to encourage those persons in their spiritual development. The basic awareness is that forgiveness is needed by all, not just those who are not yet in Christ.
The outreach mentality understands the churchs basic responsibility to be to save the ungodly. It declares the saved are made stronger by saving the ungodly. This gained strength enables them to resist ungodly influences. It tends to focus more on applied principle than lists of dos and donts It tends to be less controlling.
There are numerous forms of the castle mentality and the outreach mentality. There are also numerous combinations of both mentalities. The question each seeks to answer is not easily answered. The answer often depends on (a) ones concept of the church, (b) ones concept of the purpose of physical existence in Jesus Christ, and (c) ones concept and definition of faith.
It must be remembered by all that the purpose of the church is two-pronged: to save the ungodly (evangelism) and to help the saved grow (edification). Effective approaches that accomplish Gods purposes blend both responsibilities.
For Thought and Discussion
1. What was the earliest designation of the church? To what did that refer?
The earliest designation was the Way. To what way referred to, the New Testament never clearly states.
2. The many of references to the church are what and not intended as a what?
They are possessive declarations. They were not names.
3. For what reason is a name of a congregation important to Christians today?
For legal reasons it is important to a congregation today.
4. The emphasis of the New Testament is on what, not on what?
The emphasis of the New Testament is on being a follower of Jesus Christ, not depending on claims.
5. For several generations, the emphasis has been on some form of what two mentalities?
The emphasis has been on some form of the castle mentality or the outreach mentality.
6. Discuss the concept of the castle mentality.
The discussion should include the concept that the church exists to protect the saved from ungodly influences.
7. Discuss the concept of the outreach mentality.
The discussion should include the concept that the church exists to reach the ungodly who are seeking God.
8. Discuss the weaknesses and strengths of each concept.
The castle mentality:
(a) Weaknessesit tends to be quite limited in evangelistic methods and tends to be inward in its focus. It is easy for it to become quite controlling.
(b) Strength--It often stresses the importance of godly behavior.
The outreach mentality:
(a) Weaknessesit tends to neglect areas of edification as it becomes so outward in focus that it neglects the needs of those in Christ. It expects any edification needs to be addressed and met by an aggressive involvement in evangelism.
(b) Strengthsit often stresses spiritual growth through faith development rather than through control. It tends to emphasize growth through understanding and applying principles instead of conforming to dos and donts that are not understood.
9. Our answer to the question of dealing with ungodly influences often depends on what three concepts?
(a) It depends on our concept of the church.
(b) It depends on ones concept of physical existence in Jesus Christ.
(c) It depends on ones concept and definition of faith.
Link to Student Guide
Lesson 5