Alan Gross
Well-Known Member
"In this booklet" (re: In Search Of The Universal, Invisible Church (Chapter 1) by Elder Milburn Cockrell - Sovereign Grace Landmark Baptist Pastor)
"I shall not inquire any more as to what theologians and creeds say about the church.
"There is no such thing as an inerrant creed or an infallible theologian.
"The final court of appeal is the Bible.
"What men may say about the Bible is unimportant.
"The great question is:
"What is the New Testament idea of a church?
"Does the New Testament authorize only the local idea of the word church, or does it authorize the universal, invisible idea, or both?
It will be my purpose to prove that when we are shut up to the New Testament alone, only one definite idea of the church rules the field.
Note:
In the New Testament the true and actual church is a local, visible body of baptized believers.
A limited reading of the New Testament will prove that a churches of The Lord Jesus Christ that were, Biblically Speaking, a New Testament true and actual church as a local, visible body of baptized believers:
made disciples
(Matt. 28:19),
baptized these disciples in water
(Matt. 28:19),
and taught them what Christ commanded
(Matt. 28:20).
A true New Testament church received members
(Rom. 14:1),
elected officers
(Acts 1:23; 6:5),
sent out missionaries
(Acts 13:1-4),
observed the Lord's Supper
(I Cor. 11),
had regular and stated meetings
(Acts 20:7; I Cor. 16:1-2),
settled disputes
(Acts 15:1-41),
excluded the disorderly
(I Cor. 5:9-13; II Thess. 3:14),
restored the penitent
(II Cor. 2:1-10),
and condemned false doctrine
(Rom. 16:17-18).
None of these things could have been done by a universal, invisible church.
Since the term "the universal, invisible church" is no where found in the New Testament, I must say that we do not have much to go on in our search.
But in order to make sure the word "church" never has any meaning other than a local church, we must examine every passage in the New Testament on this important subject.
That is Hermeneutics, in a nutshell.
New Testament the true and actual church is a local, visible body of baptized believers.
Let us look into the Book and see what God has been pleased to reveal.
UNLESS YOU
DO NOT LOVE GOD THE FATHER,
GOD THE SON,
GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT,
OR THE ETERNAL WORD OF GOD.
If the universal, invisible church is of the great importance which some attach to it, surely the Bible will set this doctrine forth in plain language for all to see.
Otherwise, there is no need nor place for the universal, invisible 'church'.
OUR CREATOR SEES NO NEED OR PLACE.
"I shall not inquire any more as to what theologians and creeds say about the church.
"There is no such thing as an inerrant creed or an infallible theologian.
"The final court of appeal is the Bible.
"What men may say about the Bible is unimportant.
"The great question is:
"What is the New Testament idea of a church?
"Does the New Testament authorize only the local idea of the word church, or does it authorize the universal, invisible idea, or both?
It will be my purpose to prove that when we are shut up to the New Testament alone, only one definite idea of the church rules the field.
Note:
In the New Testament the true and actual church is a local, visible body of baptized believers.
A limited reading of the New Testament will prove that a churches of The Lord Jesus Christ that were, Biblically Speaking, a New Testament true and actual church as a local, visible body of baptized believers:
made disciples
(Matt. 28:19),
baptized these disciples in water
(Matt. 28:19),
and taught them what Christ commanded
(Matt. 28:20).
A true New Testament church received members
(Rom. 14:1),
elected officers
(Acts 1:23; 6:5),
sent out missionaries
(Acts 13:1-4),
observed the Lord's Supper
(I Cor. 11),
had regular and stated meetings
(Acts 20:7; I Cor. 16:1-2),
settled disputes
(Acts 15:1-41),
excluded the disorderly
(I Cor. 5:9-13; II Thess. 3:14),
restored the penitent
(II Cor. 2:1-10),
and condemned false doctrine
(Rom. 16:17-18).
None of these things could have been done by a universal, invisible church.
Since the term "the universal, invisible church" is no where found in the New Testament, I must say that we do not have much to go on in our search.
But in order to make sure the word "church" never has any meaning other than a local church, we must examine every passage in the New Testament on this important subject.
That is Hermeneutics, in a nutshell.
New Testament the true and actual church is a local, visible body of baptized believers.
Let us look into the Book and see what God has been pleased to reveal.
UNLESS YOU
DO NOT LOVE GOD THE FATHER,
GOD THE SON,
GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT,
OR THE ETERNAL WORD OF GOD.
If the universal, invisible church is of the great importance which some attach to it, surely the Bible will set this doctrine forth in plain language for all to see.
Otherwise, there is no need nor place for the universal, invisible 'church'.
OUR CREATOR SEES NO NEED OR PLACE.