Identity: Scriptural Teaching #1
INTRODUCTION: In order to maintain its identity with the Church established by Christ, controlled by His authority, described in the New Testament, the Church today must be Scriptural in its teaching.
I. Restrictions as to What May Be Taught:
1. Christ limited his teaching to "words received from the Father" (Jn. 8:26, 28, 38; 17:8)
2. The Holy Spirit did not speak from himself (Jn. 16:18).
3. The Apostles spoke only that which had been revealed to them (II Pet. 1:16-21; Gal. 1:6-12).
4. The Church today must limit its teaching therefore to revelation of Christ through the Apostles
(II Jn. 9-11; Rev. 22:18, 19).
II. Teaching of Christ and the Apostles the Sole and All Sufficient Creeed of the New
Testament Church:
1. The righteousness of God completely revealed therein (Rom. 1:16, 17).
2. Furnishes unto every good work (2 Tim. 3:14,17).
3. Contains all tnith (J n. 16:13).
4. Furnishes unto all things that pertain to life and godliness (II Pet. 1:3, 4).
5. The faith once and for all delivered unto the Saints (Jude 3).
6. One faith (Eph. 4:5).
7. "Speak the same things" (I Cor. 1:10).
III. Objections to Human Creeds:
1. Made by men, therefore unreliable.
2. Do not meet humanity's need, therefore insufficient.
3. Must continually be revised, therefore imperfect.
4. No authority behind them, therefore unenforceable.
5. Disagree and conflict with each other, therefore cannot all be true.
6. Conflict with the Word of God, therefore all wrong.
IV. The Identity of the Church Tested by What It Teaches:
1. In becoming a member of the Church to which you belong were you asked to do something
more than people were required to do in New Testament days? Compare your experience
with the cases of conversion in the book of Acts. Pentecostians (Acts 2:36, 41); The Eunuch
(Acts 8:12, 34, 38); Saul (Acts 9:8; 22:16); Cornelius (Acts 10); Lydia and the Jailor (Acts
16:14, 15, 30, 34).
2. Has the Church to which you belong undertaken to excuse you from doing something which
it is the will of God for you to do (Matt. 7:21; Jn. 12:48).
3. In order to find the religious teaching to which you have subscribed can you simply go to the
New Testament or is it necessary to consult some human creed?
4. Are you left free to believe and teach whatever the New Testament says or have you
subscribed to the doctrines and commandments of men, private interpretation of scripture
or the humanly authorized theology of some Church?
5. Can you depend upon the teachings of the New Testament to learn how to worship and serve
in the Church to which you belong?
Conclusion:
The identity of the Church can as easily be destroyed by corrupting its teaching as it can be by corrupting its worship or wearing an unscriptural name.
Questions For Discussion:
1. What sort of teaching will establish the identity of the Church?
2. How did Christ limit His teaching?
3. How did the Holy Spirit speak?
4. How were the Apostles limited in their teaching; what of those who go beyond the teaching?
5. Tell of the sufficiency ofthe Bible.
6. Point out the weakness of human creeds.
7. What book of the New Testament gives the execution of the plan of Salvation? Give some
notable cases of conversion from this book.
8. Harmonize the cases of conversion given; show how all complied with the same terms.
9. How may the identity of the Church be destroyed by its teaching?
10. How does the name of the Church affect its identity?