From a human standpoint, the New Testament church is not perfect because sometimes Christians sin. But from the divine standpoint, it is perfect because God designed it. It is difficult to see the entire New Testament church from looking at just one of them, but if we take a look at several of them, the composite of the many gives us an idea of what the church is really like in the way God planned it.
We should strive to restore the faithfulness of the church in Jerusalem. “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42).
We should strive to restore the name that was familiar to the church at Rome. There is not one exclusive name of the church. But one of the names is “church of Christ”: “...the churches of Christ greet you” (Romans 16:16). If we had gone to Rome in the first century and asked about the location of any denomination, either Catholic or Protestant, the members of the church at Rome would not have known what we were talking about. But if we had said “church of Christ” that would have been a familiar name.
We should strive to restore the preaching of the church at Thessalonica: “For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything” (1 Thessalonians 1:8).
We should strive to restore the Bible study of the church at Berea. “...they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11).
We should restore the baptism of the church at Colosse: “buried with Him in baptism…” (Colossians 2:12). Baptism is a burial in water for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38).
We should strive to restore the Lord’s Supper of the church at Troas. Disciples met together on the first day of the week to break bread: “Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight” (Acts 20:7).
We should strive to restore the eldership of the church of
Crete. Paul left Titus on Crete for the purpose of setting in
order the things that were wanting. He told him to ordain elders in every city (Titus 1:5,9). In those days a bishop and an elder were both one and the same. Today a bishop in a denominational sense is a man who rules over many churches. But in apostolic days there was a plurality of bishops or elders over each local church when it was scripturally organized (Acts 14:23).
Restoring the New Testament church will work if we work God’s plan for it. -sv
We should strive to restore the faithfulness of the church in Jerusalem. “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42).
We should strive to restore the name that was familiar to the church at Rome. There is not one exclusive name of the church. But one of the names is “church of Christ”: “...the churches of Christ greet you” (Romans 16:16). If we had gone to Rome in the first century and asked about the location of any denomination, either Catholic or Protestant, the members of the church at Rome would not have known what we were talking about. But if we had said “church of Christ” that would have been a familiar name.
We should strive to restore the preaching of the church at Thessalonica: “For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything” (1 Thessalonians 1:8).
We should strive to restore the Bible study of the church at Berea. “...they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11).
We should restore the baptism of the church at Colosse: “buried with Him in baptism…” (Colossians 2:12). Baptism is a burial in water for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38).
We should strive to restore the Lord’s Supper of the church at Troas. Disciples met together on the first day of the week to break bread: “Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight” (Acts 20:7).
We should strive to restore the eldership of the church of
Crete. Paul left Titus on Crete for the purpose of setting in
order the things that were wanting. He told him to ordain elders in every city (Titus 1:5,9). In those days a bishop and an elder were both one and the same. Today a bishop in a denominational sense is a man who rules over many churches. But in apostolic days there was a plurality of bishops or elders over each local church when it was scripturally organized (Acts 14:23).
Restoring the New Testament church will work if we work God’s plan for it. -sv