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Understanding “Church,” Universal & Local
Introduction: Probably one of the most egregious errors made in talking about the word “church” as used in the NT is the lack of discernment in differentiating between a local church and the broader picture of all the saved, the more generic “universal” church or body of Christ.
Let me illustrate:
- When I was in Fayetteville, our sign read, “a church of Christ meets here, Undenominational Christianity.” Some Christians from a town in Eastern Arkansas visited one Sunday on their way home. After a few days we received a letter asking a question: “Where in scripture do we read of “a” church of Christ? There is only one church. Since there is only one church, we can read of “the” church of Christ, but where is “a” church of Christ?”
- Here were some Christians who did not differentiate between a local church and the universal church – that is, all the saved of all time. Further, they invented a third way of referring to the church – a collection of all “true churches of Christ” as can be seen and identified on earth.
- To further illustrate, a preacher about 40 miles south of us wrote an article about our sign accusing us of “disassociating from the Church of Christ,” as if the universal church is made up of individual churches.
I could multiply such stories. Christians can simply be very sloppy in how they use the word “church,” and the result has a damaging effect on how we teach the gospel.
- Distinctions Between the Universal Church & Local Churches
- That there is a difference between the two is quite evident throughout scripture. Two contrasting texts will illustrate:
- Matthew 16:18, Jesus said, “Upon this rock I will build my church.” Hebrews 12:22-23, “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven…”
- 1 Corinthians 1:2, “To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints…” Notice that this church as an earthly location, and the saints in it are limited to that location.
- Differences in fellowship
- The universal church is primarily defined as those whose fellowship is with God: 1 John 1:1-6.
- However, the local church is primarily concerned with fellowship with other Christians (Philippians 4:15).
- Differences in manner of entry
- To enter the universal church is simply to have one’s sins forgiven. Acts 2:41, “So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. Acts 2:47, “And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” The universal church is simply referring to all saved people. It is not joined. The Lord adds when one is saved.
- A local church is quite different. The Bible never speaks of the Lord adding a person to a local church. Local churches are joined after one is saved, that is, in the universal church. Acts 9:26-27 illustrates Paul attempting to join the Jerusalem church. While the universal church cannot be joined, joining is the only way to become a part of a local church.
- Differences in enrollment
- The enrollment in the universal church is decided and governed by God. Revelation 20:15, “And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” Exodus 32:32-33, “‘But now, if you will forgive their sin—but if not, please blot me out of your book that you have written.’ But the Lord said to Moses, ‘Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot out of my book.’” Enrollment in the universal church is governed by God and he never makes mistakes.
- However, enrollment in a local church is governed by those in that church. We saw in Acts 9:26 that the Jerusalem church rejected Paul at first until Barnabas vouched for him. It shows that men can make mistakes by refusing even some whom God has accepted.
- Differences in the effect of death. Philippians 1:23-24 “I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.” After death, Paul was obviously still saved, therefore still in the universal church. But he was no longer with the Philippians nor any other local church. Simply put, the universal church consists of Christians both alive and dead, while a local church is made up of only those alive.
- Differences in beginning
- The universal church, that is, all the saved in Christ, began in Acts 2, fifty days after Jesus was crucified. Jesus foretold that he would build his church (Matt. 16:18), and in Acts 2:47, the Lord added those who were saved to his church.
- However, local churches have been started at different times and different places every since. It doesn’t matter how long ago a local church was started or where. It only matters if they are following the commands of the Lord. Have you ever seen a church sign stating: “Established 33 AD”? That is impossible. That is mixing universal with local.
- Differences in number
- In Ephesians 4:4, Paul said, “There is one body…” In Ephesians 1:22-23, he said, “Christ is the head over all things to the church, which is his body…” In other words, there is only one universal church, one group of saved people.
- However, the scriptures tell us about numerous local churches. In Revelation 2-3, Jesus wrote letters to seven churches in Asia. In fact, there is no limit to the number of local churches there could be. You can see the problem when a Christian tries to make a point with a friend by saying, “There’s only one church!” Oh yeah? Which one is it? We can’t even see the universal church!
- Differences in earthly organization
- The universal church has no earthly organization, even though its foundation (Christ and the apostles) were at one time on earth. Jesus is the chief Shepherd over the universal church (1 Peter 5:1). But the universal church has no earthly shepherds or officers. In other words, the universal church has no address, no zip code, no area code or telephone number. You cannot call it up or write it a letter.
Further, since the universal church has no earthly organizations or officers, there is no authority for a man or a group of men to govern either Christians or churches on earth. - But a local church has an earthly organization. Notice Paul’s introduction to the Philippian letter: “To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons.” It is absolutely possible to contact a local church because it exists exclusively on earth.
- The universal church has no earthly organization, even though its foundation (Christ and the apostles) were at one time on earth. Jesus is the chief Shepherd over the universal church (1 Peter 5:1). But the universal church has no earthly shepherds or officers. In other words, the universal church has no address, no zip code, no area code or telephone number. You cannot call it up or write it a letter.
- Differences in divisibility
- Since the universal church is completely controlled by Christ and has no organization or collective action, it cannot be divided like a local church can. Therefore, since the universal church cannot divide, we should not think of “issues that are dividing the church,” or that on the day of Judgment Jesus will gather out of the church all those practice sin. There is no one like that in the universal church.
- However, as the church at Corinth shows, the local church can be divided in numerous ways. 3rd John 9-10, “I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church.”
- Differences in composition.
- We have already made the point that the universal church is only made up of the saved (Eph. 5:23). Jesus controls its composition.
- But a local church can have some saved and some who are lost. Revelation 3:1-4, in the church at Sardis, most had a name they were alive, but they were dead. They were in the local church, but not in the universal church.
- Differences in the necessity of belonging
- We have already seen that if one is not in the universal church, he is not saved. The saved are the universal church.
- However, there are times when one is not a member of a local church and still saved. The eunuch in Acts 8 was saved, thus in the universal church, but at least for a time, he was not in a local church. Same with Paul (Acts 9:26) and those who were forced out of the local church where Diotrephes was. It is God’s desire that we are a part of a local church, but there are temporary periods of time when that is not possible.
- Differences in assembly. The universal church does not assemble because it is made of both the dead and the living. But the local church is commanded to assemble regularly (Hebrews 10:24-25).
- Differences is work
- Since the universal church has no earthly organization, it is not a working unit. Churches have repeatedly attempted to form a collective of churches on earth in order to expand control and success of the work of Christ on earth. But in scripture there is no such thing as an organization of churches or the universal church being organized to do a work
- However, local churches have both an organization and a collective action. On earth, all the work for Christ that is done is either done by the individual or by a local church. Jesus did not establish any other earthly organization.
- That there is a difference between the two is quite evident throughout scripture. Two contrasting texts will illustrate:
- “The One True Church”
- Explanation: a chart showing the beginning of the “church” in AD 33 and then a timeline extending 2000 years. In the midst of the timeline are departures from this “one true church.” The first is the Catholic Church and then the numerous denominations that were formed beginning with the Reformation Movement. The question is then asked, “Are you a member of the “One True Church” that was started in AD 33?” The point is then made: the “true” church was started in 33 AD, all these other churches were started in various time periods that were much later than the “one true church.”
Problems:
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- First, there is a mixture of terms between the universal church and local churches. It is claimed that we must become a member of the universal church started in AD 33. However, the way we are to become a member of that universal church is to join some local church of Christ. In other words, join an earthly group of people who have identified themselves as the church that was started from the beginning.
- Second, the One True Church teaching is inviting people to join a church that they have identified as historically visible on earth. As we have seen, the gospel message is not “church,” nor is salvation attained by getting in the church (whether universal or local). Salvation is found in Christ when Christ cleansed us of our sins in the time of baptism. When our sins are forgiven, the Lord adds us to his group of saved. The universal church are simply those God has saved. But the church is not the means of salvation since the universal church just refers to saved people – those who have obeyed Christ. The church is the result of salvation, not the means to it.
- Third, the One True Church teaching places the determination of who God will save in the hands of fallible people. Since the teaching is that the One True Church refers to a collection of congregations that can be visibly seen and joined on earth, it is man who is in control of that membership. But membership in God’s church, that is, in God’s group of saved of all time, is determined by God not be man – Acts 2:47, “And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”
- Fourth, the One True Church teaching suggests that the “one church” is made up of churches instead of individual Christians.
Conclusion: God has always called his people back to the “ancient paths,” whether it was for Israel under the Law of Moses or Christians under the Law of Christ delivered by the apostles and prophets.
Berry Kercheville
[Acknowledgement: The foundation for this lesson came from “Fellowship with God and His People” by Sam Dawson]