Doctrine: What is the Church? (Part 2c)

For our final post in our “What is the Church?” series we will discuss the last part of the definition that I gave in Part 1b.  We have had some fairly good discussion thus far on the website concerning the church as we think through what the church is.  Also, this series has led me to have some great conversations about the church with peers, coworkers, and our leadership team.  I pray that this series would challenge those who read it to think through what the church actually is according to Scripture and why we’ve done things this way over the past 2000 years.

The last part of the definition that I gave reads, 

“… diligently practicing biblical church discipline; frequently practicing the biblical ordinances set forth in Scripture, and properly led by biblical church offices.”  

Diligently practicing biblical church discipline.  In Matthew 18, Jesus gave us the example of how to deal with those under the need of church discipline.  I would recommend that if you have not already spent some time studying this passage to do so at your convenience.  I will not spend the time or energy to exposit this text now.  A church covenant is crucial for church members to have in hand to understand their role and expectations that their church gives them in being members.  When not meeting to the qualifications of this church covenant, church discipline should be practiced accordingly by the elders/pastors as they deem fit and appropriate.

Matthew 18.

Frequently practicing the biblical ordinances set forth in Scripture.  The ordinances are important.  In fact, they are so important that if you don’t have them then you don’t have a church.  As I have mentioned in the Doctrine Series:  Baptism & the Lord’s Supper, I believe that baptism is a pre-requisite to the Lord’s Supper.  I believe that Scripture presents baptism as an initiatory ordinance into the local church and the LS as a continuationist ordinance that believers do after they have been baptized and are members of a local church.  

How often should you practice the ordinances?  Well, you should practice baptism as often as you can as new believers are coming into your local congregation.  Concerning the LS there are differing opinions on how often you should practice it, but I believe that the LS should be practiced every Lord’s Day (Sunday) as local congregations gather.  

Matthew 3:13-17; 26:26-30; 28:19-20; Mark 1:9-11; 14:22-26; Luke 3:21-22; 22:19-20; John 3:23; Acts 2:41-42; 8:35-39; 16:30-33; 20:7; Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 10:16,21; 11:23-29; Colossians 2:12. 

Properly led by biblical church offices.  The church offices that are defined by Scripture are deacon and elder (I use the term elder/pastor interchangeably here).  Churches must be led by biblically qualified elders that Paul prescribes for us in 1 Timothy 3.  Also present in 1 Timothy 3 are prescriptive qualifications for the office of the deacon, though not without its controversies (see my explanation for the role of deacons as men and women in the comment section of, “Pastoral Qualifications: Why Elders/Pastors Must Be Men“).  We must have a high view of leadership in our churches.  

We at The Veritas Network ask and urge our readers to constantly remember their pastors in prayer.  Stay far away from ill talk about your leaders and respect their leadership over you and your church as God has sovereignly placed them there to be a  shepherd and pastor.  They will one day stand before God and give an account of their leadership.  

1 Timothy 3; Titus 2; 1 Peter 5:5; Acts 6.