many of the erroneous concepts concerning “the church” arise from confusion between the concepts...

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Introduction

Many of the erroneous concepts concerning “the church” arise from confusion between the concepts of the universal church and the local church.

Root cause? Poor/sloppy Bible study habits; intellectual laziness.

Cogdell/Turner Discussion

“It is very difficult for many men to reason. Reasoning involves the willingness to research and think, the honesty to be objective and the discipline to change what one discovers to be wrong. These qualities require a toughness of mind that is hard to come by. This sort of mental toughness is necessary to strong faith. The difficulties involved in reasoning are worth the effort. Let the readers of this discussion reason not as an audience viewing a performance but as believers equally involved in maintaining and furthering the faith of Christ.” (Cogdell-Turner Discussion, p. vii)

Part 3: Universal vs Local ChurchMatthew 16:18 & 1 Corinthians 1:2

The New Testament

Church

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Universal vs. Local Church

Members/Fellowship: UC: Composed of all the saved

in heaven and on earth (Eph. 3:14-15; Heb. 12:23; Gal. 3:27); those who enjoy “fellowship…with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ” (1 Jn. 1:3). This fellowship continues after life on earth is over (Rev. 14:13); it exists regardless of time or geography.


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Members/Fellowship: LC: Membership involves only

those on earth (Phil. 1:1; 1 Cor. 1:2) who are in fellowship with one another; does not contain all the saved (1 Cor. 5:1); membership ends at death (Acts 8:2); don’t confuse the church directory with God’s book! (Rev. 20:15)Universal vs. Local

Church

“The universal church consists of those in true fellowship with God, and He “knoweth them that are His” (2 Tim. 2:19). But human judgment enters the process of local membership. The Corinthians maintained fellowship with one whom God refused (1 Cor. 5); and a local church dominated by Diotrophese “cast out” some whom God retained (3 Jn. 9-10). Our approval of one for membership in a local church does not guarantee God accepts that one; nor does our rejection prove God will reject him.” (The Cogdell-Turner Discussion, p. 11)

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Entrance: UC: The Lord adds to the

universal church (Acts 2:47) as people respond obediently to the gospel and are baptized (1 Cor. 12:13).

LC: We become part of a local church by agreement with others as we join ourselves to them (Acts 9:26). Baptism is “into Christ Jesus” (Rom. 6:3), not into some local church.


“The Lord adds us to the u. church, but we join ourselves together to form a l. church (Acts 2:47; 9:26f). The u. church is entered by baptism, but fallible human agreement is involved in l. membership (1 Cor. 12:13; 3 Jn. 9-10). None but the saved are in the u. church, but some “not of us” may be in the l. church (2 Tim. 2:19; 1 Jn. 2:19). Satan can’t prevail against the u. church, but he can and does prevail against local churches (Matt. 16:18; Rev. 2:5f). Much more of the same could be used to show that the universal church is a relationship of saints with God, while the local church is a relationship of saints with saints. Failure to recognize this obvious distinction will lead to many and foolish and sectarian conclusions.” (The Cogdell-Turner Discussion, p. 21)

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Removal: UC: God removes apostates (Jn.

15:6) and never errs in doing so.

LC: Even though we are ordered to remove apostates from LC (1 Cor. 5) we can make mistakes (3 Jn. 9-11). One’s fellowship in LC, or lack thereof, does not necessarily affect fellowship with God. Universal vs. Local

Church

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Assembled: UC: Assembled figuratively (Heb.

12:23).

LC: Assembled literally (1 Cor. 14:23).


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Duration: UC: Satan cannot prevail against

it (Matt. 16:18; Rom. 8:39), thus, cannot fall away (Jn. 10:27-29).

LC: Satan can prevail (Rev. 2:5) and thus can apostatize, but we’ve not been told to “restore” any particular LC; LC’s come and go!


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Number: UC: There is only one relationship

in which salvation is possible (Eph. 1:22-23; 4:4; 5:23; Acts 4:12).

LC: There are many local churches (Rom. 16:16) and no one particular LC must be joined in order to be saved. In fact, one can be saved without being a member of an LC (e.g., Ethiopian eunuch).


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Work/Organization/Leadership: UC: The one true church has no

collective work and thus no human oversight; the only “head” or “leader” is Christ (1 Pet. 5:4; Eph. 1:22-23). It has no functional organization on earth, no treasury through which to accomplish work. The Scriptures are silent about any attempt to organize the UC on earth; it works only as each Christian conducts himself “as becometh saints” (Eph. 5:3).


“Inspiration gives no indication the universal church was intended to act as a single functional organization. It provides no universal oversight for the decision making that must accompany such action; and no universal treasury to fund such action. Its influence upon the world is exerted distributively, as its members are light, salt, and leavening power. “Fear came upon the whole church” (Acts 5:11) as fear entered the hearts of members, distributively. “Saul laid waste to the church” (8:3), although brethren were scattered in their homes and far places. Distributively, their influence was felt in their good manner of daily life (1 Pet. 3:16, Col. 3:17-25), in domestic, economic, and other relationships.” (The Cogdell-Turner Discussion, p. 11)

“When on begins to think of the u. body of Christ as a “churchhood” instead of a brotherhood; and assign that u. body some collective function; the warnings of church history are ignored and the errors of institutionalism come piling upon us.” (p. 20)

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NT clearly shows the “units” of the UC are Christians, not local churches. The body of Christ is a “brotherhood,” not a “church-hood”:


1 Pet. 2:17: “Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.”

1 Pet. 5:9: “Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.”

“We are baptized “into Christ,” hence into His body, hence into His church (Gal. 3:27, Eph. 1:22-23). But this is the universal, not the local church. (Into what “local” church was the eunuch baptized?) When the Holy Spirit used figures of speech to describe the universal church, if that figure has components, they are individuals. The kingdom is made up of citizens, the body of members, the flock of sheep, the army of soldiers, the family of children. The individual saint is the runner in the Christian race, the laborer in the vineyard, the stone in the building, the branch on the Vine. Are we to ignore this total picture?” (p. 11)

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LC: Has been assigned work by God’s word (e.g., Phil. 4:15; Acts 2:42) and displeases God when this work is not fulfilled (Rev. 3:2). LC has an earthly organization (Phil. 1:1), collects funds into a “treasury” to implement its work (1 Cor. 16:1-2) under the direction of spiritual shepherds, bishops, elders (Eph. 4:11; 1 Tim. 3:1; Titus 1:5; Phil. 1:1).


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Beginning: UC: Began ~A.D. 33 (Matt.

16:18; Acts 2:41, 47; Gal. 3:27; Rom. 6:1-11; 1 Jn. 1:3).

LC: Can begin at any time and any place; can also end at any time. Highly doubtful any established in the 1st century still exist (e.g., Rev. 2 & 3).Universal vs. Local

Church

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More: UC vs. LC not nit-picking or minor

matter. Concepts have consequences! Be very careful how we speak of the

church! “My church” (Matt. 16:18) is the

relationship saints enjoy as a consequence of obeying the Lord (Jn. 15:1-8).

“The churches” are local fellowships in which saints work together to provide for various God-ordained activities.


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More: Must be a member of UC to be

saved. If possible, should be a member

of LC to participate in various activities designed for our spiritual service and growth.

Must make the proper distinctions between UC and LC clear, otherwise error will result.


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Conclusion

Hopefully we have a better appreciation for the differences between the UC and LC.

Proper understanding of these concepts critical! 33,000+ denominations testify to this importance!

Confusion over these concepts also responsible for many errors of our liberal brethren.

“When on begins to think of the u. body of Christ as a “churchhood” instead of a brotherhood; and assign that u. body some collective function; the warnings of church history are ignored and the errors of institutionalism come piling upon us.” (The Cogdell-Turner Discussion, p. 20)


many of the erroneous concepts concerning “the church” arise from confusion between the concepts...

Documents

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