Thoughts on Christian Living Book #2 by Dr. W. A. Dillard - HTML preview

THE CHURCH IS WHAT???

We are blessed (?) to live in a time when Satan has succeeded in counterfeiting the Lord’s New Testament church multiple times, and he has succeeded in confusing the idea and definition of “church.” Please think with me about this important subject.

There are essentially four main definitions of church in various

segments of society today. First, there is the universal, visible church.

This is the essence of the viewpoint of Catholic and Church of Christ

positions. Second, there is the universal invisible church which defines

any spiritually saved person as a member although it never meets and

there is no church roll. This view is a product of the Protestant

Reformation. Reformers sought to justify church authority to administer

the ordinances or sacraments without submitting themselves to the

Catholic Church from which they had come. While this is essentially the

Protestant view, it has been adopted by neo-protestant congregations,

and in theology by some who call themselves “Baptists.” Third, there is

the viewpoint of secularists who believe anything religious is essentially

church as noted in the separation of church/state issue of government.

Fourth, and true to the New Testament pattern is the definition of a

New Testament church being a group of born-again, scripturally

baptized individuals who are covenanted together for the purpose of

carrying out the terms of the Great Commission Jesus gave to it.

Matthew 28:18-20. Such a church is local and visible, and is the only

form of it by precept, example, and doctrine in Holy Writ.

Some would postulate, “why be a stick in the mud. What

difference does it make?” The answer is simple. Jesus gave us His

Word, and He commanded his disciples to carry it out. The same Lord

Who gave the Word is the One before Whom all shall one day stand.

The carnal infusion of man’s thinking into religious affairs would

ultimately make the Word to be meaningless, and it should not be

thought that God will judge in any fashion other than in full accord with

His Word. Certainly, it is evident that a lot of folks relegate God’s Word,

the Savior, and His church as a take it or leave it proposition, and that

the God of love would never be harsh no matter how one lives or what

he believes. In that vein of thought, the Bible is owned, but never read.

The sleep of confusion reigns. But, judgment is coming! Dear reader,

the idea is not how far away from Bible teachings can you get and still

be considered a Christian. Rather, it is how close to New Testament

teachings and examples can you get!

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