THE LOCAL CHURCH IS THE PLAN OF GOD

THE LOCAL CHURCH IS THE PLAN OF GOD
I cannot scratch the surface of this essential truth.

REDISCOVERED TRUTH
The LOCAL BODY OF BELIEVERS is still one of the most neglected and misunderstood doctrines of the Bible, and has become Satan's whipping child and is the rejected revelation of God by the masses, because it requires dynamic faith, unswerving commitment and loving submission. Remember, a full and clear revelation of the doctrine of the Church was given to the apostles and prophets who wrote the New Testament books, but because of failure and corruption, most of those New Testament doctrines were forgotten and replaced with false beliefs and practices (primarily through the Roman Catholic Church and many of the so-called Reformation churches). Through the years, Bible believers and Christ followers have been rediscovering these glorious truths, by the leading and enlightening work of the Holy Spirit.

THE CHURCH
The Church is the invention of God.
The Church was a mystery, a secret with God, revealed through Christ and the apostles and prophets who wrote the New Testament.
The Church is the Body of Christ,
The Church is the Bride of Christ.
The Church is the Building of Christ.
The Church belongs to Christ.
Christ is the only Head of the Church.
Christ said He would build His Church and the gates of hell would not prevail against it.
The Church is the pillar and support of the truth.

The New Testament speaks of the "Church" in three different ways:
1- The Universal Church (all redeemed people from the Day of Pentecost until the Rapture, in heaven and on earth).
2- Regional churches (such as the churches of Galatia, the house churches of Rome).
3- Local churches (with pastors, gifts, leadership, unity).
The focus of this post is on the local church.

The local church is God's plan to reveal Himself to a community and to bring the believers to unity and maturity.
There is no New Testament, and there is no Church universal without the local church.
The foundation of the Church (universal) is Christ, but the building blocks of the Church are the individual believers and the local churches.
The plan of God for this age is the local church.
The ministry of the apostles was to plant, establish, enable and equip local churches.
Evangelism took place by local churches.
Converts were initiated into local churches.
God gave the officers and leaders (pastors, elders and deacons) to manage the local church.
God gave the gifts to edify the local church.
God gave the Scriptures to and through the local churches.

The local church is God's invasion force in a community.
The local church is God's center for spiritual life and Biblical education in a community.
The local church is the family of God in a community.
The local church is accountable to God, empowered by God and representative of God.
The local church is the earthly mission station of God in a community.
The local church is the life saving station of God in a community.
The local church is the miraculous, mystical, mysterious manifestation of God in a community.

RESPECT FOR GOD'S CHURCH
Christians have no right to denigrate or denounce or deny God's view of the local church, and they have no right to replace the supernatural presence of the local church with man-made organizations or programs.
Christians have no right to do the work of God separate from the plan of God, which is in the local church.
The legitimacy of a local church is not determined by physical structure, numbers of people, variety of programs, but rather its love, faithfulness, purpose, unity.

THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH
The local church should win the lost, feed and teach the convert, perfect the believer, support the members of that body, edify one another, submit to one another, love one another.

When the local church is being and doing the will of God it is like being in heaven. It is sad that very few people have ever been part of a local church that meets this criteria. It is also sad that those who have never seen it are quick to deny it.

(10/16/15 dlg on fb)