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Are you familiar with New Testament Christianity? Do you have an interest in being a New Testament Christian? The words New Testament Christianity simply describe doing things as the Bible describes--no additions and no subtractions to God's Word.
The following study on New Testament Christianity has been published in the commentary on First Corinthians, which is available for ordering through this site, but this information is also being included here to help people have a better understanding of how to serve God in the way described in the New Testament.
Why investigate New Testament Christianity?
God has
a “pattern of sound words”
for the Christian faith and we are to “hold” to this pattern (2 Tim.
1:13). God’s pattern is
part of the “narrow gate” that leads to life (Mt. 7:13-14) and this
pattern, if people will use it, eliminates religious confusion and
religious division (compare 1 Cor. 14:33).
When people are ignorant of God’s pattern or they reject some
part of it, there will be hundreds or thousands of different religious
groups that all profess to be “Christian.”
The true followers of Christ know that God has a specific way of
doing things and it is essential to “hold to the pattern” (compare 1
Cor. 4:17).
c
One of
the most elementary parts of God’s pattern is found in conversion (the
way someone becomes a Christian).
As demonstrated by the following chart, God’s pattern for
conversion requires faith
(belief), repentance (a
turning from sin), confession,
and baptism (immersion in
water) for the forgiveness of sins.
|
Bible
verse |
God’s command |
God’s command |
The
blessing |
|
Mk. 16:16: |
Believe |
and
be baptized |
Saved |
|
Acts 2:38: |
Repent |
and
be
baptized |
Remission of
sins |
|
Acts 22:16: |
Arise |
and
be baptized |
Wash away
sins |
The
information in
Mk.
16:16 has been compared to a
train; just as
boxcars are joined together with a coupling pin, so the word “and”
joins
together the
commands of “belief”
and “baptism”
(Jesus said a person must believe
and be baptized before he can
be “saved”). Since those in
Acts 2 had heard and believed the facts of the gospel (Acts 2:37), they
were told to “repent and be baptized” so they could receive the
“forgiveness of sins” (Acts 2:38).
The information in Acts 2 also offers an excellent illustration
of repentance, a word that
meant “to change for the better.”
People
who
had
formerly
hated Jesus (Acts 2:36) repented
(they
began to love and follow Jesus).
After people believe and repent, they are to be
baptized, an act that “washes
away sins” (Acts 22:16).
In
addition to the passages in the preceding chart, the Bible also explains
the purpose of baptism in
Gal. 3:27
(Paul said baptism puts people
“into Christ”).
If a person is old enough to be accountable for his actions, he
is either “in
Christ” or “out of Christ.”
If a
person is old enough to be responsible for his actions and he is “out of
Christ,” he has
no spiritual
blessings,
one of which is
salvation (2 Tim.
2:10). Those who are “in
Christ” have all spiritual blessings (Eph. 1:3),
one of which is salvation.
According to Gal. 3:27, a person does not enter “into Christ”
until he has been properly baptized.
In
addition to
Jesus and Paul
saying that baptism is part of the salvation process, there is the
information in
1 Pet. 3:20-21.
Peter
described how water
served as a dividing line for Noah and his family (God used a flood to
separate the saved from the lost, Gen. 6-7).
Water lifted the ark and those
in it to safety and water caused the unsaved to drown.
In fact, Peter said Noah and his family were “saved
through water” (1 Pet. 3:20).
Peter also said there is a “true likeness” for people today and
this “true likeness” is “baptism”
(1 Pet. 3:21). In other
words, just
as water separated the saved from the lost in the ancient world, so
water (baptism)
now
divides the
saved from the lost
under the Christian era
(see again the
preceding chart). Peter
further noted how
baptism is not for
the
“filth
of the flesh”
(it is not a process to remove physical dirt),
1 Pet. 3:21.
Baptism is for spiritual filth—sin—as
explained in Acts 2:38 and Acts 22:16.
There
was no special power in the flood waters that separated Noah from the
unsaved and there is no special power in the water that is now used to
baptize people. Our
justification from sin comes through Jesus’ blood (Paul made this point
in Rom. 5:9 and he explained how this process works in Rom. 6:1-4).
As
demonstrated by the following graphic, which is provided through the
courtesy of We Care Ministries,
sinners access the benefits of Jesus’ blood by reenacting the Lord’s
death, burial, and resurrection.
After a person believes, he is
not saved.
The believer must experience a “death.”
This death is another
description for repentance (people must turn from sin.
Compare Col. 3:7;
Acts 2:38; Lk. 13:3;
Acts 17:30).
People must “die to sin” (repent) so they do not “die in sin” (perish
eternally in hell).
After a person has believed and repented (died to sin), he is ready to acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God (Acts 8:37; 1 Tim. 6:12) and then be “buried with Christ through baptism” (Rom. 6:4). After a person has been properly baptized, he has “newness of life” (Rom. 6:4).
When is a person born anew (born again)?
Many
believe that “new life” (salvation, forgiveness of sins and all
spiritual blessings) comes before
baptism, but the Bible repeatedly says this is incorrect.
Jesus said a person is “saved”
after being baptized (Mk.
16:16). Peter said a person
has the “forgiveness of his sins”
after being baptized (Acts 2:38).
Ananias said sins are “washed away”
by being baptized (Acts
22:16). Paul said “baptism”
puts people into Christ (Gal. 3:27).
A person receives “new life”
after baptism (Rom. 6:4).
Jesus said a person must be “born anew” (Jn. 3:3) and this new
birth requires water (Jn.
3:5). God has a specific
pattern for salvation and this pattern requires people to have faith,
repent of their sins, confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and be
“buried with Christ” for the “forgiveness of their sins.”
The
description of baptism as a “burial” (Rom. 6:4 and Col. 2:12) tells us
that Bible baptism requires
immersion
(we do not
bury something by sprinkling
or pouring dirt on it). A
burial means someone or
something is covered and this is what
New
Testament baptism requires (a person is submerged in and thus covered by
water). When John was
baptizing people, his baptism required “much water” (Jn. 3:23).
In fact, this verse says John baptized in this place “because”
there was much water there.
The one church built by Christ
Baptism
for the forgiveness of sins is an essential part of God’s pattern for
conversion, but this is just one characteristic of New Testament
Christianity.
God
has
also created a special place called the “church”
(this
word describes the saved).
Jesus
promised to
“build His church” (Mt. 16:18) and
this promise required Him to die a horrible death (Acts 20:28).
Jesus did build His church and He built only
one church (notice that in
Mt. 16:18 the word “church” is singular).
In Eph.
1:22-23 Paul described the
“church”
as
Jesus’ “body”
(“to
the church, which is his body”).
Stated another way, Paul affirmed that the words
church
and body
are
interchangeable (“church” and “body” describe the same thing).
The significance of this fact is seen in Eph. 4:4, a place where
Paul said God has only “one body.”
Since
there
is only “one body” (Eph. 4:4), and this “one body is the church” (Eph.
1:22-23), there
is
one church
that has God’s approval.
Many other churches can be found in the world, but these churches are
not part of the church built by Christ.
These other churches are counterfeit groups that have been built
by men (Mt. 15:8-9) and Jesus said these groups will one day be
destroyed because God did not build them (Mt. 15:13).
The
problem with counterfeit churches is so bad that Jesus said:
“Not every one that saith
unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that
doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not
prophesy by thy name, and by thy name cast out demons, and by thy name
do many mighty works? 23
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye
that work iniquity” (Mt. 7:21-23).
If we wish to truly love and serve God, we must identify and work with
Jesus’ one true church instead of a counterfeit group.
The Bible helps us identify which church is right through the
Scriptures; we can identify the right church by using the “pattern” (2
Tim. 1:13) found in God’s word.
The pattern for Christ’s church includes things like how people
become Christians, how Jesus’ church worships, how the Lord’s church is
organized, and what its members do.
Finding the church described in the New Testament
As already explained in the preceding information, one of the identifying marks of Jesus’ church is found in how people are saved: People must believe (Heb. 11:6); repent of their sins (Lk. 13:3; Acts 17:30); acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God (Rom. 10:9), and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16). The Bible never speaks of things like “accepting Jesus into the heart,” “saying the sinner’s prayer,” or “praying to receive Christ.”
After a
person follows God’s pattern for conversion as discussed in the previous
paragraph, the Bible says Jesus “adds” a person to His church (Acts
2:47, KJV). In the churches
built by men (counterfeit groups), people often “join” the church or
they are “voted” into it.
Acts 2:47 says the membership in Jesus’ church is controlled by the Lord
Himself. Stated another
way, people cannot “join” the New Testament church.
Neither can they be voted into it.
People automatically become members of it after they follow God’s
pattern for conversion.
The New
Testament church can also be recognized by what it does.
After people became Christians on the Day of Pentecost (Acts
2:36-38), Luke says they “continued
stedfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of
bread and the prayers” (Acts 2:42).
This passage shows that part of God’s example involves meeting on
a regular basis and doing the things listed in this verse.
Most
religious groups are
committed to
“prayer” and “fellowship,”
but most are not “stedfast” with the other two characteristics in Acts
2:42 (the “apostles’ teaching” and “the breaking of bread”).
Jesus’
church can be partly identified by its strict adherence to the
apostles’ doctrine (the
information we now have in the Bible).
Instead of following the rules and dictates of men (Mt. 15:9),
the members of Christ’s church use the Bible as their only guide.
New Testament Christians know that God has given
the “perfect
law of liberty” (Jas. 1:25) and this information gives them “all
things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Pet. 1:3).
Stated another way, the completed New Testament “furnishes
us unto every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16-17).
Thus, New Testament Christians (those who are part of Christ’s
church) solely rely on this “form
of teaching” (Rom. 6:17) for the “pattern”
(2 Tim. 1:13) they need to serve and worship God “in
truth” (Jn. 4:24).
Counterfeit churches rely upon creeds, information from their “church
headquarters,” church manuals, etc.
How Christians are to worship
Acts
2:42 also refers to “the breaking of bread” (i.e. the Lord’s Supper.
The Greek text literally says “the breaking of the bread”).
This statement tells us the first century Christians
partook of the
Lord’s Supper
on a
“stedfast” basis. Other
passages reinforce the fact that the members of Jesus’ church took the
Lord’s Supper on a regular basis.
For instance, Paul spoke of the Corinthian assemblies in 1 Cor.
16:2. The Corinthians were
meeting on every Sunday (this point is expressed very well in the NASB)
and the Corinthians were bringing the items for the Lord’s Supper to
their weekly assemblies
(1 Cor. 11:20).
Although the
items for the Lord’s Supper were being misused,
the Corinthians
knew
they were to bring the elements for the Lord’s Supper every Sunday.
This was the practice for Corinth as well as all the other
congregations that practiced New Testament Christianity
(1 Cor. 4:17).
In Acts
20 we read of a time when Paul was with some fellow
Christians
and this group actually waited for
the “first day of
the week”
(Acts 20:6), Sunday, so the Lord’s Supper could be observed
(Acts 20:7).
Even
though Paul was in a hurry (Acts 20:16), he waited seven days so he
could meet with fellow Christians on the “first day of the week” (Acts
20:6) and partake of the Lord’s Supper (the Communion).
This information corresponds perfectly with Acts 2:42, a text
that says the first Christians “continued steadfastly in the breaking of
bread.” The members of
Jesus’ church partake of the Lord’s Supper every Sunday.
In the churches built by men, people may partake of the Lord’s
Supper once a year, twice a year, once a quarter, or once a month.
If
worshippers have the Lord’s Supper
less frequently than
once a week,
they “take
away”
part
of what God intended for worship and thus alter God’s divine pattern
(compare
Rev. 22:19).
If
people offer
the Lord’s Supper more than once a week,
they
“add to”
God’s
divine pattern and are
also guilty of sin (compare
Rev. 22:18).
If people do not have Sunday, the “first day of the week,” as
their special day to honor God in worship (1 Cor. 16:2), they also fail
to follow part of the New Testament pattern and are thus not part of the
New Testament church.
In
addition to identifying the New Testament church through its pattern for
conversion, the way that people become members of this church, the
strict adherence to the Scriptures, and having the Lord’s Supper every
week, the New Testament church can be identified by its teachings on
giving. Many religious
groups appeal to non-Christians for funds or they engage in things like
bake sales and car washes.
The first century Christians, who were members of the New Testament
church, “took nothing from the Gentiles” (the unsaved, 3 Jn. 7).
Today members of the New Testament church still meet all their
financial obligations through free will contributions from members; New
Testament Christians do not want nor expect non-members to contribute
anything to the Lord’s work.
Christ’s
church may also be identified by the amount of money that people give.
Many religious groups tell their members to “tithe” (give 10% of
their income). If a
religious group teaches tithing, this is a sure sign that it is a
counterfeit church. Tithing
is part of the Old Testament law that was given to the Hebrew nation.
The Old Testament law contained various rules about
giving, keeping the
Sabbath day, animal sacrifices, special priests, etc.,
and this law was in force for about 1,500 years.
After Jesus came into the world He said His death would bring
about a new covenant (Lk. 22:20) and this happened.
Jesus took away the entire Old Testament system by dying on the
cross (Rom.
10:4
and compare Heb. 8:5-13).
If people try to bind any part of the Old Testament law on
people, and telling people to “tithe” is one example of this, the Bible
says people are “fallen from grace” and are “severed from Christ” (Gal.
5:4, ASV).
Instead
of tithing, members of the New Testament church make a personal decision
on how much to give. In
fact, the church that belongs to Christ is governed by two basic rules
when it comes to giving:
(1) Give “cheerfully” and (2) give as we have been “prospered” (1 Cor.
16:2; 2 Cor. 9:7). Since
the New Testament says give as we
have been prospered, any church that tells people to “tithe”
(give 10%) is a counterfeit church.
Those who ask or tell people to
tithe are teaching a
“different gospel” (Gal. 1:6-9).
This error is so serious that Paul said those who try to bind
some part of the Old Testament law on people are like a woman who is
married to
two men at the same time
(Rom. 7:1-4).
Christians follow the New Testament instead of the Old Testament
New
Testament Christians know and teach that
Jesus “nailed the
old law to the cross” (Col. 2:14)
and the removal of the Old Testament law includes the elimination of the
Ten
Commandments. Things like
murder, theft and adultery are still wrong (Rom. 13:9), but these
acts
are wrong
because they are forbidden by the New Testament.
People can
“learn” from the Old Testament (Rom. 15:4), but
the
New Testament is the law all are under now.
Counterfeit groups often fail to distinguish between the Old
Testament and the New (they teach that the Ten Commandments are still
binding, people need to tithe, there is still a need to keep the Sabbath
day, etc.), but these things are not taught by New Testament Christians.
Members of the New Testament church know the difference between
the Old Testament and the New Testament.
Because
the members of the New Testament church correctly distinguish the Old
Testament from the New Testament, they comply with God’s will in the
area of music.
Under the Old
Testament system
of
worship, people used
instrumental music
(Ps. 150; 2 Chron. 29:25).
Under the New Testament
system of worship, people
are
specifically told
to “sing” (Eph.
5:19; Col. 3:16)
and this is what New Testament Christians do.
If
the
New Testament
said “make music,”
we
would be authorized to
make
music
any
way we choose. Since
God
has
specifically said those who live under the New Testament are to make
music by singing (compare
Heb. 13:15), this is what His people do and this is another identifying
mark of Christ’s church.
If we sing AND PLAY
in worship,
we add to
God’s instructions.
Adding instrumental music to worship is an example of “will-worship”
(Col. 2:23) and going “beyond what is written” (1 Cor. 4:6).
Church
choirs are another example of “going beyond what it is written.”
The Bible says Christians are to “sing to one another” (Eph.
5:19; Col. 3:16), but some use church choirs “because they like them.”
Worship is not about what we like; it is about following God’s
pattern (compare Jn. 4:24 where Jesus said we “must worship in truth”).
If we do not do things in the way God has described, we go beyond
what is written (1 Cor. 4:6), we “no longer abide in the doctrine of
Christ,” and we “have not God” (2 Jn. 9).
How the church of the New Testament is organized
The
subjects of salvation and worship are very helpful in separating the New
Testament church from counterfeit groups, but these are not the only
ways to recognize Jesus’ true church.
We may also determine which church truly follows God’s pattern by
studying what the Bible says about church
organization.
Every organization has some type of structure,
including a headquarters or main office, and this is also true for the
New Testament church. Jesus
is the head of His church and He resides in heaven (Acts 1:11).
Jesus’ heavenly enthronement (Acts 2:30) tells us the
“headquarters” for the New Testament church is in heaven.
Stated another way, Jesus’ church has no earthly headquarters;
counterfeit churches, however, often do have an earthly headquarters.
Jesus’ church is also autonomous (self-governing).
As
illustrated by Acts 14:23 and Phil. 1:1, each congregation of the Lord’s
church is to have
local leaders known
as “elders” (these men are also referred to as bishops, presbyters,
pastors, overseers, shepherds.
Each of these words describes a different aspect of an elder’s
work).
Paul described the
qualifications
for
these men in
1 Tim. 3:1-5 and
he
said
elders “take
care of” (they are the rulers
for
and in) a
local congregation (1 Tim. 3:5).
Titus
referred to
“elders” in
Tit. 1:5
and
then described them as
“bishops” in Tit.
1:7.
We read of
elders in
Judaea (Acts 11:29-30),
southern
Galatia (Acts 14:23),
Jerusalem
(Acts 15:6),
Ephesus (Acts
20:17),
and Asia
Minor (1 Pet. 5:1).
There
are implied references to
them
in 1 Thess.
5:12 and Heb. 13:17.
In Tit. 1:5 we learn that elders
were needed throughout the island of Crete (“every city”).
Although
God’s pattern for church leadership does not extend beyond the local
congregation, a high percentage of religious
groups have a
leadership structure
that goes outside
the local
church (religious
groups have a
“church headquarters” in a well known city
or another country,
or there is some type of regional, national or world-wide board).
Although these arrangements are common, they are contrary to God’s
pattern. Church
organization is just one more way to separate Christ’s church from the
imitations built by men.
Jesus is the
head of the church, elders are the local leaders, and
Jesus’ church has special servants known as
“deacons” (Phil.
1:1).
The
church of Christ also has men who serve as
preachers.
Paul and Timothy were
two
first century
ministers and
these
men are
referred to as
“servants”
in
Phil. 1:1. Unlike the
churches built by men where preachers are the leaders and often the most
important people in the congregation, the Bible says the preachers in
Christ’s church are
servants.
The remaining members in
Jesus’ church of the New Testament
are simply called
“saints.”
The New
Testament pattern for church organization described in the preceding
paragraphs stands in stark contrast to the “clergy-laity” system found
in many denominations. In
fact, in many man-made churches there must be an “official person” to
baptize people or help with worship.
God’s pattern for Christianity says all the saved are “priests”
(1 Pet. 2:5, 9). Instead of
dividing people into “clergy and laity,” Jesus said “all are brethren”
(Mt. 23:8). Paul
illustrated this point by noting how several of the Corinthians helped
in and with worship (1 Cor. 14:26).
The Corinthians knew their worship did not need to be carried out
by a special priest or some type of “holy person” because all Christians
are “priests” (Rev. 1:6; 5:10) and all Christians are considered to be
“holy” (1 Pet. 1:15).
The only
restriction when it comes to having a leading role in worship is a
person’s gender. Stated
another way, women are not allowed to take a leading role in the
assembly if men are present (1 Cor. 14:34-35 and compare 1 Tim. 2:8-13).
In the church of Christ, any Christian male can help with
worship, teach or preach.
Churches that have women preachers are most definitely counterfeit
churches because they violate what Paul said in 1 Cor. 14:34-35 and 1
Tim. 2:8-13. God has given
a “pattern” for the New Testament church (2 Tim. 1:13) and all need to
use this pattern to identify and work with the “church of Christ” in
their community.
Concluding comments on New Testament Christianity
Have
we
found and are
we a
part of the one church built by Christ?
If the “church of Christ” (Rom. 16:16) does not exist in our
community, we can start one and practice New Testament Christianity
(i.e. do things just as the New Testament describes).
We can begin a congregation in our home (1 Cor. 16:19; Col. 4:15;
Phile. 2) or use a rented space to start “worshipping in spirit and
truth” (Jn. 4:24). We
certainly do not want to be part of the counterfeit groups that “leave
the commandment of God, and hold fast the tradition of men” (Mk.
7:8). Remember, “All
the churches of Christ salute you” (Rom. 16:16).