Chapter 2
II. Why Is A Local Church Necessary?
A. It provides needed fellowship.
Note: The word fellowship means, “communion,” or “sharing in common.”
1. Acts 2:42 says that those people saved in verse 41 were steadfast in the apostle’s doctrine, and ____________________, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
2. Acts 2:46 relates that they continued in this practice __________ with one accord.
Note: It is normal that Christians need each other’s friendship, as the next verses clearly show.
3. According to II Corinthians 6:14, we are not to have close ties with unbelievers, because righteousness has no fellowship (nothing in common) with ______________________________.
4. That verse also says that light has no communion with ________________.
Note: When we get saved, we soon find out that we are headed in a different direction than our old friends. We tell them that Christ can do for them what He did for us, but if they reject the gospel, we find that we have fewer and fewer things in common with them. In fact, as the next verses show, our old friends will sometimes break our hearts as they take sides against us.
5. I Peter 4:1-4 says that your old friends will think it ______________ that you will not run with them in their sin any longer.
6. In fact, those verses even say that they will speak ________ of you, because you will not go with them to practice their old sins.
This is one good reason for being faithful in attending a local church.
You need the friendship, the fellowship, and the sharing in common
that you can only have with other believers.
7. Christians may have once seemed like strange people to you, but if you are saved, Ephesians 2:19 says that you are now ____________________________ with the saints.
8. Like Moses in Hebrews 11:24-26, we choose to be associated with other believers, than to enjoy the ___________________ of sin for a season (a short time). (vs.25)
9. We find it increasingly difficult to have close ties with unbelievers, because Amos 3:3 says that two cannot walk together, except they be ____________.
Note: At the local church, you will find people with whom you have something in common — faith in Jesus Christ, and the desire to serve Him.
— Why is a local church necessary?
B. It protects against false doctrine.Note: The word doctrine means, “teaching” or “instruction.”
1. Acts 15:1-4 shows that false doctrine was already trying to creep into the church. Some said that unless a person was circumcised after the manner of Moses, he could not be __________. (vs.1)
2. The false teaching was not allowed to continue, because some of the leaders, Paul and ________________, openly disagreed with what was being taught. (vs.2)
3. The local church at that city (Antioch, 14:26), then sent them to the ____________ at Jerusalem for their counsel about the matter. (15:2,4)
Note: The church at Jerusalem was greatly respected, because it was not only the first Christian church, but the majority of the apostles also made their homes there. Their advice would naturally be sought out when a problem arose.
4. In I Timothy 1:2-4, Paul asked Timothy (a young preacher) to stay at the city of Ephesus and charge some that they teach no other ________________. (vs.3)
5. According to verses 6 and 7 of that same chapter, some teachers had ____________ aside, and were teaching wrong things.
6. According to I Timothy 4:6-16, the local pastor and church are commanded to be faithful in reading (reading the Bible publicly in the church), in exhortation (urging the congregation to pursue a future course of conduct), and in ________________. (vs.13)
The local church is a place where faithful leaders are to make sure that false doctrine is openly rebuked and corrected.
7. Hebrews 3:13 says that Christians are to exhort one another daily, lest we become hardened through the __________________________ of sin.
Note: Sin is very deceitful, because it often gives the false impression that it is good; when, in fact, it is bad.
Illustration: A clear example of this is the matter of abortion. Abortion is murdering a baby before it can be born. Is that too harsh of a statement? If you think so, then consider this fact. A person is considered to be legally dead today when there ceases to be any brain waves or activity in the brain. But the medical profession is being very inconsistent, then, because brain waves have been recorded in a fetus (a baby in the womb) as early as 43 days from conception. Then why do they not consider the baby as a living person? Simply because they do not want to have to answer for their sin.
We who are against abortion are called, pro-life (we are for preserving and protecting the life of the unborn baby).
That puts people in favor of abortion in a difficult position. They should be called, pro-death, or pro-murder. So what have they called themselves? They have chosen the name of pro-choice. That is a nice-sounding name, is it not? It has the sound of liberty in it. But it is a deceitful name, because it really means, “having the choice or liberty to murder your unborn baby if you choose to do so.”
That is a good example of the deceitfulness of sin.
Note: A local church is important, because it brings out these matters into the open, and shows the truth.
People who forsake the local church are many times
led away into false doctrine. The reason is that they are
disobeying God for not assembling with the church, and they are
hearing a multitude of opinions about religious matters (from friends, relatives,
TV and radio preachers), and they often do not know who or what to believe.
But cannot the Lord show a person what is right? Yes, but God only speaks through His Word, the Bible; and the person in question has already shown his unwillingness to listen to the Bible by his not being in church. When we knowingly disobey the Bible, the Lord will not answer our prayers. Psalm 66:18 says, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not ________ me” (iniquity is sin).
- Why is a local church necessary?
C. It is a place to fulfill your spiritual gifts.
1. Ephesians 4:7,8 tells us that when Christ ascended to heaven He gave __________ unto men.
2. Verse 11 of that same chapter tells us that some of the gifts were: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and ________________.
3. The purpose of these gifts, according to verse 12, is to edify (build up) the ________ of Christ (the church).
4. The desired result of spiritual gifts is found in verse 14 — “that we henceforth be no more children, ____________ to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine.”
5. Ephesians 4:16 says the body is fitly joined together by that which every ________ supplies.
6. According to I Corinthians 14:26, “all things” (spiritual gifts), are to be used in the church for the purpose of ________________ (building up) others.
Note: The local church is a place to fulfill your spiritual gifts in harmony with others. They are not to be exercised selfishly; instead, they are to be used to strengthen and help other believers.
If you are saved, God has given you spiritual gifts, and
there is a local church somewhere that needs you. If you
stay home they will be lacking in some way.
REVIEW:
1. The first reason that the local church is necessary is that it provides needed ___________________.
2. Fellowship means, “communion,” or “______________ in common.”
3. We are not to have close ties with unbelievers because __________________________ has no fellowship with unrighteousness.
4. Like Moses, we choose to be associated with other ___________________, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.
5. The second reason a local church is necessary is because it protects against false _______________.
6. The word doctrine means, “_______________” or “instruction.”
7. Timothy, a young preacher, was asked to stay at Ephesus to charge some that they teach no other ________________.
8. Sin is very deceitful; that is, it gives a false impression of being ________.
9. The third reason a local church is necessary is because it is a place to fulfill your __________________ gifts.
10. The purpose of spiritual gifts is to edify or build up the ________ of Christ (the church).
11. If you are saved, there is a local church somewhere that needs ______.
Chapter 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Final Test Liberty Bible Course Directory