When Jesus spoke about His church, He did not speak of establishing many different churches teaching different doctrines. He said:
“And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18, KJV)
Notice the language Jesus used.
He said, “I will build” — Christ is the builder.
He said, “my church” — the church belongs to Christ.
And He spoke of “my church” in the singular.
The question is not what religious organizations exist today. The question is: What pattern did Christ and His apostles establish in the New Testament?
CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF HIS CHURCH
Paul wrote concerning Christ:
“And he is the head of the body, the church…” (Colossians 1:18, KJV)
Notice that Scripture itself identifies the church as Christ’s body.
Paul gives the same description in Ephesians:
“And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body…” (Ephesians 1:22–23, KJV)
Christ, therefore, is the Head, and the church is His body.
But how many bodies are there?
Paul answers:
“There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling.” (Ephesians 4:4, KJV)
Put these passages together:
The church is the body.
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There is one body.
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Therefore, there is one church.
That conclusion does not come from a denominational creed. It comes from allowing Scripture to define its own terms.
WHO ADDED PEOPLE TO THE CHURCH?
On the Day of Pentecost, Peter preached the gospel of Christ. When the people realized what they had done, they asked:
“Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37, KJV)
Peter answered:
“Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins…” (Acts 2:38, KJV)
Those who received the message obeyed it:
“Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.” (Acts 2:41, KJV)
Then notice what happened:
“And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” (Acts 2:47, KJV)
Who added them?
The Lord did.
They did not obey the gospel and then begin searching for a denomination that suited their personal preferences. When they obeyed the gospel, the Lord added the saved to His church.
THEN WHY DOES THE BIBLE SPEAK OF “CHURCHES”?
The New Testament certainly uses the plural word “churches.” But that does not mean denominations.
The one church existed as local congregations in different geographical locations.
Paul wrote:
“The churches of Christ salute you.” (Romans 16:16, KJV)
He addressed:
“the church of God which is at Corinth” (1 Corinthians 1:2, KJV)
He wrote:
“unto the churches of Galatia” (Galatians 1:2, KJV)
And Paul, Silvanus, and Timotheus wrote:
“unto the church of the Thessalonians…” (1 Thessalonians 1:1, KJV)
These were different local congregations in different places, but they were not different religious denominations established by different founders and governed by contradictory doctrines.
They belonged to Christ.
WHAT DID THE FIRST CHRISTIANS FOLLOW?
The first Christians did not have hundreds or thousands of denominations from which to choose.
Luke tells us:
“And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” (Acts 2:42, KJV)
Their standard was the apostles’ doctrine.
Paul commanded Christians:
“Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you…” (1 Corinthians 1:10, KJV)
Division in doctrine was not presented as God’s plan for Christianity.
Jesus prayed concerning those who would believe on Him through the apostles’ word:
“That they all may be one…” (John 17:21, KJV)
The biblical pattern is unity in the truth, not unity despite contradictory teachings.
THE BIBLICAL PATTERN
CHRIST BUILT HIS CHURCH
Matthew 16:18
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CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH
Ephesians 1:22–23; Colossians 1:18
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THE CHURCH IS CHRIST’S BODY
Ephesians 1:22–23; Colossians 1:18
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THERE IS ONE BODY
Ephesians 4:4
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THEREFORE, THERE IS ONE CHURCH
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THE GOSPEL IS PREACHED
Mark 16:15–16
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PEOPLE HEAR AND OBEY THE GOSPEL
Acts 2:37–41
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THE LORD ADDS THE SAVED TO HIS CHURCH
Acts 2:47
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THE SAVED CONTINUE IN THE APOSTLES’ DOCTRINE
Acts 2:42
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LOCAL CONGREGATIONS OF CHRIST’S CHURCH EXIST IN DIFFERENT PLACES
Romans 16:16; 1 Corinthians 1:2; Galatians 1:2; 1 Thessalonians 1:1
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ONE BODY • ONE SPIRIT • ONE HOPE • ONE LORD • ONE FAITH • ONE BAPTISM • ONE GOD AND FATHER
Ephesians 4:4–6
THAT IS THE PATTERN.
The New Testament does not present Christianity as a collection of competing religious organizations from which a person chooses according to personal preference.
It presents one Christ who built His church.
Christ is the one Head.
His church is His body.
There is one body.
The one gospel is preached.
People hear it, believe it, repent, confess Christ, and are baptized.
The Lord adds the saved to His church.
Those Christians then continue in the apostles’ doctrine as congregations of Christ’s church wherever they live.
So perhaps we have been asking the wrong question.
Instead of asking:
“Which church do I prefer?”
We should be asking:
“What church do I find in the New Testament, and am I following the pattern Christ established?”
Don’t accept that conclusion merely because it is written here.
Open your Bible.
Read the passages in their context.
Compare Scripture with Scripture.
Test the conclusion by the Word of God.
And then follow the pattern you find there.
“Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21, KJV)
ALLOW SCRIPTURE TO INTERPRET SCRIPTURE.
The Biblical Pattern
Biblical Studies & Books by Kevin L. Walker
TheBiblicalPattern.com
The Biblical Pattern 