The scripture verses listed, taken from the King James Version of the Bible, pertain to the various bible doctrines we will be looking at. They are by no means the only ones. You are encouraged to look up on your own perhaps as part of your private devotions and through a good concordance the many other verses of scripture pertaining to a particular doctrine.

THE DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH
"ECCLESIOLOGY"

A. The word "church" Ekklacea (grk) ecclesia (English) meaning called out ones has two meanings in the new testament.
1. First it is used in the literal sense to designate the local church. The self-governing assembly of "Born Again" baptized Christians, meeting together for worship, administration of ordinances, instructions, edification, fellowship, discipline and service. (Acts 2:41, 42; 16:4-5)
2. Secondly it is used to designate the Bride of Christ including all born-again members of the body of Christ in heaven and on earth.
B. The Bride of Christ
1. Who are members?
**a. All born-again persons since Pentecost.
2. How are they made members?
**a. By the Baptism of the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 12:13)
3. The head of the church is Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23; 5:23)
4. The foundation of the church is Christ (I Corinthians 3:11)
5. The chief corner stone of the church is Christ (Ephesians 2:19-20)
6. We are living stones a spiritual house; a royal priesthood
(I Peter 2:5-6, 9)
7. The church belongs to Christ as His body (Colossians 1:24)
**a. Purchased with His Blood (Acts 20:28)
**b. United as one body through the Holy Spirit(John 17);(Romans 12:5)
**c. The church will be sinless in heaven (Ephesians 5:26-27)
C. The Visible Church
1. Organization of the local church
**a. Memberships- Professing Baptized, sanctified believers (Acts 2:47);(I Corinthians 1:2)
**b. Officers
1. Apostles served in the establishment of the church. No where in the new testament church is the Apostolic office shown to be passed on. (Acts 20:28);(Ephesians 4:11);(Philippians 1:1)
2. Prophets served to communicate God's Truth
**a. Until the Bible was completed (Revelation 22:18-19) The prophetic office involved foretelling and forth-telling(proclaiming)
**b. After the Bible was completed (Revelation 22:18-19) the prophetic office involves forth-telling(proclaiming) only
3. The Evangelist serve as traveling preachers (Acts 21:8);(II Timothy 4:5)
4. The teachers serve to instruct the church (I Corinthians 12:28-29);(Ephesians 4:11);(I Timothy 2:7)
5. The pastors, bishops, and elders serve to guide, care for and teach the church (Hebrews 13:17); (I Peter 5:1-4)
6. The deacons care for church routine in order to free the Pastor for the ministry of the Word and prayer (Acts 6:1-6)
**a. Qualifications of a deacon (I Timothy 3:8-13)
D. Functions of the local church
1. Officers
**a. Preach the Word (II Timothy 4:2)
**b. Teach members (Ephesians 4:11-16)
**c. Evangelize the lost (Matthew 28:19-20);(Acts 1:8)
**d. Discipline members (Matthew 18:15-17);(Romans 16:17); (I Corinthians 5:1-5, 11-13);(II Thessalonians 3:6, 14-15)
**e. Defend the Word (I Timothy 1:3-4);(II Timothy 1:13); (Titus 1:9-11);(Jude 3)
**f. Not to compromise with sin but to oppose it (Ephesians 5:11)
**g. To care for those having special needs (Acts 6:1-6);(James 5:14)
**h. To administer the ordinances. The Lords Supper and Baptism (Acts 2:41-42)
2. Members (what are their functions?)
**a. Exhort on another (Hebrews 10:25)
**b. Pray (Acts 2:42)(we see the power of prayer in the twelfth chapter of Acts)
**c. To evangelize the lost (Matthew 22:1-14; 28:19-20)
**d. To contribute financially (Romans 15:26);(I Corinthians 16:1-2)
**e. Fellowship (Acts 2:46)
**f. Partake of the ordinances, The Lords Supper and Baptism (Acts 8:12; 20:7)
E. Tests of a true church
1. Does it believe the Bible to be the inspired Word of God? (II Timothy 3:16)
2. Does it accept the Bible as it's only rule of faith and practice? (II Timothy 3:16-17)
3. Does it build up the Saints conforming them to the image of Christ, does it change them? (II Corinthians 3:18; 5:17);(Romans 8:29)
4. Does it edify, does it exhort? (Hebrews 10:22-25)
5. Does it carry out the great commission? (Matthew 28:19-20)
**a. Go (as we are going)
**b. Teach (give the Gospel)
**c. Baptize (disciple)
**d. Teach (the whole council of God)
We know that this is the purpose and commission of this church to go out into the highways and hedges and bring them in (Luke 14:23)
Christ and His church is a symbol of marriage.(Ephesians 5:22-33)
So you see mariage pictures Christ and His church , and as a man and woman commit adultery when they are not faithful to each other, so do we when we do not remain faithful to the Lord. We commit spiritual adultery. Marriage is an honorable state in that it is symbolic of Christ and His church. We are members of His body, of His Flesh and of His bones. Therefore we are to love one another and to submit ourselves one to the other. (I John 4:7)