Some things you should know...

You should know that the church is:

• built by Jesus Christ (Matt. 16:13-18)

• purchased by the blood of Christ (Acts 20:28)

• built on Jesus Christ as the only foundation (I Cor. 3:11)

• not built on Peter, Paul, or any other man (I Cor. 1:12-13)

• composed of the saved, who are added to it by the Lord who saves them (Acts 2:47)

 

You should know that the Lord Jesus Christ:

• loved the church (Eph. 5:25)

• shed His blood for the church (Acts 20:28)

• established the church (Matt. 16:18)

• added saved people to the church (Acts 2:47)

• is the head of the church (Eph. 1:22-23; 5:23)

• will save the church (Acts 2:47; Eph. 5:23)

 

You should know that to enter the church you must:

• believe in Jesus Christ (Heb. 11:6; John 8:24; Acts 16:31)

• repent of your sins (Luke 13:3; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 17:30)

• confess faith in Jesus (Matt. 10:32; Acts 8:37; Rom. 10:9-10)

• be baptized (Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 10:48; 22:16)

 

You should know that by baptism:

• you are saved from sins (Mark 16:16; I Pet. 3:21)

• you have remission of sins (Acts 2:38)

• sins are washed away by the blood of Christ (Acts 22:16; Heb. 9:22; 10:22; I Pet 3:21)

• you enter into the church (I Cor. 12:13; Acts 2:41, 47)

• you enter into Christ (Gal. 3:26-27; Rom. 6:3-4)

• you put on Christ and become a child of God (Gal. 3:26-27)

• you are born again, a new creature (Rom. 6:3-4; II Cor. 5:17)

• you walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:3-6)

• you obey Christ (Mark 16:15-16; Acts 10:48; II Thess. 1:7-9)

 

You should know that the faithful church will:

• worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24)

• meet on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7; Heb. 10:25)

• pray (James 5:16; Acts 2:42; I Tim. 2:1-2; I Thess. 1:7-9)

• sing, making melody with the heart (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16)

• eat the Lord's supper on the first day of each week (Acts 2:42; 20:7; Matt. 26:26-30; I Cor. 11:20-32)

• give liberally and cheerfully (I Cor. 16:1-2; II Cor. 8:1-5; 9:6-8)

 

You should know that the same church today:

• is guided by the same Word (I Pet. 1:22-25; II Tim. 3:16-17)

• contends for the one faith (Jude 3; Eph. 4:5)

• pleads for unity of all believers (John 17:20-21; Eph. 4:4-6)

• is not a denomination (I Cor. 1:10-13; Eph. 4:1-6)

• is faithful to Christ (Luke 6:46; Rev. 2:10; Mark 8:38)

• wears the name of Christ (Rom. 16:16; Acts 11:26; I Pet. 4:16)

 

You should know that the local church has:

• elders (also called bishops and pastors) who oversee and tend the flock (I Tim. 3:17; Titus 1:5-9; I Pet 5:1-4)

• deacons who sever the church (I Tim. 3:8-13; Phil. 1:1)

• evangelists (preachers, ministers) who teach and proclaim the Word of God (Eph. 4:11; I Tim. 4:13-16; II Tim. 4:1-5)

• members who love the Lord and each other

• autonomy, and is bound to other local churches only by the common faith shared (Jude 3; Gal. 5:1)