Acts 20:18-32, Our Objective: Edification, What church (2)

What kind of church do we see in the New Testament that promotes edification?

v A Bible-teaching church. 

o   Knowing God.  Being filled with the knowledge of His will (i.e. the teaching of the word of God) is fundamental to growing in the knowledge of God (Col. 1:9-10).  We must understand God’s word in its practical application (in all wisdom and spiritual understanding) that we may walk worthy of the Lord, pleasing Him fully, being fruitful and thus knowing Him better.

o   Being holy.  It is through exceedingly great and precious promises that we become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust (2 Pt. 1:4).  We have from Christ he writing of the Apostle so that you may not sin (1 Jn. 2:1).  Scripture is essential to holiness.

o   Doing good works.  Paul told Titus to emphasize certain things from Scripture that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works (Titus 3:8).  It was Titus’ preaching the word that was essential.

o   Love and unity.  We see that the declaration of what John as an Apostle had seen and heard (his testimony recorded in the New Testament) was essential, that you also may have fellowship with us (1 John 1:3).  Our unity is around the words and work of our Lord!  Which leads us to what follows.

o   Sound doctrine.  Sound doctrine depends on accurate and consistent teaching of the Bible, the source of our doctrine.  I love the way Peter called attention to this in 2 Peter 3:14-17, acknowledging the teaching of our beloved brother Paul.  Peter notes that Paul wrote about many deep things, but they are to be believed lest we be like those untaught and unstable people who twist the Scriptures to their own destruction.

o   Standing firm.  Paul committed to Timothy the responsibility of teaching God’s word in Ephesus (1 Tim. 1:3-4).  Then he said, this charge I commit to you, son Timothy … that by them you may wage the good warfare (1:18-20).  A steady diet of God’s word is essential to a life-long walk that pleases God.

We are not surprised that a “Bible teaching church” is essential to building up of every aspect of the believer’s life.  The Spirit depends on Scripture to do His work.  Jesus promised His Apostles that the Spirit would tell them what He, Jesus, wanted them to know and to pass on to His Church (John 16:13-15).  We do not believe that a local church needs to be a “Spirit-glorifying” church (the Spirit glorifies Christ); rather it needs to teach the Word of God so that the Spirit has what He needs to do the work of Christ in building us up!  Thus Paul did not shun to declare … the whole counsel of God (Ac. 20:27).  He kept back nothing that was helpful (Ac. 20:20), and ALL Scripture is helpful that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Tim. 3:16-17).