CHURCH HISTORY | PART 3 | Keith Sharp
In 1948 C.A.O. Essien, a former police officer in Southeastern Nigeria, was looking for a church which just followed the Bible and had almost decided none existed. He learned of a Bible correspondence course sent by the Lawrence Avenue Church of Christ in Nashville, Tennessee. Brother Essien completed the twenty-six lesson course quickly and began teaching and preaching, first among his Efik neighbors, then as far as he could. In 1950 the Lawrence Avenue congregation sent two American preachers who were in South Africa to check on the situation in Nigeria. They found that Brother Essien had already established forty-five churches of Christ and had trained several preachers.
Of course, Brother Essien had found the church that followed the Bible, and he let everyone he could know of it. It is the same as the first century church, the church we read about in the New Testament.
The Lord Jesus Christ promised to build His church (Matthew 16:18), and He kept His promise (Ephesians 1:22-23). The New Testament contains over one hundred references to the church. The church Jesus built is described there, and we must follow the pattern contained in this divine revelation (2 Timothy 1:13). What are the characteristics of the church Jesus built, the first century church, the church described in the New Testament?
Christ is the foundation of His church (Matthew 16:13-20; 1 Corinthians 3:11), and He possesses all authority over His church (Matthew 28:18; Ephesians 1:22-23). The church of the New Testament does everything by His authority (Colossians 3:17).
A creed is a short, authoritative statement of beliefs. The only creed of the church Jesus built is the Scriptures, the Bible, the inspired Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The first century church did indeed follow the Bible.
The Lord Jesus taught His disciples that they must love each other as He loved them (John 13:34-35). This is the way all people can know we are His disciples. That love was manifested by coming together faithfully to worship and study, sharing their goods with needy disciples, being hospitable to one another (Acts 2:42-47; cf. Hebrews 10:24-25), and by correcting one other when sin occurred (Galatians 6:1-2; James 5:19-20).
The church Jesus built did not wear sectarian names (1 Corinthians 1:10-13), for these manifest sectarian loyalty. The individuals who composed this church were called “disciples” (Acts 8:3; 9:1), “saints” (Acts 9:13), “Christians” (Acts 11:25-26), or “members” (1 Corinthians 12:27). Congregations were called “churches of Christ” (Romans 16:16) or churches of God (1 Corinthians 1:2), since all who belong to God also belong to Christ (John 17:10).
The first century church had a simple, powerful message it took to the whole world, the gospel of Christ (Mark 16:15-16), the power to save all who believe (Romans 1:16). It neither proclaimed nor tolerated any other message (Galatians 1:6-9).
This church was composed of all the saved. The Lord adds those whom He saves to the church (Acts 2:47), and He saves His church (Ephesians 5:23).
The only doctrine the church of the New Testament taught was the doctrine of Christ (2 John verses 9). Teaching human opinions was forbidden (1 Peter 4:11; 2 Peter 2:1-3).
The lives of its members were holy (1 Peter 1:15-16), and sin was not tolerated (Acts 5:1-11; 1 Corinthians chapter 5).
Its worship was in spirit and truth (John 4:23-24) and was simple and without pomp, consisting of partaking of the Lord’s Supper each first day of the week in memory of the death of Christ (1 Corinthians 1:23-26; Acts 20:7), preaching and teaching the Word of God (Acts 20:7; 2 Timothy 4:1-5), singing spiritual songs (Colossians 3:16), praying (Acts 12:12), and contributing to the church on the first day of the week (1 Corinthians 16:1-2).
The only earthly organization the disciples had was independent, self-governing local churches (1 Corinthians 1:2; 1 Peter 5:1-2), each ruled by their own elders (1 Peter 5:1-2).
The work these local churches did was spiritual (Romans 14:17), and was limited to preaching the gospel (1 Timothy 3:14-15; 1 Thessalonians 1:6-8), edifying (building up) the disciples (Ephesians 4:11-16), and assisting needy Christians (2 Corinthians 8:1-4).
This church had the same kind of unity Jesus and the Father have (John 17:20-21).
Finally, the church of the New Testament had only one hope, not a future, material kingdom on earth, not a better world now, but an eternal home in heaven (1 Peter 1:3-5).
Brother Essien discovered that there is still a church which follows the Bible, which is the same in faith as the first century church. You need to believe and obey the gospel, so the Lord will add you to this church.
