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Much to the surprise of many in the modern church, the New Testament does reveal how the early church gathered collectively to seek the Lord. However, it must be viewed prayerfully apart from the bias of religious history.
According to the apostolic teaching and tradition of the New Testament, the primary style of gathering for the real New Testament church was not characterized by a large group “service” in a building. Moreover, it was not led by a predetermined liturgy under human headship. Instead, the primary style of gathering for the real New Testament church emphasized the intimacy of small group community under the immediate headship of Jesus Christ. Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, provided insight into the gatherings of the real New Testament church. While his first letter to the Corinthians was largely corrective, it unintentionally unveils the simple manner in which the real New Testament church gathered. As indicated, in chapters 11-14 of 1 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul addressed some of the problems associated with the gatherings of the New Testament church in ancient Corinth: |
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The writing of the Apostle Paul to the New Testament church in ancient Corinth presented biblical guidelines for church gatherings. Broadly speaking, the Spirit-ordered, life (zoe) based gatherings of the early church were characterized by prayer, the observance of the Lord’s Supper as a full meal, and loving, gifted ministry to one another.
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The practice of the modern religious church and the real New Testament church can be distinguished as follows:
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God created the New Testament church to be a living (zoe) organism suitable for animation by His indwelling life (zoe). Its gatherings were designed in eternity to be simple.
The simple gatherings of the real New Testament church were not predetermined by civic, religious, or historic precedent. Instead, they were directed by the indwelling Spirit of Christ within the framework of apostolic teaching and tradition. |
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Mankind contributes to the restoration of the real New Testament church by grace through faith alone. Therefore, the church body must actively trust God to provide the leadership and illumination necessary for the return to New Testament standard.
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If you want to learn more about restoring the church to New Testament standard, please follow this link to “The Real New Testament Church”. Without financial obligation to the reader, it provides a comprehensive view of early church doctrine and practice.
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