A picture is worth a thousand words: NT Church.7

Series Intro: What is a New Testament church? It is not a building. It is not a social club. It is not something you “do.”  NT Church.7

OverviewPart2Part3; Part4Part 5; Part 6

I would suggest that there are certain components which must be part of any assembly which would call itself a biblical “church.” Without these you cannot have a church:

  1. Gospel believing individuals
  2. Baptized in demonstration of their conversion
  3. Recognizably covenanting together
  4. Regularly meeting around God’s Word
  5. Under legitimate leadership
  6. Administering Baptism and the Lord’s Table

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Let’s take a look at the sixth essential component of a NT local church: Administering Baptism and the Lord’s Table

We have already considered Baptism here, so this post will focus on the Lord’s Table

A. Different views

  • Real Presence – the bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ (transubstantiation)
  • Sacramental Union – Christ is supernaturally present along side the bread and wine (consubstantiation)
  • Real Spiritual Presence – the real spiritual presence of Christ is present during the meal
  • Ordinance – Christ is remembered during the meal

B. Paul in 1 Cor 11:17-34 (The following outline was taken from Bauder, Kevin T. Baptist Distinctives and New Testament Church Order. Schaumburg: Regular Baptist Press, 2012.)

The Lord’s Table provides believers with the opportunity for a crucial look:

  • A look back to the cross of Christ (11:23-24)
  • A look up to the risen Christ (1 Cor 15:1-8)
  • A look around at those who are part of the body of Christ (11:17-20, 33)
  • A look within at sin (11:27-32)
  • A look forward to the return of Christ (11:26)

A NT Church has the unique privilege and responsibility of visually enacting the Gospel in two ways – Baptism and Lord’s Table. These cannot be taken lightly. As a body we come together to remember, celebrate, and proclaim Christ’s death, burial, resurrection, and return. Let us not forsake the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is. We need to hear and see the Gospel more than we realize.