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What We Believe and Why
Written by Dr. Lester Hutson

Copyright - Lester Hutson - 1986
This material is copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced without the express written permission of Dr. Lester Hutson.

CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT

THE LORD'S CHURCH IS LOCAL
EPHESIANS 3:21

We believe that the Lord's church is a local congregation of baptized believers. We flatly reject the idea of a universal church. The church is not made up of believers from many different congregations; each local congregation is the Lord's church.

I. Many today and down through the ages have held to the common but false idea that all believers are spiritually bonded together into a body which they call the universal church:

A. There are two major variations to this universalist idea:

1. Some (mainly the Roman Catholics) believe in a universal visible church. They say Roman Catholics all over the world make up one big true church.

2. Many others who reject the Roman idea, hold to one equally evil and unscriptural: it is the idea that all believers make up one true invisible church.

3. These beliefs are held by those who have jumped to conclusions without conducting a thorough examination of the scriptures.

B. The Bible does point out that all the members of God's local churches shall be eventually gathered together into one great congregation in the presence of the Lord:

1. This is the church in glory and it is spoken of in several places:

a. Rev. 7:9 and 21:1-2 Both refer to this future congregation.

b. Heb. 12:22-23 It will be a congregation of perfected men, which tells you immediately that this does not speak of present congregations.

C. Eph. 5:23-25; 27-29; 32 refer to this glorified congregation.

2. This is a congregation in prospect; not presently in existence:

a. It is not the Lord's church yet, any more than a bride is a wife until after the marriage.

b. There must be a redemption of bodies before this church can exist.

3. Many of the spiritual misunderstandings have arisen because men applied these scriptures, speaking about the church to come, to the church today.

4. It should be noted from the foregoing scriptures that even the future glorified church will not be an uncoordinated arrangement of believers in different locations, but will be one local congregation.

C. The Bible also uses the word church in an abstract sense from which some conclude there is a mystical church:

1. Eph. 3:10 and 21 refer to church in the abstract sense. The abstract can only be performed by reducing it to the concrete. And the only kind of a church which exists in the concrete is a local one.

2. Christ said He'd build His church (Mt. 16:18) which, when He did, was the church at Jerusalem in which He set apostles and other members, I Cor. 12:28.

II. The only church which exists today is local, visible:

A. In most of the places where the church is mentioned, it is extremely obvious that one particular congregation is referred to:

1. Phil. 2 "To the church in thy house."

2. III Jn. 10 "Casteth them out of the church."

3. I Cor. 4:17 "I teach everywhere in every church."

4. Acts 14:27 speaks of gathering the church together.

5. Phil. 4:15 The church gave to Paul.

6. III Jn. 9 "I wrote unto the church."

B. On many occasions the particular church is called by name:

1. Rom. 16:1 "The church which is at Cenchrea."

2. Acts 11:22 "The church which was at Jerusalem."

3. Col. 4:16 "The church of the Laodiceans. "

4. Many, many times several different churches are referred to and the word "churches" is used, I Cor. 7:17, Rev. 1:4, Gal. 1:2.

C. There is no legitimate way to gather from the scriptures the idea of a universal church:

1. Since so many passages definitely refer to a local, visible church, if one passage did refer to some mystical universal body, one would be confused as to just what does constitute the church; but the Bible is consistent as to what the church is.

2. The only way the idea of a universal church can be deducted from the scriptures is by misapplying them.

III. If a universal church did exist, it would create a set of impossible difficulties.

A. There are commands it could not obey:

1. The command to assemble (Heb. 10:25) each Lord's day (Acts 20:7).

2. I Cor. 11:23-26 How could it observe the Lord's supper?

3. How could church discipline be administered? (Mt. 18:15-18).

4. How could the preacher feed the flock? (Acts 20:28).

B. If there is a universal body or church, who is the real pastor, where are the deacons, etc.? Eph. 4:11.

C. How could it possibly operate as a coordinated body with all Suffering and rejoicing together? I Cor. 12:26.

D. How could a universal church get into Philemon's house? Phil. 2.

E. How could Paul have persecuted a universal church? Phil. 3:6.

F. This all probably sounds somewhat preposterous and ridiculous:

1. That is precisely the point; the idea of a universal church is ridiculous and obviously so when pursued to its logical conclusions.

2. The kind of church the Bible discusses, a local one, is not illogical; but sensible and charged to carry on God's work.

3. It's that institution that every believer should be a part of.

"It Does Make a Difference What You Believe"