This study was first taught on August 19, 2018

Topic: What is the Church of God? (5): The 4 ‘P’s (2)

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Background
Last week, we began to look at the 4 ‘P’s that make a church the church of the Living God. these 4 ‘P’s are People, Place, Power, and Purpose. We considered the first two last week in which we noted that:
1. The People who make up the church of the Living God are not just people who merely believe in the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, but also, they must accept His Lordship which means that they submit totally to Him and to His word. Furthermore, the people who make up the church of the Living God are saints, having been sanctified and are continually being sanctified!
2. The Place is more than a meeting venue, neither is a grouping of saints from every part of the world. Indeed, whilst those saints who gather in a meeting venue can be referred to as a church, and for as much as all the saints in any large geographical grouping is referred to as the church of God; yet, when we talk about ‘place’, we are referring to the ‘container’ into which the saints in that community or locality have been called to influence with their daily walk with God and manifesting the power of God! Such a locality or community from Scripture is a city, town, or, village. Such a locality would be one that does not necessitate unnecessary commuting. For example, you should not live and work in say, Aba (or Town A), and be a part of the church in say, Port-Harcourt or Owerri (Town B). On the other hand, meetings in homes within a locality will not fulfill the requirement of ‘place’ since they may not function as administratively independent churches. Hence, we noted that in Scripture, we have the church in Jerusalem, the church in Antioch, the church in Ephesus, etc.; but we have the churches of Judaea, the churches in Macedonia, the churches in Achaia. The difference being that where ‘church’ (singular) is used, it refers to a locality—city, town, village—but where ‘churches’ (plural) is used, it refers to a group of localities, as in a region or province, etc.

Scripture Text(s)
Acts 2:1-4; 1:8
The disciples of the Lord who gathered on the day of Pentecost were not just referred to as “the church of the Living God” after the Holy Spirit came upon them; they were referred to as the “church of the Living God” because they were conferred with power!
Today, we shall be looking at the third ‘P’—Power. It is our prayer that the Holy Spirit will enlighten us more on the power of the church, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
1 Peter 2:11ff; 3:1-7; Romans 2:17-29; John 17:15-20; 15:10-15; 13:34-35; 1 John 3:10-18; Romans 12:1-2; 13:8-10; 1 Corinthians 12:7-11; John 15:16, 1-8; Psalm 62:11; Matthew 28:18-20; Luke 10:19; 1 John 4:1-21; 5:2-4; John 15:15.

Conclusion
(1) If a people gather together in a locality but have not the Holy Spirit, which confers on men an ability and authority, that gathering is not the church of God, no matter how large the gathering.
(2) If a people gather together, even in the name of the Lord Jesus, but are unable to impact or influence their locality with the righteousness and love of God, that cannot be the church of God! (2 Timothy 3:5)
(3) If a people gather together and they cannot be distinguished by the peculiarity of their lifestyle and values, they are not the church of God (Romans 8:9, 29; Galatians 5:24).
(4) If a people gather together in a locality and display characteristics that show lawlessness, indiscipline, and disorder, that is not the church of God (1 Timothy 3:5; Hebrews 13:7, 17).
(5) The power of the church is love, which governs the authority and ability of the saints to function in partnership with the Holy Spirit with compassion, to manifest the goodness, mercy, and love of God to a dying world through intercession, benevolence, and the preaching of the gospel (Matthew 9:36; Mark 8:1-9; 10:17-22).
(6) The authority of the church as relates to internal affairs, is applied for the purpose of internal cohesion and discipline, through the government of the local church—the elders (Hebrews 12:5-11).
(7) When, therefore, the saints of God are gathered together in a meeting, there is always order, decency, and, discipline (1 Corinthians 14:26-40).
(8) The demonstration/manifestation of ability must be subject to authority, and both must be enveloped in the love of God! You may have ability to do something, yet God may not authorize the use that ability because of His love!

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