What Christ's Church Looked Like
By Eddie Cloer

               "So then, those who had received his word were
 baptized; and there were added that day about
 three thousand souls" (Acts 2:41).

 Photographs are popular with most of us because of their practical and sentimental value. For one thing, they refresh our memories. Through the goodness of God, we were part of a type of a preacher's workshop in American Samoa in the summer of 1992. The Samoans are a generous and loving people, and it does not take any visiting brother long to grow to love and appreciate them deeply. They received all who came for the workshop into their hearts the moment we stepped off the plane; consequently, we immediately received them into ours. We took numerous videotapes of the workshop, the church, and our time together. What a treasure they have become! Frequently we watch them and remember our brethren in faraway American Samoa. As certain special scenes appear, we say, "Yes, I remember that moment." Those video tapes bring back to us the faces of the people and all the wonderful times we had with them during that workshop. In a remarkable way, the videotapes stir our memories. 

Also, pictures aid us as they clarify the abstract. As we contemplate an obscure, theoretical thought, a picture can often assist us in eliminating the confusion and lead us to a better understanding of the thought. For example, we might discuss at length the traits of a Christian home without much benefit. If, however, after an explanation of the Christian home is given, we point to an actual Christian home, a home which exemplifies all the qualities of a Christ centered home, then the concept of the Christian home becomes visible and powerful! The concept has been clarified by the picture. Pictures or models enable us to visualize the reality which is conveyed by the abstract thought. 

In His revelation to us, God used both the abstract thought and the picture. He thoroughly explained; then He clearly illustrated. He provided models to go with His mandates, examples to go with His explanations. 

We see this particular uniqueness to His revelation in His presentation of the church which Jesus built. He explained in various ways the features and image of Christ's church, and then He gave models or pictures of that church in its actual existence. 

The first picture the New Testament gives of the church is found in the latter part of Acts 2. The Gospels have created in us an expectation, an anticipation, for a picture of the church through their record of prophecies about it given by Jesus and His apostles (Matthew 16:18; Mark 9:1; Acts 1:4 8). Then, in Acts 2, as the church is established, a living picture of the church is set before us by the Holy Spirit. 

This picture of the church helps us to visualize the dominant characteristics of it. No longer are we left to wonder what the church which Jesus established looks like in real life.

Survey carefully the chief traits of the church in the picture of it given by Luke in Acts 2:

And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

And everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. And all those who had believed were together, and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions, and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. And day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42 47)

What distinguishing characteristics of the church do we see in this picture?

UNWAVERING IN COMMITMENT 

The first trait is a steadfast commitment to the apostles' doctrine or teaching. They were faithfully adhering to God's revelation which had been given to them through the inspired apostles. Luke says, "And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." (Acts 2:42).

This commitment of the church to the apostles' teaching manifested itself in a faithful following of their teaching; in their fellowship together in worship, service, and giving; in their observance of the Lord's Supper or the breaking of bread; ¹ and in prayer. Christ was their head, and they were recognizing His leadership of His church by honoring His Word which had been given to them through the apostles. 

¹ The frequency of the observance of the Lord's Supper is not discussed in this passage by Luke, but he does intimate in Acts 20:7 that the supper was partaken by the church every first day of the week, the day on which Jesus arose

We must not allow the divisions of Christendom to obscure the simplicity of following Christ as His church. The church is not a manmade body. It is a group of people who have yielded to the message of the Holy Spirit and thus, by their obedience to the gospel, have been bonded together by the Holy Spirit into Christ's church. They belong only to Christ. They look to no human leadership but are guided by the head of the body, Christ, through His revealed Word. They view faithfulness to Christ in terms of abiding in His inspired Word.  

David Lipscomb sincerely believed that he was living as a member of Christ's church. He was never received into any denomination. He wore only the name "Christian" and sought to follow the Scriptures in every detail. His devotion to Christ was seen in his daily searching of the Scriptures and in his preaching and teaching of them. Living with the Scriptures became so much a part of him that when old age took his eyesight, he would still sit on his porch in the cool of the evening with his Bible on his lap. Even though his Bible may have been upside down, he had it tenderly placed on his lap.  A lifetime of pursuing Christ's will as revealed in t he Scriptures was reflected in t he comfort he found in his old age by holding the precious Word on his lap even though he could not read it.²

The church of Christ can exist only where people obey Christ's gospel and abide daily in His inspired Word. It must be a faithful, continual abiding. Our worship is guided by it, our work as Christ's hands in the world is guided by it, and our daily living for Christ is guided by it.

As we look at the Holy Spirit's picture of the church, the trait of unwavering commitment comes before us.

 ² Earl West, The Life and Times of David Lipscomb (Henderson, Tenn.: Religious Book Service, 1954), 281.  

UNSELFISH IN COMPASSION  

Another characteristic that we cannot miss in this divine picture of the church is the church's unselfish compassion for each other. Their sincere obedience to the truth produced in them a compassionate love for each other. Luke says, "And they began selling their property and possessions, and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need" (Acts 2:45).

Jews had come from all over the Roman Empire to keep the Day of Pentecost. They thought that this Pentecost would be a normal one; but, to their complete surprise, it was not. It was the historic day toward which the prophets had looked. After hearing Peter's message, many of the Jews decided to become Christians (Acts 2:41). Their obedience to Christ meant a radical change for them. For one thing, they needed to stay in Jerusalem and be taught further by the apostles about the church of which they had become a part. The sudden decision to stay in Jerusalem would be difficult for some of them because they had made no advance plans for such a stay. They would need housing and food, no doubt. How did other Christians who did not face such a crisis respond to these brothers and sisters in distress from distant places? Their response is a picture of compassion and love that is seldom equaled. Some sold houses and land in order to care for these brethren. Their actions illustrate the trait of compassion which Christ intended always to be a part of His church.

____________________________________________

True Christians have 
an active brotherly love 
which is created by God's love 
dwelling in their hearts.
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A truth which makes their giving and sharing beautiful beyond description is that their giving was totally voluntary. It was not coerced or demanded by the apostles (Acts 5:4). It sprang from hearts of tender compassion and Christ like love. Christ had produced in them a new nature, a life of unselfish sympathy. 

Their giving was not just giving or sharing so that all might be equal or have the same amount of goods. It was not communal living; it was caring love. They gave to those in need. They satisfied needs, not greeds. They knew that every emergency demands urgency. As people developed needs, others acted in love to meet those needs even if it called for sacrificial giving! 

Luke later says of the church, "For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales, and lay them at the apostles' feet; and they would be distributed to each, as any had need" (Acts 4:34). He also said, "And not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own; but all things were common property to them" (Acts 4:32). 

I often tell my students at Harding University as they prepare to travel to their homes during a break or for the summer, "If you have car trouble or any other kind of difficulty as you travel, just remember to call your brethren in the town where you are stranded. They will help you." A love and concern for each family member prevails in Christ's church, transcending material possessions and selfish ambitions. 

In American Samoa, I was told that each clan of people would care for a needy member of that clan before any luxuries were considered for any other person in the clan. Needs came first; above all other dreams or desires, needs were met. In a similar way, Christ's church should be known for its compassion for each member. 

Compassion is a basic attribute of Christ's church. His church cannot exist where faithful adherence to His Word is not present; neither can His church exist unless compassion abounds as an expression of the very heart of Christ. True Christians have an active brotherly love which is created by God's love dwelling in their hearts. John wrote, "But whoever has the world's goods, and beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?" (1 John 3:17). 

In the Spirit's first picture of the church, unselfish compassion is plainly a significant trait.

UNITED IN CHRIST

A third characteristic of Christ's church seen in this picture is its unity. The Holy Spirit, through the obedience of these people to the gospel and their daily adherence to the apostles' teaching, had given the members of Christ's church a oneness of mind. Luke says, "And all those who had believed were together, and had all things in common" (Acts 2:44). He further says, "And day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart" (Acts 2:46).

As we behold this beautiful unity which existed in the church that Jesus built, let us remind ourselves of the significance of this first picture of the church. This picture gives us the result, the fruition, of Christ's earthly life and death. What kind of church did Christ come to establish or create? Is it an organizational monstrosity with multiple bodies which wear different names, live by different creeds, and have no fellowship with each other? Or did He create a united body over which He reigns as head? On this Day of Pentecost, we see the clearest image in perhaps all of the New Testament of what Christ wants His church to be and how He wants it to live in the world. This picture unmistakably reveals that unity, a oneness of mind and life, characterized that church. This has to be what Christ desires for His church today. The division which prevails throughout the religious world is a sure sign that man, in his worldly wisdom, has left Christ's church and has manufactured churches of his own.

The unity of the Lord's church can be illustrated in marriage. Two people who are different in background experiences, family life, and in gender become one in marriage (Ephesians 5:31). After their wedding ceremony, they emerge as a new family. They belong to each other now, and they take on a new nature. Selfish ambitions and personal goals die; new ambitions and goals for the good of this new family come to life. They dwell together in unity, being of one heart and soul, working together for the maintenance, love, and future of their home. How were they given this unity? It was given by their common consent to enter marriage and their fulfillment of the marriage law. How do they maintain this unity? They maintain it by loving each other, caring for each other, forgiving one another, honoring their marriage vows, and honoring the blessed estate of marriage.

____________________________________________

On this Day of Pentecost, we see 
the clearest image 
in perhaps all of the New Testament 
of what Christ wants His church 
to be and of how He wants it 
to live in the world.
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  Is this not true of the church? How do we enter the unity of the church? By personal consent, we decide to yield our lives to the gospel of Christ and enter His body, the church. As we enter that body, we are united by the Holy Spirit to Christ and to every member of it. With one heart and soul, we begin to love, serve, and live as His body. How do we maintain this unity? We keep it intact by loving and forgiving each other and by honoring the sacred Word of Christ in worship, service, and daily living. 

An undeniable characteristic of Christ's church is unity. Christ's true church cannot exist where division remains. We are given this unity by the Holy Spirit when we enter Christ's body; and, as we live as His body, we will either maintain it or mar it, Division in the body of Christ should be unthinkable to every Christian. According to the Holy Spirit's picture, the one place where unity is to be found in this world is in the body of Christ.   

CONCLUSION

The Holy Spirit's picture of the New Testament church reveals three striking attributes which set Christ's church apart from all other religious bodies for all time. First, His church is a group of people who have been obedient to His Word and who steadfastly abide in His inspired Word. Second, His church is characterized by compassion for each member, a loving concern which considers a needy member of the church of greater significance than even material concerns and treasures. Third, each person who enters Christ's church through the gospel is made one with Christ and with all the other members by the Holy Spirit and maintains that unity by his love and daily adherence to Christ's Word. The church is pictured as one family with one heart and life! 

How, then, can we be Christ's church today? Two words suggest the method: "duplicate" and "dedicate." Let us duplicate the way of becoming a follower of Christ that is found in this chapter. These people heard Christ's Word as it was preached by Peter and cried, "What shall we do?" Peter told them, "Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins;. . . " (Acts 2:38). Through the faith engendered in them by the Word, they repented and were baptized for the forgiveness of their sins, and the Lord added them to His church. This is Christ's way of making us His own. When we follow this way, Christ will do for us what He did for them. He loves us even as He loved them; He died for us even as He died for them. 

Having obeyed Christ's Word, let us dedicate ourselves to living as Christ's church. According to the picture in Acts 2, this should be done by adhering to Christ's Word, living with the heart of Christ, and maintaining the unity which the Holy Spirit has given us in Christ. 

Do not allow the divided religious world to confuse and distort the beautiful picture that the Holy Spirit has given us of Christ's church. When anyone comes to His Word without prejudice, he can easily see what the church is and what it looks like in the world. 

Now that we know what Christ's church looks like, let us ask ourselves, "Do we look like Christ's church?"     

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY
AND DISCUSSION