Calvary Baptist Church

Calvary Baptist Church, Grenada, MS

Holding to the truths embraced by Baptist for centuries.

Scripture references: I Timothy 3:15, Ephesians 5:23-27, I Corinthians 12:27-28, Matthew 10:1-4, Mark 3:13-19, Matthew 16:13-18, I Peter 2:5, I Corinthians 3:11, Matthew 28:16-20, Luke 24:44-48, Acts 1:1-8, Exodus 40:33-38, I Kings 7:51, I Kings 8:10-11, Acts 2:1-8, Ephesians 2:21-22.

What is the church? There is a great deal of controversy and confusion about what a church is. Like other matters revealed to us in the Word, we are to turn a deaf ear to man's notions and depend solely on the Word for the answer. Here and here only will we find an adequate answer. It will be for our edification to throw aside all notions gendered by the teaching of man and take just what God says.

The Holy Spirit uses one word and one only to denote the church. The word used for church was not a technical word but one in common usage of the day. When Jesus used the word church. His hearers knew exactly what He meant. This is not true today because there is so much confusion and so wide a variance in the religious world that we do not all have the same concept when we hear the word church used. Let us ask the Greek scholar for the exact meaning of the word church as used by the people and Jesus in Jesus' day.

The scholar tells us that the word used by the writers of the New Testament is made up of two words: ek meaning out of and kaleo meaning call. The verb ekkaleo means

to call out. The noun ekkalesia means the called out or assembly. When Jesus said to His disciples "I will build my church", He was saying, "I will build my assembly". The words that differentiated Jesus' ekkalesia from other ekkalesia of the day were "I will build" and "my". Jesus was to call out His group by His own means and they would have a mission, which Jesus would give to them.

The word ekkalesia is used 115 times in the New Testament. Two times it has reference to disorderly assembly, really a mob bent on the death of the apostles; one time to an orderly assembly of citizens of Ephesus for passing upon the guilt of innocence of an accused person. Once it refers to the "people of Israel in the wilderness (Acts 7:38) and once to the assembly as it shall be when all are gathered together in glory (Hebrews 12:23). The other 110 times it refers to the church Christ built.

The word church is used in three senses. First, the local or concrete aspect which is the most common of its usages; "the church at Jerusalem", "the church at Antioch", "the churches of Asia", "the church at Corinth". Secondly, church is used in the generic sense. A similar use of the word home would appear as "the home is the foundation of our society". I Timothy 3:15 "but if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth". I Corinthians 14:19 "Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue." And in the same chapter the 35th verse “…for it is a shame for women to speak in the church." Thirdly, church is used to denote all the redeemed in this dispensation. Ephesians 5:23-27 "For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church; and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it; that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the

word, that He might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish". Hebrews 12:22-24 "But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel".

Jesus said, "I will build my church. In I Corinthians 12:27-28 we find the order in which Jesus built His church. "Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular and God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers . . ." In the three Matthew, Mark and Luke we have the account of Jesus’ choosing His apostles. Matthew 10:1-4 "And when He had called unto Him His twelve disciples, He gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; the first, Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee and John his brother; Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Cannanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him." Mark 3:13-19 "And He goeth up into a mountain and calleth unto Him whom He would; and they came unto Him. And He ordained twelve, that they should be with Him, and that He might send them forth to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out devils; and Simon Pie surnamed Peter; and James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and He surnamed them Boanerges which is the sons of thunder; and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cannanite, and Judas Iscariot which also betrayed Him." Luke 6:12-16 "And it came to pass in those days, that

He went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, He called unto Him His disciples; and of them he chose twelve, whom also He named apostles; Simon, (whom He also named Peter), and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor."

As the tabernacle and the temple were assembled of prepared material, so was Jesus's church built with prepared material. Luke 1:17 the angel told Zacharias the following concerning John. "And he shall go before Him in the spirit and power of Elias to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord". In Luke 3:16 John speaks of Jesus "I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose; He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire". Jesus Himself was baptized of John. Luke 3:21-22 "Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased."

Jesus took the material prepared by John and built His church. Matthew 16:13-18 "When Jesus came unto the coast of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father, which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church: and the gates of hell shall not pre-

vail against it." In the last sentence Jesus uses two words petras, a small stone for a building and petra, a big foundation rock. Thou are petras, a small building stone and upon this petra or foundation rock I will build my church. Peter is a small building stone and Jesus is the foundation rock upon which Jesus built His church. The material that Jesus used to build His church was material prepared for Him—those whom John baptized and whose confession was the belief that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God. To believe that Jesus was the Christ was to believe that in Him were all the Old Testament prophecies fulfilled and that Jesus was the Lamb of God who came to be the Saviour of the world. Each believer is a building stone just as was Peter. I Peter 2:5 "Ye, also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house". Jesus Himself is the foundation as well as the founder. I Corinthians 3:11 "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ".

Jesus built His church while He was here on earth. He also gave His church a mission or purpose. Matthew 28:16-20 "Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into the mountain where Jesus had appointed them; And when they saw Him, they worshipped Him: but some doubted. And Jesus came and spake unto them saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost; Teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." Mark 16:15-16 "And He said unto them. Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature; He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but He that believeth not shall be damned." Luke 24:44-48 "And He said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning me. Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, And said unto them,

Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things". Acts 1:1-8 "The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, Until the day in which He was taken up, after that He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments unto the apostles whom He had chosen: To whom also He shewed Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: And being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me, For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence, When they therefore were come together, they asked of Him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And He said unto them. It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in His own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth".

When the tabernacle had been completed according to the instructions the Lord had given Moses, the Lord moved into the building. Exodus 40:33-38 "And he reared up the court round about the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the hanging of the court gate. So Moses finished the work. Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys: But if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was

taken up. For the cloud of the Lord was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys".

When Solomon had completed the temple, the Lord again moved in. I Kings 7:51 "So was ended all the work that King Solomon made for the house of the Lord. And Solomon brought in the things which David his father had dedicated; even the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, did he put among the treasures of the house of the Lord". I Kings 8:10-11 "And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord. So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord".

Just as the Lord had moved into the tabernacle and the temple upon their completion just so the Holy Spirit moved into the newly built church on the day of Pentecost. Acts 2:1-8 "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language, And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?"

Since that time the Holy Spirit has been in the world indwelling the churches. Ephesians 2:21-22 "In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit". Jesus said, "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (His church)".

Churches of Jesus are here today. If we examine the characteristics of a church, we can determine if it is a church of Jesus. When the church at Jerusalem was scattered, the members went to other parts of the world and began preaching Jesus. Groups of believers came together because of a common interest in their Saviour Jesus and the proclamation of the gospel. Each group of believers was a church, baptized into the fellowship and banded together by their common belief.

We will now notice some references to the church in which its activities and characteristics are mentioned. In Matthew 18:15-22 Jesus gives instruction dealing with trouble between members of the church "Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Then came Peter to him and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times but, Until seventy times seven."

One of the first acts of the church was to elect a successor to Judas. They did this by casting a vote. Acts 1:26 "And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven." Before casting the lots the company or church prayed and ask the Lord to guide the decision verse 24 "And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men

show whether of these two thou hast chosen". The church chose the deacons Acts 6:2-6 "Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom ye may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicholas a proselyte of Antioch: Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them."

As the members of the church at Jerusalem were scattered, they went preaching Acts 11:19-21 "Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only. And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord."

Certain of the church at Antioch were sent out as missionaries under the direction of the Holy Ghost. Acts 13:1-3 "Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers ... As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia."

In the epistles the Holy Spirit through Paul and others gives definite instruction to the churches concerning conduct in the church, relation of members to one another and to the Lord, ordinances, and purpose of the church.

The members of the churches are addressed as Romans 1:7 "called to be saints", I Corinthians 1:2 "called to be

saints", Ephesians 1:1 "to the saints which are at Ephesus", Philippians 1:1 "to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Phillipi", Colossians 1:2 "to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse".

Further light is thrown upon this institution by the interpretation of the commission by the apostles as exemplified in their obedience to it. On the day of Pentecost Peter preached Jesus, His death and resurrection from the dead (Acts 2:17-36). Philip in company with the eunuch began at Isaiah 53 and preached Jesus (Acts 8:26-39), and Paul before kings and soldiers, Jew and Gentile, preached Jesus and His completed work of salvation for those who believe.

Investigation of the nature of the church of God reveals it to be an independent assembly of saved people of equal rank called out and together by the Spirit of God, the word of God, and baptized to execute the will of its only head, the Lord Jesus Christ. Or an assembly of baptized saved people who hold to the doctrine of salvation by grace alone and hold to the doctrine of baptism of the saved only.

In Romans 12 Paul relates the conduct that should characterize a saved person. There are two ordinances committed to the church. Baptism is immersion administered by one authorized by a church of God or directly by God. It is a picture of Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection from the dead for the sins of the sinner. I Peter 3:21 "The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ." Romans 6:3-5 "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection;" The Lord's Supper is also a picture of Jesus' death. I Corinthians 11:23-29 "For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you,

That the Lord Jesus the same night in which He was betrayed took bread: And when He had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat; this is my body which is broken (given) for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also He took the cup when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood this do ye as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till He come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body."

The commission of the Lord Jesus gives the method of self-perpetuation and propagation. Jesus meant for this method to continue till the end of time and the following of this order "preach the gospel" is what has brought the church down to the present time. Today there are such groups in the world. Churches of the Lord Jesus Christ own Him as the head of their church and Jesus is the one who directs His churches through the written Word, the Bible. It is not difficult to find a New Testament church when one knows for what he is looking. What other institution in all the world measures up to the New Testament pattern save what is commonly known as a Baptist Church. This puts a tremendous responsibility upon us and we say "I am debtor". "Woe to me if I preach not the gospel."