The Gospel - 24/7

FOUNDING OF THE CHURCH By the late Dr. B. F. Dearmore, Long a Leader Among Real, Bible Believing Direct Missions Independent Baptists, and Father of the Webmaster Copyright 2001 by James H. Dearmore, Garland, Texas Permission granted to print copy for own use.

Chapter 2

I. A Positive Statement.

The church was founded by Christ out of material prepared by John the Baptist.

(A) "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 he with him and that he might send them forth to preach. --- Mark 3:13-14.

"... that he went 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 he named apostles. --- Luke 6:12-13.

"And God hath set some in the church., first apostles. --- I Corinthians 12:28.

Talking about the founding of the church, Ephesians 2:20 says: "And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone.

(B) Conclusion.

Christ took the twelve, named them apostles, organized them that they might be with Him (to learn His word, and be trained by Him) and that He might then send them forth to preach what He had taught them. This was the first definite organization of those John the Baptist had prepared.

II. The Second Positive Statement.

Christ's personal ministry began with the Church. John came to prepare a people to receive Christ. "...to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. --- Luke 1: 17.

In Luke 5:10 Christ was gathering those whom John had preached to, and had prepared by baptism after their conversion. They followed Him, as shown in the 11th verse.

". . . they forsook all and followed him. --- Luke 5:11.

Christ never tried to reach the lost, perform miracles, etc., until He had first gathered the church together. When He performed His first miracle some or all of the apostles were present.

III. The Third Positive Statement.

The Church was founded before the day of Pentecost.

(A) Christ, while He was here in the flesh said in Matthew 16:18, "I will build My Church... " He did not say that the church would be founded by the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, nor did He say that Peter would found the church.

(B) Matthew 18:15 -- 17 says: "15 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.

16 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.

17 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 a heathen man and a publican."

Christ here sets discipline in the church. He taught that three attempts should be made to reach a member who has offended you. (The word "offended" does not necessarily mean that the brother has made you angry, but rather that he has offended your sense of righteousness).

First, go to the brother by yourself. If he hears you, you have won your brother.

If he does not hear you, take one or two with you. If he will not hear them, tell it to the church.

How could the apostles tell it to the church, if the church did not exist for more than two years afterward?

(C) Baptism and the Lord's Supper were both set in the church as church ordinances before the day of Pentecost.

(D) The business meeting in Acts 1:15-26, where Matthias was elected to fill out the unexpired ministry of Judas Iscariot, would have been illegal if there were no organized church. Only an organization can transact, perform, or conduct business.

Some have said that the meeting was illegal and that Matthias was elected illegally. But remember, this election was by those who had been taught by the great teacher Himself. He had been preparing them for this time. They had received the Holy Ghost, John 20:22. I think they knew what they were doing. They had just spent days in prayer.

(E) On the day of Pentecost about 3,000 souls were added to the church. How could you add to that which did not exist?

WHAT HAPPENED AT PENTECOST?

(A) Since we have proved that the church was organized by Christ three and one-half years before Pentecost, what actually happened there?

The church received the baptism of the Holy Ghost.

In Acts 2:1 the word "all" is used, showing that the church is to be considered as a body.

(Acts 2:1 - 3 says --- "1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them."

The house was filled as a mighty rushing wind. No one would deny that this was the Holy Ghost. He filled the room. Or, in other words, the church, as a body, was covered, immersed in, with and by the Holy Ghost.

In verse three cloven tongues as of fire sat upon each of them. Note the word "each." What happened from here on was an individual matter. They were "filled with the Holy Ghost" as individuals, but were baptized in the Holy Spirit only as the Church, as an organization or institution.