• What has God authorized churches to be engaged in?

• Duties are based on relationships. We see this principle repeatedly in the Bible.

  • Luke 10:27, 29, 36 – The parable of the good Samaritan.

    • It is not a “Christian” thing to care for your neighbor, not is it a particular action we must do in order to be saved.

    • Christians should practice being a good neighbor like the good Samaritan. All people should do the same because of our relationship to our fellow man.

• The Cancer Society is an example of a group that collects funds to advance cancer research. They don’t spend money to help people with hart problems. This is not because they do not care about heart problems, but because that is not their goal.

• Romans 13:6-7 – The relationship we have with the civil government.

• I Corinthians 1:9; Galatians 3:27 – A relationship with Christ.

  • In a collective formed around this relationship, the group would use their time and money in the realm of their relationship with Jesus:

    • Hebrews 4:14-16 – Prayer

    • Colossians 3:16-17 – Singing

    • II Corinthians 8:4-5 – Giving

      • Giving to others based on a common relationship to Jesus.

    • I Corinthians 10:16 – Lord’s Supper

      • Declaration of faith in Jesus – not eating a common meal.

    • I Peter 2:2-3 – Teaching and edification

  • Examples:

    • Acts 2:42 – Activities of the saints immediately after Pentecost

    • Colossians 3:16

• Why call it the church of Christ?

  • Romans 16:16

  • It is not a name. It is a description. The church has no name.

  • I Thessalonians 1:1 – Another descriptive phrase for a group of Christians.

• Philippians 4:15-16 – Sending funds to support preaching of the gospel.

• II Corinthians 8:3-5

• I Timothy 5:16 – The church is not to be burdened by widows that have family to help.

• Galatians 6:10 – Do good to everyone?

  • Galatians 5:13-15 – The context is wider than just Christians. The context includes duties as neighbors.

  • Galatians 5:19-21

  • There is nothing in this verse about collective action by a church. It is instructions for each individual Christian.

  • Galatians 6:1-10

• James 1:27 – Should brethren visit and care for orphans and widows?

  • Yes, but not because they are brethren – because they are neighbors.

  • Job 31:16-17 – Job knew to care for widows and orphans millennia before Christ!

  • This verse is about personal responsibility – not collective action.

• Why worry about the work of the church?

  • Luke 19:10 – Jesus came to seek and save the lost.

  • I Timothy 3:15

  • Involvement in other things dilutes the work for Christ.

  • II Timothy 1:13 – Hold to the pattern!

Luke 6:46 – Do not say, “Lord, Lord!” and stray from what Jesus says