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made you overseers, to feed the CHURCH

OF

GOD, which he hath purchased with his own blood." Acts 20:28.

"Unto the CHURCH OF GOD which is at Corinth." 1 Corinthians 1:2.

"Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the CHURCH OF GOD." 1 Cor. 10:32.

"What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the CHURCH OF GOD, and shame them that have not?" 1 Cor. 11:22.

"For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the CHURCH OF GOD." 1 Corinthians 15:9. "For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jew's religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the CHURCH OF GOD." Gal. 1:13.

"For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the CHURCH OF GOD?" 1 Tim. 3:5.

"For ye, brethren,

became followers of the CHURCHES OF GOD which in Judæa are in Christ Jesus." 1 Thes. 2:14.

"But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the CHURCHES OF

GOD." 1 Cor. 11:16.

"For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints." 1 Cor. 14:33.

"The CHURCHES OF CHRIST Rom. 16:16.

salute you."

"For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole
family in heaven and earth is named." Ephesians
3:14, 15.

In the New Testament we find that St. Paul definitely calls the people of the Lord on earth, the body of Christ, the CHURCH OF GOD, not once only, but nine times. Once he speaks of the church as the "Churches of Christ," and once the churches of the saints. It would appear, therefore, that the name given the body of Christ on the earth is the CHURCH OF GOD. In many places the churches are referred to as simply "churches." But in order to designate a particular church Paul uses the expression: "The Church of God which is at Corinth."

What is particularly notable about the name given in the Scriptures for the Church, is that we do not find the names so generally given as names of well-known churches; for example, Presbyterian, Baptist, Methodist, Christian, Episcopalian, Roman Catholic, Greek Catholic, etc. As a matter of fact each claims to be the Church of God-but rarely say so, claiming rather to be "Good Catholics," "Good Baptists," "Good Methodists," etc., a worthy aim indeed as denominationally looked upon. But why not aspire to be the real Church of God, the body of the Lord upon the earth? And if they are the Church of God, why not admit to the name? What is the necessity for an additional name? No other was necessary in the Bible. Is I think so.

the name not sufficiently impressive?

Paul speaks definitely as to the name of the Church

in Ephesians 3:14, 15, quoted above. Therefore, thanks be to God, we accept the name given, and we are The Church of God.

The Organization of The Church of God

Nothing is more definitely pointed out in the Scriptures than the complete organization of the Church of God. In fact, it constitutes a perfect union, in that it is likened to our bodies.

Now the human body is a wonderful organization, the most perfect union. Inventions of man, while marvelous in our sight, cannot compare with the human body. Let us, therefore, consider the organization of the Church. You realize, of course, that the Church is not here referred to as a house-church building. Neither as a congregation of people. The Church of God is the body of people on the earth who have been "called out" from the world, and are Christians, and who have been brought together in union, and are empowered to transact business for God. These passages of Scripture create the Church of God:

"He (Jesus) 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 Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath
not revealed it unto thee, but my father which is
in heaven. And I say unto thee, that thou art Pe-
ter, and upon this rock I will build my church;
and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom
of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind
earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever
thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heav-
en." Matthew 16:15-19.

on

"And he is the head of the body, the church, who
is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead;

that in all things he might have the preeminence." Col. 1:18.

even

"For the husband is the head of the wife, 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. * * * * * For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones." Eph. 5:23, 24, 30.

"For his body's sake, which is the church." Col. 1:24.

"For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body." 1 Cor. 12:12, 13.

"And certain men which came down from Judæa taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. * * * * * And the apostles and elders came together to consider of this matter. And when there had been much disputing of this matter, Peter rose up, and said unto them * * * * * Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul * * * * * And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying * "Wherefore my sentence is

**

(This is

from the 15th chapter of The Acts-it is suggested that you read the entire chapter down to the 33rd verse.)

"Besides those things that are without, that
which cometh upon me (Paul) daily, the care of
all the churches." 2 Corinthians 11:28.

"For this cause left I thee (Titus) in Crete, that
thou shouldest set in order the things that are
wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had
appointed thee." Titus 1:5. (Written by Paul.)
"I charge thee therefore before God, and the
Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and
the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
Preach the word; be instant in season, out of sea-
son; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffer-
ing and doctrine." 2 Tim. 4:1, 2.

"These things write I unto thee hoping to come
unto thee shortly: But if I tarry long, that thou
mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thy-
self in the house of God, which is the church of
the living God, the pillar and ground of the
truth." 1 Timothy 3:14, 15.

"And when they had ordained them elders in
every church, and had prayed with fasting, they
commended them to the Lord, on whom they be-
lieved." Acts 14:23. (Paul and Barnabas.)
These quotations from the New Testament rela-
tive to the Church make the organization of the
Church of God very definite: Let us mark down
the prominent features of this Organization:

1. Jesus Christ is the Founder of the Church of God. 2. Jesus is the Head of the Church of God. "My

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