THE BIBLICAL CHURCH
1. SCRIPTURE TEXT: Heb. 2:1-3,Matt.22:5, 1st’ Tim.4:13-15, 2nd’ Tim.1: 6, Heb.8:9
1 Corinthians 31 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.[ The word “carnal” S#4559 “The nature of the human appetites of the natural man [Adamic nature] before regeneration or the “Born again experience”.]
Rom 8:6-10 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
1 Cor 3:10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
1 Corinthians 5:1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife.
2 Cor 3:1-6 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you? Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart. And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
Paul addressing the church at Ephesus:
Acts 20:28-33 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.
1st’ Tim. Ch.3, Bishops and Deacons; Timothy bishop of church at Ephesus
1 Tim 3:15But 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.
Titus 1:9-12 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake. One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are always liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.
Gal 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault,[caught] ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
See Matt 18:15- 18; James 5: 16, 19-20, 1st’John 5:16-17.
Fornication: S# 4202 “porneia” [harlotry including incest, unlawful sex acts, to indulge in these things.]
26 times Matt. 5:2,15:19, 19:9,1 Cor, 5:1, 6:13, 14, Gal. 3:5, Eph. 5:3,Col. 3:15, 1 Thes. 4:3.
Spritual: Rev. 2:21, 9:21, 14:8, 17:2-4, 18:3, 19:2.
Fornication S# 4203 “porneuoo” [unlawful, immoral sexual activities, to prostitute ones body to the sinful lusts of another,] 8 times 1 Cor. 6:18, 10:8,twice. Spiritual Rev. 2:20, 17:2, 18:3, 0.
Fornicator: S# 4205 “pornos” [a whoremonger, a prostitute, one who commits fornication] 10 times; 1st’ Cor.5:9,10,11, 6:9, Eph. 5:5, 1st’ Tim. 1:10, Heb. 12:6,13,14, Rev. 21:8, 22:15.
Fornication S# 1608 “ exporneuo” [to surrrender to or to continually indulge in} 1 time Jude :7
Concerning Timothy: Read Acts chapters 16-20.
Paul wrote 13 epistles; [14 if you take Hebrews] 3 were pastoral letters, 1st’ and 2nd’ Timothy and Titus. One private letter to Philemon. Four of his letters were written from a Roman prison; Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.
Concerning Offices of Bishops and Deacons: 1st’ Tim. 3:1-16, 4:6,16, Titus 1:5-11, Acts 6:1-8, 13:1-4, 14:21, 20:17-32, 1st’ Cor.12:28-31, Eph. 4:10-15, Phili.1:1, Heb. 13:7.
Trespass: S# 264 “harmartanao” [ to offend, to commit an act of sin, to sin against, to be at fault] This word is found 43 times in the NT. Translated 3 times as trespass and 40 times as SIN. Instructions for
handling Matt. 18:15-20, Luke 17:3-4, Gal. 6:1
Offend S# 4624 “skandahzo” [to entice to sin, to cause to stumble or fall] This word is found 30 times in the NT; always translated “offend or offence”. Instructions for handling; Matt.9:13, Lk. 22:32, Rom. 15:1, Heb. 12:13, James 5:19-20, 1st’John 5:16-17, Jude :22-23.
Study of the Church at Ephesus: This city was the capital of the chief Province of Asia. Located on the Aegean Sea. The temple of the goddess Diana [Artemas] was located here and this made the city of great commerce because of people coming there to worship. Paul was a missionary there receiving much help from Aquilla and Pricilla. Acts 18:1-3. Later he made another visit to Ephesus with several other brethren including Timothy. Acts 20:1-4. Paul left Timothy there as Bishop at his leaving 1st’ Tim. 1:3. There were many problems at this church that continued many years. See Revelation 1:11-2:6.

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