The Church is a place of God’s Word

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Acts 2:42

This verse contains the most complete, yet succinct description of what a New Testament church is about. The verse can be divided into six descriptions of what kind of place the Church is to be. Let’s consider the third of of six.

3. The Church is a place of God’s Word. The believers in Jerusalem “continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine.” They could because the Apostles were right there, bodily. The Apostles are no longer alive, and even if they were, how many places could they be at once? But we do have the Apostles’ doctrine with us in the form of God’s written Word, the Bible.

The Holy spirit inspired the written Word so that it is the very words of God (2 Timothy 3:16). The Holy Spirit also preserved the written Word so that what we have today is not only the Apostles’ doctrine, but the very words of God Himself.

The Church must look to and follow the written Word of God as the sole authority for all matters of faith and practice. The answers to all of life’s important questions are in the Bible, either by precept or principle. Times change. Cultures change, but the Word of our God unchangingly stands forever (Isaiah 40:8). Believers must “continue steadfastly” (remember from the previous post what those two words mean) in the Apostles’ doctrine, which is the Word of God.

The Word of God must be preached (Matthew 24:14, & 1 Corinthians 1:18-23). The Word of God must be read and studied (2 Timothy 2:15). The Word of God must be memorized (Colossians 3:16). And in all these, the Word of God must be loved (Psalms 119:97).

When the Word of God is not central, the Church is, to state it technically, “out of whack.”

Next time: The Church is a place of fellowship.