However Christian churches may differ from each other in form of
government and in other matters they are united in the great essential
doctrine of the Headship of Christ, this is their strong bond of
union.
A Divine Institution.--The Christian church was not organized by any
one man or a company of men, but was given to man as an expression of
the compassion of God (John 3:16-21), that in it men might associate
themselves together for the proper worship of God and that they might
draw near to Him (Hebrews 10:19-25).
1. The beginning of the organization of the church was in the upper
room, where Jesus partook of the last supper with His disciples
(Matthew 26:20-30). Here He showed the significance of His death
(v. 28), His relation to the Father (John 14:9), and the coming of the
Holy Spirit (John 14:16,17; 15:26,27). In the last instructions given
by Jesus, and His prayer (John 14:1-17:26) we have a body of teaching
which constitutes the basis of the faith of the church.
2. The completion of the organization of the church was in the descent
of the Holy Spirit upon the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-24,32,36-41),
which the disciples had been commanded to await in the city of
Jerusalem (Acts 1:6-8,14). Those who accepted the word which had been
preached through the Holy Spirit were baptized (2:41).
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