LEARNING ACTIVITY #57

Some time ago, a Christian brother contacted us by email asking the question of how he could join the Christ Eternal Christian Church. I responded to him and thought it would be helpful to others if I made a Learning Activity out of my answer so that others might benefit from his inquiry.

Christ Eternal Christian Church is an Internet based church and has no buildings nor paid staff. As such we have no need to collect funds or engage in any form of fundraising of any kind. We are convinced that when buildings and salaries of people come into the church it becomes a business organization with internal needs and demands rather than to be a living (spiritual, fourth dimensional - see Learning Activity #5) organism which is what we think the church is meant to be.

We do not see the church as a series of organized meetings in religious buildings, but rather a supernatural life here on earth by manifesting Christ, who lives in each believer, to the world. Church organizations require a considerable effort to meet the organizations control, hierarchy, infrastructure, finance and motivational needs to keep the organization alive and we have chosen not to be a part of any of that activity. We do believe that God works in and through the organized church. A part of His church is present in organized churches. However, His church (body) is found both in as well as outside of the organized institutional church. It is that part of the church which is outside of organized churches that we are attempting to reach out to.

We further believe that there is only one church in existence:

1. Matthew 16:18 _______________________________________________________________________
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2. In the verse above, who is it that is building the church?
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Insofar as your joining this church, from our understanding you cannot join the church that Jesus said He would build!

3. 1 Corinthians 1:2 _____________________________________________________
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4. What single characteristic is mentioned in the verse above which indicates who is a member of the church of God? ___________________________________________

5. Ephesians 1:1 ________________________________________________________
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6. In the verse above, how does Paul describe those who are in the church in the city of Ephesus? ________________________________________________________

7. What can we conclude about being a member of the one church that Christ is building? ______________________________________________________________
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So we see a person being a member of the body of Christ when they believe in Christ. A person does not JOIN the church, they are actually placed into it (Spirit baptism) or "born" into it when they believe in Christ.

"...Ye must be born again" (John 3:7).

"That whosoever believeth in him [Christ] should not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:15).

Our use of the Internet name of Christ Eternal Christian Church is the minimum formal organization we have had to go through in order to be recognizable to those we are reaching out to with our web site materials. Any one who chooses to use our church name as their church is free to do so not because they go through any man-made process to join it, rather they are already a member by virtue of their believing in Christ. We are a part of the world-wide church (body of Christ) that He is and has been building.

8. 1 Corinthians 12:13 ___________________________________________________
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9. How does the verse above say all believers come to be in the one body of Christ? _______________________________________________________________________
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It is our desire that anyone who comes upon our web site would continue their journey in Christ with us by reading and studying the many Learning Activities that appear on the web site. If these persons have questions/comments about any of the material, or Christianity in general, we attempt to respond to their email (written to us by using ChristEternal@hotmail.com) as quickly and completely as we possibly can to encourage them in their understanding of who they are in Christ.

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