After reading these 7 verses, would you say that the dictionary definition given above is a correct or incorrect way of describing the way the word "CHURCH" is used in the N.T.? __________________ And yet the Lord Jesus said that He would ______________ His Church (Matt. 16:18) and as we read 1 Peter 2:5 we discover that the Church is indeed a BUILDING , a ___________________ house, composed of and built with (circle the correct answer):

Thus, the CHURCH is not a literal or physical building, but it is a spiritual building made up of those who have been QUICKENED (MADE ALIVE) in Christ (Eph. 2:5). This is why Paul could write in 1 Corinthians 3:9 (at the end of the verse): Y___ (the Corinthian. believers) are God's _________________.

The word "CHURCH" as it is used in the New Testament always means "AN ASSEMBLY, A COMPANY OF PEOPLE GATHERED TOGETHER FOR A CERTAIN PURPOSE." Therefore as we read the New Testament we are not surprised to find the word "CHURCH" used with words that mean "gather together, come together, assemble together." Here are some examples:

5. 1 Cor. 14:23: "If, therefore, the whole ______________ be ______________________ ___________________ into one place."

6. Hebrews 12:23: "To the general ___________________ and _______________ of the first-born."

Did the early Church assemble together (Acts 2:42,46)? _______ Since the word "CHURCH" means "ASSEMBLY" it would be FOOLISH for a person who is a member of the Church not to assemble together with others who also belong to the Church. If you are part of the assembly then you should assemble! Thus GOD tells us that we are never to forsake __________________________________________ (Hebrews 10:25) as the manner of __________ is (Some were FOOLS!).

What kind of people assemble together in all the assemblies (churches)--(see 1 Cor. 14:33)? _______________ (those people who have been set apart and separated unto the Lord).

The word "CHURCH" is the translation of the Greek word EKKLESIA which is really made up of two Greek words: 1) EK which means "out, out of " and 2) KLESIS which means "a calling" (from the verb KALEO which means "to call"). If we put these two meanings together we would have "a calling out." Therefore the term "CHURCH" (EKKLESIA) means "an assembly of called-out ones, a called-out assembly."

In Acts 7:38 we learn about a called-out assembly, the nation Israel: "This is he (Moses) who was in the _____________ (assembly)." Where was this assembly (Acts 7:38)? _____ ______ _____________________The children of Israel had been brought OUT OF what land (Acts7:39-40)? ______________________ Read Hosea 11:1. Whom did the LORD love? ________________ Who is God’s son according to Exodus 4:22? ___________________ God says in Hosea 11:1, "I loved him, and _______________ My son ______ _____ Egypt." Was Israel God’s called-out assembly (Acts 7:38)? ________ NOTE: This does not mean that the assembly of Israelites who gathered in the wilderness is the same as the New Testament Church. They are different, but there are similarities and the same word "CHURCH" is used to describe both. The following charts may prove helpful:

1.THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL

2.NEW TESTAMENT BELIEVERS

As believer’s in Christ we are God’s called-out ones! What has God called us OUT OF (1 Pet. 2:9)?____________ What has God called us INTO (1 Pet. 2:9)? ____________________________

The CHURCH is a called-out ASSEMBLY, a company of people gathered together for a certain PURPOSE: "to them who are the_______________ according to His ___________" (Rom. 8:28) God’s glorious purpose for the believer, according to Romans 8:29 is that he might be conformed _____ _____ ______ _______ _____ ____ (that he might be like the Lord Jesus--compare 1 John 3:2). When Paul wrote to "the ___________of _________which is at _________ (1 Cor. 1:2) he told them that they "were________ unto the_________ of____________ His.____________ Jesus Christ our Lord"(1 cor.1:9).

Today GOD is calling out and taking out a special group of people for Himself: "Symeon (Peter) hath declared how ________ at the first did visit the Gentiles (nations) to __________ _______ of them a ______________ for His Name" (Acts 15:14). This special called-out group is THE CHURCH.

According to Matthew 16:18 the CHURCH belongs to whom? ________________ According to1 Timothy 3:15 the CHURCH belongs to whom? _____________ Is the Pastor speaking the truth if he says: "THIS IS MY CHURCH!"? ______ Should the elders or deacons say this? _______ Those who really understand what the Bible teaches about the CHURCH will say, "THIS IS _______________ CHURCH!" It is His Church! Therefore, we have seen that this special called-out assembly belongs to the living God, the Lord Jesus Christ. And so in this set of study notes we will be studying GOD’S CALLED-OUT ASSEMBLY--THE CHURCH.

2A.THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE CHURCH.

1B.WHAT WERE THE MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH CALLED?

1C. Believers.

According to Acts 5:14, what were the members of the early Church called? ____________________ Read Acts 4:4. How many men were members of the Church at this time? _________________ Not only did these men hear God’s Word but they also _______________ (Acts 4:4).

A true BELIEVER is a person who gladly RECEIVES God’s Word: "Then they that _____________ ______________________ his word (Peter preached God’s Word to them) were baptized; and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls (persons)-(Acts 2:41). The word RECEIVE means "to WELCOME," just like you would receive or welcome a friend or a guest into your home:

What do believers RECEIVE and WELCOME into their lives (Acts 8:14)? ____________________________ BELIEVERS should also RECEIVE and WELCOME God’s Word "not as the _________ of ________ but as it is in truth (as it truly is), the Word ____ ________ (1 Thess. 2:13). NOTE: Someone might say, "I don’t believe all the things that Paul wrote because he was just a man and the things that he wrote in the Bible are only the words of a man and a man can make mistakes." How could you answer this person in light of 1 Corinthians 14:37 and 1These. 4:15?

Do you eagerly WELCOME God’s Word into your heart and mind and life (by saying, "COME IN!") or do you SHUT THE DOORS of your mind and heart whenever you hear God’s Word?

Why were the Jews in Berea more noble than the Jews in Thessalonica (Acts 17:11)?--Because "they _________________ (WELCOMED) the ________ with all ________________ (eagerness) of mind." How often did they search the Scriptures? __________________How often do YOU search the Scriptures (compare John 5:39)? Notice the different groups of BELIEVERS who RECEIVED God’s Word (MATCH THE FOLLOWING):

UNBELIEVERS do not WELCOME and RECEIVE God’s Word and God’s truth. 2 Thessalonians 2:10 describes their hatred and rejection of the TRUTH: "they _________________ not the love of the ________________ (God’s Word is ____________John 17:17), that they might be _____________. Look at 2 These. 2:12: "That they all might be damned (judged) who ________________ _______ the ___________." But 2 Thessalonians 2:13 tells us that those who have been chosen to SALVATION (those who are the true members of Christ’s Church) receive God’s Word gladly because it says that they BELIEVE the ______________.

Before each of the following sentences, put A for those things that HANK would say and B for those things that SAM would say:

What Are The Members of The Church Called?

2C. According to 1 Corinthians 14:33 and 2 Corinthians 13:13 the members of the Church are called ________.The word’ "SAINT" means "a person who has been SET APART by God." Not only are the members of the Church a CALLED-OUT people (1 Pet. 2:9), but they are also a SET-APART people (1 Cor. 1:2).

SUPPOSE you were sitting in an auditorium with thousands of other people, waiting to hear a speech by the President. Suddenly the President walks all the way up to the place where you are sitting, takes you by the hand, leads you to the platform, and sits you down right next to him! By doing that he has SET YOU APART from all the other people. He has put you in a very special place and he has made you DIFFERENT than all the other people who were there.

When God saves a person He SETS THEM APART and He makes him (or her) sit in a very special place. Where is the believer made to sit (Eph. 2:6)? _________________ He has been put in a very special place--IN CHRIST JESUS--and thus God has made the believer DIFFERENT than all the unsaved people.

"GOD HAS
SET ME APART FOR HIMSELF."

"GOD HAS PUT
ME IN CHRIST
AND MADE ME DIFFERENT"

If I’m really a SAINT, should there be a DIFFERENCE in the way I live? Should there be a DIFFERENCE in the kind of language I use? Should there be a DIFFERENCE in the way I act in school? Should there be a DIFFERENCE in the way I dress? Should there be a DIFFERENCE in the way I talk to and treat my parents? Should there be a DIFFERENCE in the kind of friends I have (Psalm 119:63)?

?	IF THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ME AND THE UNSAVED THEN THERE IS A BIG QUESTION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT I’M REALLY A ( SAINT OR WHETHER OR NOT I AM REALLY A MEMBER OF CHRIST’S CHURCH (Compare Leviticus 20:24-26; Deuteronomy 7:6 and Ezekiel 22:26; 44:23).

If you are a SAINT then live like a SAINT! Dare to be DIFFERENT! (compare Daniel 1:8)

3C. According to Galatians 1:2 and 1 Thessalonians 5:25-27, what were the members of the Church called? ____________________ The word "BRETHREN" means "BROTHERS." For example, ‘how many brethren (brothers) did the Lord Jesus have (Mark 6:3)? _________ These were really the Lord’s HALF-brothers because they had the same MOTHER but different FATHERS. Who was their Mother (Mark 6:3)?’ ________ Who was the Father of James, Joseph, Judas (Jude) and Simon (Luke 2:4)? ____________ ‘Who IS and EVER WAS the FATHER of our Lord Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:3; .Matt 3:17)? __________________

God’s Word tells us that as members of the Church we are BRETHREN (brothers), one with another. After Paul (Saul) was saved what did Ananias call him (Acts 9:17)? _____________________

As believers in Christ we have all been BORN-AGAIN (John 3:3,7)into the same FAMILY and now we are all the ________________ _____ ________ (1 John 3:2; John 1:12). As members of this special FAMILY, how many FATHERS do we have (Eph. 4:6? _______ How can we enter into this wonderful FAMILY relationship? (Gal. 3:26)--circle the correct answer: a) by baptism b) by works and good deeds c) by faith (receiving God’s Word gladly) d) by having Christian parents.

4C. According to Acts 13:52 and Acts 20:7, what were the members of the Church called? ___________________ The word "DISCIPLE" means "one who LEARNS, a LEARNER." In Matthew 11:29 the Lord Jesus invites us to become HIS DISCIPLES (LEARNERS): "Take my yoke upon you, and __________________ OF (FROM) ME." Have you accepted this invitation? Those who have accepted this invitation are called __________________ (LEARNERS) ____ ______ _____________ (Acts 9:1).

Read Matthew 10:24. Just as a servant (slave) must have a _____________ (master), so also a disciple (learner) must have a ______________ (TEACHER). A DISCIPLE must LEARN from a TEACHER! Are there LEARNERS and TEACHERS in your school? Do we have LEARNERS and TEACHERS in Sunday School? Who is your Sunday School TEACHER? ____________________ Therefore you can say, "I am a DISCIPLE ____________________________ because he/she teaches me and I LEARN from him/her!"

According to John 3:2 who is the Teacher who has come from God? ____________________ Read Matthew 5:1. Who came to this teacher? ______ ______________ (HIS LEARNERS). And thus he opened His mouth and ______________ them (Matthew 5:2). DISCIPLES must be TAUGHT by a TEACHER!

As we study the New Testament we discover that DISCIPLES can also be TEACHERS. In Matthew 28:18-20 the Lord Jesus spoke to whom (the answer is found in verse 16)? _______________________________ He told these DISCIPLES to "GO, therefore, and __________________ all nations" (v.19). The word "TEACH" in this verse means "MAKE DISCIPLES OF." The Lord told His disciples to make disciples (learners) of all nations! And the only way to make disciples is to TEACH them: "_____________________ them to observe _______ things" (v. 20). This is explained by the diagram.

MAKE DISCIPLES!!

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This is exactly what the early church did! They made disciples! In Acts 14:21 we read, "And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had ______________ __________." The expression "TAUGHT MANY" means that Paul and Barnabas "MADE MANY DISCIPLES" as shown on the diagram below:

MAKE DISCIPLES!!

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This same DISCIPLE-MAKING program is described in 2 Timothy 2:2. In this verse the pronoun "ME" refers to what person (see 2 Tim. 1:1)? ____________________ The pronoun "THOU" refers to what person (see 2 Tim. 1:2)? __________________ With this in mind we can diagram 2 Timothy 2:2 as follows:

MAKE DISCIPLES!!

(MAKE LEARNERS WHO WILL THEN BE TEACHERS OF OTHERS!!)

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The above diagram shows us that DISCIPLES can also be TEACHERS! For example, the Apostle Paul was a disciple of the Lord Jesus, but he was also a teacher of Timothy. The matching problem on the next, will help you to understand the TEACHER-DISCIPLE relationship. The diagram above will help you as you answer the matching problem.

MATCHING PROBLEM:

Correctly identify the following:

1.	______	Teacher of Paul (Gal. 1:12).
2.	______	Disciple of the Lord jesus and Teacher of (Gal. 1:12; 2Tim.2:2).	A. B.	The Apostle Paul "others"
3.	______	Disciple of Paul and Teacher of "faithful men"(2Tim. 2 :2).	C.	"faithful men"
4.	______	Disciples of Timothy and Teaher of "others (2 Tim. 2:2).	D. E.	The Lord JesusTimothy
5.	______	Disciples of "faithful men"(2 Tim.2:2).

Therefore we can think of the local church (local assembly) as a SCHOOLHOUSE where there are TEACHERS and LEARNERS, and where DISCIPLES are being made!

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True or False: Every believer must be a DISCIPLE OF GOD (John 6:45)? Does EVERY single member of the church need to be TAUGHT (Col. 1:28)? _________ The Pastor must be a TEACHER (Eph. 4:11), but must he also be a LEARNER (see 2 Timothy 2:7 and 2:15)? ______ Who is the only Person who does not need a TEACHER (Isaiah 40:13-14; Romans 11:33-36; 1 Cor. 2:16)? ___________________

When you assemble together in God’s Schoolhouse, the Church, do you come with a desire to LEARN? Do you pray and ask God to teach you? Are you LEARNING so that you will be able to teach others also or are you still a "BABY DISCIPLE" who needs someone to teach you the ABC’s of God’s Word (see Hebrews 5:12-13)? If a person walks and lives just as the unsaved do (see Ephesians 4:17-19), then is that person really a LEARNER (DISCIPLE) of Christ (see Ephesians 4:20-21)?

Answer the following TRUE or FALSE:

1.	______	The word "DISCIPLE" means "ONE WHO TEACHES."
2.	______	The Lord Jesus has invited all men to come unto Him and be His disciples (Matthew 11:28-29).
3.	______	Just as a slave must have a master, so also a disciple must have a teacher (Matthew 10:24).
4.	______	DISCIPLES can never be teachers.
5.	______	The Lord Jesus Christ commanded His disciples to "make disciples of all nations.
6.	______	We learn in Acts 14:20-21 that Paul and Barnabas disobeyed the Lord’s command in Matthew 28:19-20.
7.	______	The Apostle Paul was a disciple of Timothy.
8.	______	The Pastor must be a TEACHER (Ephesians 4:11).
9.	______	Every single member of the Church needs to be taught except for the Pastor.
10.	______	The Lord expects us to LEARN and to grow up so that we will be able to teach others also (Hebrews 5:12).

5C. According to Acts, 11:26 (compare Acts 26:28 and 1 Peter 4:16), what were the members of the Church called? _________________ What Name do you find in this word?____ _____ _____ ______ _______ ______ Christianity is not a RELIGION (man trying to DO things to please GOD) but it is a RELATIONSHIP to a PERSON (who has already DONE the work necessary to save sinful men--John 19:30) and this PERSON’S name is ___ ___ ____ ____ ___ ___! And those who have a personal relationship with this PERSON are called _______________________!

CHRISTIANS
BELIEVERS AND FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST, THE MESSIAH.

"WE BELONG TO CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD!!" (SEE MATTHEW 16:16 AND GALATIANS 2:20)

In Acts 11:26 we learn that "the DISCIPLES ____________ CHRISTIANS first in Antioch." Who gave them this name? "Does the verse say that the disciples CALLED THEMSELVES Christians? _______ Thus they did not give themselves this name, but they WERE CALLED "Christians" by the unsaved people who lived in Antioch. As the unsaved world looked at these disciples, they were forced to THINK about CHRIST!’ When they thought about these, disciples it made them think about CHRIST! This is why they gave them the name "CHRISTIANS."

What about YOU? Can people look at your life and tell that you have a PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP with CHRIST? Do you live in such a way that people know that you belong to the SON OF GOD? When people think of you, do they think of: CHRIST? A true CHRISTIAN is a person who is able to say what Paul said in Galatians 2:20. Paul had a LIVING and PERSONAL relationship with the Son of God! Do you have such a relationship? Can others see CHRIST living in you?

Suppose one of your friends were to ask you this question: "What is a CHRISTIAN?" How would you answer this question? Suppose someone else were to ask you, "What religion do you belong to?" How could you answer this person in a way that would help him (or her) to see the difference between RELIGION and CHRISTIANITY? How can a person become a CHRISTIAN (compare Acts 26:20 with Acts 26:28)?

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2B. WHO CAN BE A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH?

All are invited! The following verses teach us that EVERY SINGLE PERSON without exception is invited to be a member of the church of God:

Acts 2:21-- "________________ shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved."
Acts 2:3a-- "Repent, and be baptized ________ _________ ________"
Acts 4.:10,12-- "Be it known unto you ________, and to ______ the people of Israel, that by the name, of Jesus Christ of Nazareth .... Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is no other name."
Acts 10:43-- "that through His name _______________ believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins."
Acts 13:39--"And by Him__________that believe are justified from all things."
Acts 17:30--"but now (God) commandeth _______ ________ ___________ to repent.,
Romans 1:16--"it (the gospel of Christ) is the power of God. unto salvation to _____________ that believeth."
Romans 3:22--"Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto _______ and upon _______ them that believe."
Romans 10:11-13--"_________________ believeth on Him shall not be ashamed...for the same Lord over ______ is rich unto ______ that call upon Him. For ____________________ shall call upon the name of the’ Lord shall be saved."
Revelation 3:20--"if _______ _______ hear my voice, and open the door,I will come in to him."
Revelation 22:17--"And let him that is athirst COME. And ____________________ ________, let him take of the water of life freely."

See also John 3:15-17; 4:14; 6:51; 7:37; 10:9; 11:26.

Would you consider yourself a "WHOSOEVER"? ______ Do you consider yourself part of the group called "ALL MEN EVERYWHERE" (Acts, 17:30)? ________ Would you consider yourself part of the group called "ANY MAN" (ANYONE)--Revelation 3:20? _______ Are you included in the group called "EVERY ONE" (Romans 1:16)? ______ Therefore, have YOU been INVITED to be a member of God’s Church? _____ Have you accepted this INVITATION? Are you SAVED and a MEMBER of His church?

According to Revelation 22:17, who is it that will accept (respond to) God’s gracious invitation? (circle the correct answer):

Every single man and woman and boy and girl on the face of the earth.
All those who are invited will come.
Only those who are THIRSTY and who TAKE of the water of life (Compare, Isaiah 55:1 and John 4:10-14).
No one will come.

As you compare Romans 3:22 with Romans 10:12 you will discover that the same phrase (made up of 5 words) is found in each of these verses. Please WRITE that phrase: , _________,_______ _____ ________ ________ As you compare these same two verses, there is another small word which is found 2 times in each of these verses. Please WRITE that word: _________ Therefore we can say this: GOD INVITES ____________ MEN (AND WOMEN AND. BOYS AND GIRLS) TO BE MEMBERS OF HIS CHURCH, FOR __________ ______ ______ ____________ !!

1C. GEOGRAPHICAL LQCATION MAKES NO DIFFERENCE.

We learn from Mark 16:15 that the Lord’s disciples (apostles) were to go into _______ _________ ____________ to proclaim God’s GOOD NEWS, and these men were to be WITNESSES (see Acts 1:8) not only in Jerusalem and in Judaea and in Samaria, but where else?____________________________ In Acts 13:47 we find that the message of SALVATION would shine forth "unto _______ ____ _____ _____ ________." In fact "all men ___________" (Acts 17:30) are invited to become members of God’s assembly, even those that are _______ _________ (Acts 2:39). The reason LOCATION makes no difference is found in Acts 17:26-27. It makes no difference where a man lives on the face of the earth because GOD IS____________ (v.27).

2C NATIONALITY MAKES NO DIFFERENCE.

1) The disciples were told to teach (make .disciples of) ________________ (Matthew 28:19).

2) The disciples were to preach among ________ ____________ (Luke 24:47).

3) God is not a ______________ ____ __________ but in ______________ __________ the person who fears Him and works righteousness is acceptable to Him (Acts 10:34-35).

NOTE: The expression "RESPECTER OF PERSONS" comes from a Greek word which means "TO RECEIVE (someone’s) FACE." In other words, it means to act DIFFERENTLY towards a person because of their FACE or their OUTWARD APPEARANCE or their EXTERNAL CIRCUMSTANCES (the situations that people find themselves in that they really could not help and that they really cannot change). If I am a RESPECTER OF PERSONS then this means that I make a DIFFERENCE in the way I treat a person because of outward things (things that are not the most important) Such as the way he looks, the way he dresses, the color of his skin, the country he is from; his family background, his religious background, how rich he is, how popular or famous he is, how powerful he is, and so forth.

Read James 2:1-9 According to the illustration that James gives in, verses 2-3, how were these people RESPECTERS OF PERSONS? Is it possible for us to do the same thing in our local assembly as visitors come to the services? How (in what ways) might we do this? How might we do this at school? How can we teach ourselves not to do this?

Notice what God thinks about those who are RESPECTERS OF PERSONS in James 2:9: "But if ye have ______________ ____ ________________ , ye commit __________, and are convinced (convicted) of the LAW (see in the law Leviticus 19:15 and Deuteronomy 1:17) as transgressors."

One of the reasons we know God is not a RESPECTER OF PERSONS is found in 1 Samuel 16:7: "But the LORD, said unto Samuel, LOOK NOT on his countenance (his outward appearance), or on, the height of his stature (how tall and powerful he seems to be from man’s point of view), because I have refused him; for the LORD seeth not as man seeth." According to this verse, how does man see? _______________________________________________ _______________________ How does God see? Therefore, is God a RESPECTER OF PERSONS? ______ Were the Corinthian believers that Paul wrote to seeing things the right way (see 2 Corinthians 10:7)? _______ Because God is not a RESPECTER OF PERSONS, nationality makes no difference (Acts 10:34-35)!

4) The gospel message is made known to ______ _____________ (Romans 16:26; compare Romans 1:5). God's gospel (good news) goes to all nations--THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE!!

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Jews, Gentiles, Samaritans

To better understand the fact that the GOSPEL is made known to ALL NATIONS, we need to define the following three terms:

1) JEWS--those people who are children (or descendants) of Jacob. In Genesis 32:28 Jacob’s name was changed to ______________ and this is why the JEWS are also called __________________ (Romans 9:4.). What is another term used to describe these people (2 Corinthians 11:22)? ____________________ Read Philippians 3:4-5. Was the Apostle Paul a Jew (an Israelite)? ___________

The Lord Jesus, the SAVIOUR of the world, was born a JEW (Matthew 2:2) because His mother Mary was a descend ant of David (the genealogy of Mary is found in Luke 3:23-3d), and David was a descendant of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. This is the reason for the Lord’s words in John 4:22: "SALVATION is of the _________"; because the SAVIOUR, the Lord Jesus, was Himself a JEW.

The Messianic Line

2) GENTILES--those people who are not Jews. In other words, Gentiles are those people who do not trace their descent (family line) back to Jacob. In the New Testament there are two Greek words which are often translated by the term "GENTILES." These two words will now be discussed:

A) The first of these is a Greek word which means "NATIONS." When this word is translated "GENTILES" it means those people who do not belong to the nation Israel (they are not JEWS), but they belong to the other NATIONS.

In Acts 9:15 Paul was told to bear the name of Christ "before the_________________ (nations), and kings, and the ______________ ____ ______________ (JEWS)." In Acts 13:46, Paul and Barnabas said, "It was necessary: that the word of God should first have been spoken to YOU (to the JEWS--see verse 45) . . . . lo, we turn to the _______________ (those who are not Jews, the other NATIONS)." Read Acts 18:5-6 and Acts 28:28-29. These verses show us that when the JEWS (the nation Israel) rejected the Word of God, Paul sent the message of salvation to the - (to the other NATIONS and to people who were not JEWS).

B) The second of these is a Greek word which means "GREEKS," and was used to refer to those people who spoke the Greek language and followed Greek customs and the Greek way of life. In the. days of the New Testament almost all of the Roman Empire was made up of Greek-speaking people, and therefore almost all of the people in the Roman Empire (see a map of the Roman empire) could be called "GREEKS." In the New Testament this word is often used with the word "JEWS"

In Acts 20:21 Paul testified both to the _____________ and also to the__________.

In Romans 1:16 we learn that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the. first, and also to the ___________________

In 1 Corinthians 1:23 we find that the CRUCIFIED CHRIST was a stumbling block to the ___________ and foolishness to the ___________________.

Therefore in these verses the term "GREEKS" means all the people in the Roman empire who were not Jews, and this is the reason the word is often translated "GENTILES."

In 1 Corinthians 10:32 we see that mankind (that includes EVERYONE) is divided into THREE groups:

GRPUP 1 = _________	(descendants of Jacob, Israelites)
GRPUP 2 = _________	(this is the word which means "GREEKS"--all those who are not Jews).
GRPUP 3 = _________	_____ ______ (made up of both JEWS. and GENTTLES Who are SAVED and members of God’s called-out assembly)

Before you were saved what GROUP did you belong to? GROUP NUMBER ____ Now that you are SAVED (if you really are SAVED) what GROUP do you belong to? GROUP NUMBER ____ Do you find these same 3 groups in 1 Corinthians 1:23-24? ________ In which verse do you find GROUP 1 and GROUP 2? Verse ____ In which verse do you find GROUP 3? Verse ____ (Remember, the CHURCH is God’s CALLED-OUT ASSEMBLY!)

So we have seen that the two words which are translated "GENTILES" (A. "NATIONS" and B. "GREEKS") both mean almost the same thing. They are words which describe PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT JEWS. Who were God’s chosen people (Isaiah 44:1 and Deuteronomy 7:6-8)? ___________________ Because the GENTILES were not JEWS they were not God’s chosen people, and therefore their SPIRITUAL is described in the following verses, The SPIRITUAL CONDITION of the GENTILES:

EPHESIANS 2:11-12. The Gentiles were without _________... having no __________, and without _________ in the world.

EPHESIANS 4:17-19. The Gentiles had their understanding __________________ and they did not have the LIFE OF ____________ (They were spiritually DEAD--Ephesians 2:1,5!).

1 THESSALONIANS 4:5. The Gentiles do not __________ God (compare John 17:3).

Thus we see how IMPORTANT it is for members of GROUP 2 to become members of GROUP 3! According to Ephesians 2:1,5,11 the Ephesians people were once members of GROUP ________, but at the time when Paul wrote to them they were members of GROUP _____ (compare Ephesians 1:22-23 with 5:30,32).

3) SAMARITANS--those people who were half-JEW and half-GENTILE ! How did such a "MIXED" people come. about?

History of the Samaritans

A) During the days of the Kings of Israel, the city of SAMARIA was the capitol of the Northern Kingdom or the kingdom of the 10 tribes of. Israel (Note: Jerusalem was the capitol of the Southern Kingdom or the kingdom of Judah).

DESERT

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B) In 722 B.C. God judged the Northern Kingdom of Israel by allowing the Assyrian army to defeat the city of SAMARIA and to carry away the people as CAPTIVES (2 Kings 17:5-6). Why did God allow this terrible judgment to fall upon them (see 2 Kings 17:7-18)?

C) Not all of the people of Samaria were taken away by the captivity. The Assyrians probably carried away most of the chief men--men of wealth and importance--but some of the poor and common people were allowed to remain in the land.

D) These Jews who were allowed to remain in the region of SAMARIA soon INTERMARRIED with GENTILES (heathen people), and this MIXED RACE became known as the _______________ (John 4:9).

NOTE: Should God’s people marry the ungodly? Was Ezra pleased when he heard that the people of Israel had taken wives from the Gentile nations (Ezra 9:1-4)? __________ What was the great DANGER involved in MIXED MARRIAGES (Deuteronomy 7:3-4)? In Nehemiah 13:27 the act of marrying Gentile women is called "THIS GREAT __________." What great man in the Bible fell prey to this awful sin (Nehemiah 13:26)? _________________ Today the same DANGER exists among those who are member’s of God’s church. Would it be right for a believer to "YOKE-UP" in marriage with an unbeliever (2 Corinthians 6:14)? ___________

The UNEQUAL YOKE
SHOULD THE BELIEVER BECOME "ONE FLESH" WITH AN UNBELIEVER? (EPH. 5:31)

1 Corinthians 7:39 teaches us that the believer is free to be MARRIED, only IN THE _________________ (must be married to a BELIEVER IN CHRIST,). Suppose the young man in the picture were to say this: "I’m going to marry this girl even though she is not a Christian because I really love her and I’m sure that after we are married she will receive the Lord and become a Christian too." What is the danger in this way of thinking? What will probably happen after they are married (compare Deut. 7:3-4)?

In the days of Christ did the Jews have friendly relations with the Samaritans (John 4:9)? _______ We also discover that the Samaritans had their own RELIGIOUS SYSTEM (John 4:20), but Jesus said that they did not even ___________ what they were worshipping (John 4:22)! Do you think there are IGNORANT WORSHIPPERS even today? ________ Does the Lord want us to be IGNORANT WORSHIPPERS (John 4:24)?

MATCHING FOR REVIEW

1. _____ People who are not Jews	A. GENTILES
2. _____ The Descendants of Jacob	B. GREEKS
3. _____ The Greek-speaking people of the Roman Empire	C. NATIONS , GREEKS
4. _____ Jacob’s God-given name	D. ISRAELITES, JEWS
5. _____ SAVED Jews and Gentiles	E. ISRALE
6. _____ MIXED Jews and Gentiles	F. CHURCH OF GOD
7. _____ Capitol of the Northern	G. SAMARITANS
8. _____ Capitol of the Southern	H. SAMARIA
9. _____ Two words that are often	I. JERUSALEM
10._____ Believers joined together with unbelievers	J. UMEQUAL YOKE

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CHAPTER 12

10 ENEMIES OF THE CHURCH

Jesus Christ is building His Church (Matthew 16:18) and the devil is seeking to tear it down and destroy it (compare 2 Peter 5:8--"the devil as a roaring ____________, walketh about, seeking whom he may __________________"). Those who are members of Christ’s Church need to be ALERT and WIDE AWAKE. As Christian soldiers we need to understand the enemy so that we can win the battles.

Read Acts 20:28-31. Why was Paul in tears (verse 31)? Why did Paul need to warn these believers? Was Paul concerned about the flock (the church)? There are two ways that sheep can be killed. If the Shepherd does not feed the sheep they will die of starvation (verse 28). If the Shepherd does not protect the sheep from the W________________ (verse 29) then they will be slaughtered. The Church must be ALERT and WIDE AWAKE!

In this chapter of notes we want to study 10 ENEMIES that the Church faces today. There are more than 10, but these enemies that we will be looking at are certainly some of the most dangerous ones.

ENEMY NUMBER 1--FALSE TEACHING

Peter spoke of’ the danger of false teaching: "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be ______________________________ among _______" (2 Peter 2:1). A false teacher is a person who teaches what is false. A true teacher is one tho speaks "the ____________ in love" (Ephesians 4:15), but there are some teachers who are SPEAKING _________ (1 Timothy 4:2 and see verse 1).

Most people are very careful about what they feed their bodies. Great harm can come to a person who eats or drinks the wrong thing. Would you drink a glass of gasoline? ________ Would you eat a box of RAT POISON? _______ Some time ago some wicked person put poison in some pills that people later bought at the store. Some people swallowed these pills, not knowing that they had been laced with poison. Some died because of this. The man who did this was a KILLER!

Did you know that there are people today going around and poisoning men’s souls? Just as the body needs to be fed with healthy food, so the soul needs to be fed with healthy teaching. The Bible calls healthy teaching SOUND DOCTRINE (see Titus 2:1). A good Pastor and a good teacher will teed believers with HEALTHY TEACHING (good, wholesome food from the Word of God). A false teacher will feed people with FALSE TEACHING (poison).

Where and how do false teachers do their work? Some speak on the radio. Some write articles in magazines or in books. Some false teachers stand behind pulpits and teach people in churches. Some false teachers go from house to house and from door to door trying to talk to people and spread their lies. Some false teachers are sincere and they really think that they are helping people, but they are sincerely wrong. They are deceived (2 Tim. 3:13). Doctors once believed that sick people could be helped by putting leeches (blood suckers) on them. This was done to George Washington and it probably helped to shorten his life. These doctors were sincere but they were sincerely wrong.

Here are some examples of false teaching which you can discuss in class:

ALL MEN WILL SOMEDAY BE SAVED AND WILL BE ALLOWED TO ENTER HEVEN
A LOVING GOD WOULD NEVER PUNISH PEOPLE IN HELL.
JESUS CHRIST IS THE GREATEST ANGEL THAT GOD EVER CREATED.
TO BE SAVED A PERSON MUST KEEP THE 10 COMMANDMENTS.
IT IS POSSIBLE. FOR A PERSON TO FALL INTO SIN AND LOSE HIS SALVATION

Can you think of other examples of false teaching?

Believers need to be ALERT! What should we do when we hear something taught (even by our own Pastor and S.S. Teachers and parents)? The answer is found in Acts 17:11--" in that they received the with all readiness of mind, and ______________ the Scriptures _______________, (to see) whether those things were so." When you are taught something you should go to the Bible and see for yourself whether or not this is really what the Bible teaches. A fair question that can always be asked is this: "WHERE DOES IT SAY THAT IN THE BIBLE?" If you are taught that a person is saved by believing in Jesus Christ, then you can search the Scriptures to see if this is really true. Is it true or false (Acts 16:30-31; John 3:16)? _______________

Danger: Do not be poisoned by false teaching!

ENEMY NUMBER 2--WORLDLINESS

Believers are not of the ____________________ (John 17:16) because they belong to the Saviour's kingdom. Unsaved people are OF THE WORLD because they belong to Satan's system. The devil wants to draw believers away from the Saviour and close to the world.

Consider Romans 12:2. Jesus wants to TRANSFORM US (change us by working in our hearts) but, Satan wants to CONFORM US (squeeze us into the world’s mold). For example, think about the kind of language that many of your classmates may use at school or on the playground. They may use bad language and swear and make fun of others and tell dirty jokes. As a believer and as a member of the Church, you do not want to CONFORM your language to theirs by allowing the same kind of filth to come out of your mouth. Instead you want the Saviour to TRANSFORM your language so that you can enjoy the healthy use of your mind. They will also be able to see that the language that a Christian uses is good and wholesome and different.

The worldly person is the person who ignores God and who leaves God out of his thinking. He does not consider God in his thoughts and in his plans and in his actions. He lives as if there were no God in heaven. The average person does not give God very much thought during the day! The Christian believer must be different! God is the very center of His life and he must include God in all of his thinking and plans and actions. When we live this way we are being a good witness because we are forcing others to realize that there is a God in heaven.

What does God think about WORLDLINESS (1 John 2:15-17 and James 4:4)? The more the Church becomes like the world :the more it will lose its WITNESS and its POWER. Unsaved people will say, "Why do I need to become a Christian? The Christians that r know are no different than my other friends. They act like non-Christians, they talk like non-Christians, they think like non-Christians and I can’t tell much of a difference. If Christians are no different than non-Christians, then why should I become a Christian?" Or another unsaved person might say, "I see nothing wrong with being a Christian because all of my Christian friends live the same way I do. I can be a Christian and still live and Speak and think the same way I always have." Does this person really understand what it means to be a Christian?

Danger and duty: Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by Christ into the kind of person He wants you to be.

ENEMY NUMBER 3--LEGALISM

Legalism is a special kind of false teaching. In Acts 15:1 we see that legalism crept into the early church: "And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren and said, Except ye be ____________ ______________ after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be ________________." When you think of the word "LEGALISM" you should think of the word "LAW." These people were saying that a person cannot be saved without keeping the law (being circumcised). Is this really true? To be saved, does a person need to be circumcised? According to Acts 16:30-31, what is the one and only thing that a person must do to be saved? _________________________

LEGALISM is dangerous because it gets a person to look away from what Jesus Christ has done on the cross. The person starts looking at what he can do. Legalism says that man must DO SOMETHING to get God's blessing and god's salvation. The Bible says that Christ has already done it all (John 19:30)! It is not what I don that counts, it is what Christ has done! Legalism says, "WHAT CHRIST DID ON THE CROSS IS NOT ENOUGH. THERE ARE CEETAIN THINGS WHICH I MUST DO ALSO." The believer says, "JESUS DIED FOR ME! WHAT HE DID IS ENOUGH. IT IS NOT MY ANYTHING THAT SAVES ME, IT IS’GOD’S EVERYTHING!"

There are people today who say, "You cannot be saved unless you are baptized in water." Is this legalism? Why? There are people who say, "You cannot be saved unless you live ,a gobd life and try to keep the 10 Commandments." Is this. trusting what Christ has done or is this man trusting what ‘he can do? ____________________________

No one has ever been saved by keeping the law, but multitudes have been saved by trusting Jesus Christ and Him alone. Danger: Do not let anyone get you to take your eyes off Jesus Christ and what He did for you on the cross.

ENEMY NUMBER 4--FORMALISM

Formalism is something that has outward form but no inward content. Formalism is like having a peanut shell without any peanut inside it. It looks like a peanut. It feels like a peanut, BUT SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT IS MISSING. What good is a peanut without a nut inside? The peanut which has a shell but no nut may fool people but it will never satisfy people. The same would be true of a banana peel without the banana. It may look like a banana but it is lacking the most important thing of all: the real and good part of the banana that you can eat!

There are people who are like the peanut shell and like the banana peel: "Having a ______________ of godliness, but denying the _______________ thereof" (2 Timothy 3:5). These people have an outward form that looks good and even fools many people, but they are missing the most important thing: the INNER LIFE AND POWER AND CONIENT.

Think about what Paul said in Romans 2:28-29. It is possible to be a JEW OUTWARDLY, but if this person is not a Jew INWARDLY, then he is not really a TRUE JEW! The same is true for a Christian. It is possible to be a Christian OUTWARDLY--to go to church, to carry a Bible, to bow the head in prayer, to open the hymnbook and sing and to go through all the outward motions. This person could be just like the peanut shell--it looks good but there is no nut on the inside. Do you think that God wants more than just a "Christian shell"? If people could "open you up" and look on the inside, what would they see? Would they find a TRUE CHRISTIAN on the inside also? Would they find a heart that love’s the Saviour? Would they find that when you sing you sing from the heart and when you pray you pray from the heart (with meaning and reality)? It is not the shell that is important but the INSIDE! God is concerned about the HEART.

Read the last part of Mark 7:6. Did these people honor God OUTWARDLY? Did they give God "lip servtce"? _________ Did these people honor God INWARDLY? ________ Did they have a heart for God? ________

ENEMY NUMBER 5--EMOTIONALISM

Emotionalism is when people are led by their FEELINGS and EMOTIONS (glad, sad, mad) instead of being led by GOD’S WORD.

Most people are led and controlled by their feelings and emotions. When asked, "Why did you do that?" the common answer is, "Because I felt like it!" Feelings do not do very well in the driver’s seat. Feelings come and feelings go. Feelings change and fluctuate. Feelings are not the true problem. The real problem is what causes the feelings. Usually the real problem has to do with the way a person lives. Bad feelings are usually the result of bad living or bad thinking. When the oil light flashes in your car it is telling you that there is a problem under the hood. Our feelings are like this flashing light.

Martin Luther once said this: "For feelings come and feelings go, and feelings are deceiving: My warrant is the Word of God, naught else is worth believing." God’s unchanging Word must lead us and guide us. How I feel is not important. The important thing is this: WHAT HAS GOD SAID?

There are many Churches today that are swept up in enotionalism. If you were to walk into one of these churches you would see some very strange things: arms waving in the air, people making strange sounds which do not make any sense, different people speaking at the same time, and all kinds of movement and excitement. But in the middle of all this movement and excitement the Bible stays closed. The people do not stay guiet and still long enough for the Lord to speak. to their hearts through His Word (compare 1 Kings 19:11-12).

Danger: Are you letting your feelings control you or are you letting God’s Word control you? Do you do what you feel like doing or are you guided by what God has told you to do in His Word?

ENEMY NUMBER 6--DIVERSION

Suppose your Mom gives you $5.00 and tells you to buy some groceries for her at the store. On the way to the store you see an ice cream store, so you turn in there an buy ice cream for yourself and for your friends. This is DIVERSION! You were diverted (turned aside) from doing what you were told to do and you failed to accomplish your mission.

In Mark 16:15 Jesus Christ gave the Church an assignment: "Go ye into all the _______________ and __________________ the _____________ (good news) to every creature." Many churches have turned aside from doing this and they have done other things instead. Instead of preaching the good news about Christ and His salvation they have concentrated on other things such as feeding the hungry, giving clothes to the poor, providing for those who are sick, helping those who are in need, etc. These are good things to do, but this is not the MAIN THING that Christ told the Church to do. Food, clothes and good health are fine, but will these things get a person to heaven? ________ Consider two examples:

The Salvation Army--When the Salvation Army first started they preached the gospel and also tried to help those who were poor and needy. As the years went by they helped the poor and needy more and more and they preached the gospel less and less. Today the Salvation Army does very little preaching of the gospel. They allowed themselves to become diverted from the MAIN THING that Christ told them to do.
The YMCA--The YMCA started out as a Christian organization (The Young Men’s Christian Association). But as time went on the people in this organization gave more importance to other things and less importance to preaching the gospel. Today, if you want to swim or play basketball or get some good exercise and healthy activity, the YMCA is a great place to go. However, if you want to learn how to be saved and how to go to heaven, do not go to the YMCA. They have been diverted.

Danger: Do not fail to do the MAIN THING that Christ has commanded His Church to do. The Church must not forget why she is in the world. We must clearly point to Christ and His wonderful salvation. We must not get involved with things that Christ never told us to get involved with. Are you involved in sharing the good news with others?

ENEMY NUMBER 7--COLDNESS

In Revelation chapter 2 we learn about a church which was about to have its light snuffed out (Revelation 2:5). What was the problem? What did these believers do wrong? Jesus said, "I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast _______________ thy _______________" (Revelation 2:4). Something terrible happened to these people. Something happened that cooled their love for the Saviour. They no longer loved Him as they once did. Their love for the Saviour had grown cold. Their relationship with Christ had slowly and gradually lost its warmth and beauty and freshness.

When a person is saved he enters into a love-relationship with Christ Jesus: "We _____________ Him because He first __________ us" (1 John 4:19). Once we are saved we need to keep our love for the Saviour burning bright and hot.

It is possible for other loves to come in and crowd out one’s first love. Some people are "lovers of _________________ more than lovers of _______" (2 Tim. 3:4). They would rather lie at the beach than sit in Church. They would rather play than pray. They would rather read comics than read Corinthians.

Think of a husband and wife. If they never talked to each other and never did anything for each other and never spent time with each other, would they have a very good love-relationship? ________ Jesus Christ wants to have FIRST PLACE in our lives (Col. 1:18).

Danger: If your love for the Saviour growing cold? Can you remember a time in your Christian life when you were walking closer to the Lord than you are now? In some church buildings you will find an organ, a piano, a choir, people in the pews, a pastor, but THE LORD IS MISSING. The Lord does not COMMEND but He CONDEMNS a Church where He is UNLOVED and where the hearts of the people have grown COLD towards Him.

ENEMY NUMBER 8--TOLERATION

There are some things that we must not tolerate. Suppose a rattlesnake were to be found in a yard where small children often play. Should this snake be tolerated and allowed to remain in this yard? Suppose you were to learn that there was cancer in your body. Would you tolerate this cancer and let it stay there and grow there?

There are some things that the Church must not tolerate. In Revelation 2:2 we learn that there were people who claimed to be Apostles. Were they really apostles? ______ They were FALSE APOSTLES. Did these Christians tolerate these liars and allow them to continue to fool people and mislead people? ______

Today there are churches that tolerate many things. There are churches that tolerate SIN. If someone has a serious problem with sin they do not try to help the person deal with the problem God’s way. Instead they try to ignore the problem and pretend that everything Is alright. This is like ignoring the rattlesnake and pretending that everything is alright! (see 1 Corinthians chapter 5 where Paul told the Corinthians that they needed to deal with a man who had fallen into deep sin).

Some churches allow unsaved people to be MEMBERS. Some allow unsaved people to PREACH from the pulpit. This is a very DANGEROUS thing to do! This would be like a Shepherd telling the wolf to watch the sheep for him while he takes a long walk. This is a fast way to destroy the flock!

Danger: The Church must never tolerate that which is wrong. The Church that fails to deal with sin in the right way will be the Church that Is destroyed by sin. The cancer that is not removed from the body is the cancer that destroys the body.

ENEMY NUMBER 9--DIVISION

Was the Corinthian Church a DIVIDED Church (1 Cor.1:10-12)? ________ These Christians were getting together and forming different groups within the Church and each group thought they were better than the other group!

It is a terrible thing to see family warfare within the Church. It is a terrible thing to see Christians fighting Christians. by such things as gossip, jealousy, pride, failure to love the brethren, etc. Christians sometimes are so busy fighting each other that they have little time or energy left to battle the real enemies: THE WORLD, THE FLESH and THE DEVIL! How are Christians supposed to live with each other (see Ephesians 4:2-3; 31-32)? ____________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________

Danger: If a person is a fellow Christian then he is supposed to be on the same team that you are on! BE ALERT! Love the brethren (I John 3:14). Don’t be one who sows discord and division among brethren. God HATES this kind of thing (see Proverbs 6:16,19)..

ENEMY NUMBER l0--CLOSED BOOK

One of the great enemies that the Church faces today is the CLOSED BIBLE. There are many churches where the Bible is used very little. The next time you see people walking to Church see if they are carrying their Bibles. There are many people today who do not even bring a Bible to Church. There are many Pastors who never have their people take their Bibles and use them (by turning to different passages). In many Churches the Bible is a closed Book.

According to 2 Timothy 4:2, what should be preached from the pulpit? _________________________ There will come a time when people will not want S_______________ D______________________ (see 2 Timothy 4:3). They will not want healthy teaching! They will turn away their ears from the _________ (2 Timothy 4:4). Will their teachers give them what they need to hear or what they want to hear (2 Timothy 4:3)? ________________ __________________ Sometimes the truth hurts! The truth is like medicine. It does not always taste good, but we sure need it.

Danger: Is the Bible a closed Book in your Church? Is the Bible a closed Book in your home? Is your Bible a closed Book most of the time? When do you use your Bible? When do you open your Bible? Do you open it only in Church or at other times also? May God help us to have an OPEN BIBLE and an OPEN HEART!

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1.	_____	the Gentile believers	A.	Acts 8:14
2.	_____	the Thessalonian believers	B.	Acts 11:1
3.	_____	the Samaritan believers	C.	Acts 17:11-12
4.	_____	the Berean believers	D.	1Thess.1:6; 2:13

_____	"I can’t wait for the Pastor to stop talking so that I can get home."
_____	"What a wonderful promise! I never realized that was in the Bible."
_____	"What the Pastor said was really interesting. I’m going to read those verses again when I get home to make sure that’s what it really means." (Compare Acts 17:11)
_____	"I seem to get bored in Sunday School. All we ever do is study the Bible."
_____	"I don’t read my Bible every day because there are too many other things I would rather be doing."
_____	"This verse will help me to be a better student at school."
_____	"I sure hope this church service is over before the World Series begins (or Super bowl, etc.)"
_____	"I know the Pastor will be speaking on Acts chapter 25 because he spoke on Acts 24 last week. I’m going to read that chapter even before I get to church."
_____	I didn’t understand what the Pastor meant when he was explaining this verse. I’ll have to ask one of the elders (or my Sunday School teacher or my parents) about it after the service."
_____	I don’t usually spend time thinking about Bible verses because I have too many other things to think about such as school, my friends, sports, etc."
_____	"I try to take notes in Church because it helps me to pay attention and listen."
_____	"If my parents didn’t make me come to Sunday School I would never come."
_____	"Why do we need to come to Church in the middle of the week? Isn’t Sunday enough?"
_____	"I’m trying to read through all of my Bible in a year. To do this I must read 3 or 4. chapters each day."
_____	"I used to receive God’s Word with joy but I found that it is too hard to be a believer. My friends made fun of me." See Luke 8:13.
_____	"I love to go to Church because most of my friends are there, but that’s the only reason."
_____	"My little sister (or brother) really enjoys the times when I read to her (or him) from the Bible and other good Christian books."
_____	"I can never watch the good shows on Television on Sunday night because I always have to be in church."
_____	"My friend and I have been memorizing Bible verses. It’s fun to do it together."
_____	"Whenever I read God’s Word I always try to remember that the Bible is God’s LOVE LETTER to me and that the Lord has a personal message just for me."
_____	"When the Lord teaches me something from His Word I enjoy sharing that truth with my family and friends. I’m also very thankful whenever I have an opportunity to talk to an unsaved person about the Lord and what Christ has done for me."

1A. THE MEANING OF THE WORD "CHURCH."

1.THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL

2.NEW TESTAMENT BELIEVERS

2A.THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE CHURCH.

1B.WHAT WERE THE MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH CALLED?

1C. Believers.

What Are The Members of The Church Called?

MAKE DISCIPLES!!

MAKE DISCIPLES!!

MAKE DISCIPLES!!

MATCHING PROBLEM:

Answer the following TRUE or FALSE:

2B. WHO CAN BE A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH?

1C. GEOGRAPHICAL LQCATION MAKES NO DIFFERENCE.

2C NATIONALITY MAKES NO DIFFERENCE.

Jews, Gentiles, Samaritans

History of the Samaritans

MATCHING FOR REVIEW

CHAPTER 12

10 ENEMIES OF THE CHURCH

ENEMY NUMBER 1--FALSE TEACHING

ENEMY NUMBER 2--WORLDLINESS

ENEMY NUMBER 3--LEGALISM

ENEMY NUMBER 4--FORMALISM

ENEMY NUMBER 5--EMOTIONALISM

ENEMY NUMBER 6--DIVERSION

ENEMY NUMBER 7--COLDNESS

ENEMY NUMBER 8--TOLERATION

ENEMY NUMBER 9--DIVISION

ENEMY NUMBER l0--CLOSED BOOK