Paul in the book of Ephesians states in chapter 3:10-11 “...to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

For the time that we are living in this world, and are faithful members of the Lord's church, we are a part of God's eternal purpose. The church has certain things it must do in order to be working with God in this realm. It should make us feel very important and yet humbled to realize that what we do here has eternal significance. This is why our Lord warns over and over in the gospels that we must not place too much emphasis on this life. Paul put it well in 2 Cor 4:18, “while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” Our jobs, hobbies, and all the cares and concerns of this life are only temporary. Only the things we do for the Lord in the church, which is in accord with His eternal purpose, are eternal. Those who get behind this by seeking first His kingdom and righteousness will receive a crown. Those who spend their time pursuing as of first importance their own desires and needs will be counted unfaithful.

It would not be possible in one or even 100 lessons to fully outline God's eternal purpose in the church. The work of the church is three fold: benevolence, edification, and evangelism. It is the latter which we will spend our time studying. To see how things fit together, our lesson starts at the beginning of the Jewish nation, after the 40 year wilderness wandering. After proving with the golden calf, and murmuring and rebellion in the wilderness that they were stiff-necked and stubborn, and not really interested in God's eternal purpose, the warnings of Deuteronomy are harsh and stinging. God will not bend for them. If they continue this course they will be destroyed.

In Deuteronomy we find the mercy of God described … if the children of Israel repent. Deut 4:29-21 states, “But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul. When you are in distress, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, when you turn to the LORD your God and obey His voice (for the LORD your God is a merciful God), He will not forsake you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them.” See also Deut 30:1-6. The fulfillment of these prophecies about the Lord bringing them back will have a tremendous bearing on our understanding of evangelism and God's eternal purpose. The majority of the children of Israel rejected all God's warnings in Scripture. They remained rebellious throughout time of the judges, increased their rebellion by asking for a king, and then became increasingly wicked through the days of the prophets. God cast off Israel (the ten tribes) to Assyria, and then cast off Judah (two tribes) to Babylon. We know that God brought back some of them after the seventy years of captivity in Babylon. We read in Jer 29:10, “For thus says the LORD: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place.” But there was also to be a second gathering. Isaiah writes, “It shall come to pass in that day that the LORD shall set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people who are left,…He will set up a banner for the nations, and will assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.” As a shepherd God would take part in this gathering (Jer 23:1-6; Ezek 34:11-16). What do we learn from this? God knows where His scattered are at all times. The latter part of Acts 18:10 states, “for I have many people in this city." God also knows how to send others to gather His scattered. For example the Eunuch was reached (Acts 8:26-28, 38-40), Saul was contacted (Acts 9:10-15) and Cornelius (Acts 10:1-5, 24-27, 32-33). God promises that all who seek will find (Mt 7:7-11) and He opens the doors of opportunity (1 Cor 16:9; 2 Cor 2:12; Col 4:3; Rev 3:8). He knows the hearts of all men (Acts 1:24; Heb 4:13) and wants all men to be saved (1 Tim 2:4; 2 Pet 3:9). What is the only reasonable conclusion from all the prophecy and inspired recording of its fulfillment? God takes the major role in saving the lost. Paul states, “Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is” (1 Cor 3:5-13). Man's role is minor: He that plants and he that waters are nothing. God gives the increase.

Since God opens doors, and opens hearts with His Word. We can never fail. We are the instrument God uses to bring His Word to them: Rom 10:10-17 It is our job to preach. Some may judge themselves unworthy of eternal life: Acts 13:46. Others may accept it: Acts 13:48 But, no preacher can fail them unless they do not speak the Word of God:

 never convert anyone?
OR
do not pray for the lost?

no one ever listens to us?
OR
give up & just don't ask anyone?

 those we try to teach go elsewhere?
OR
let our light go out in discouragement?

they laugh and make fun of us?
OR
refuse to open our mouths for fear of being scorned?

our attempts to get a class are rebuffed?
OR
refuse to learn enough to be a teacher?

find that those in the world don’t have time for us?
OR
get so involved in the world we don't have time to teach?

find ourselves weeping over the worldly attitudes in those all around us?
OR
just don't care and shed no tears for the lost?

We should never lose sight that there are three sides to evangelism:

1. There is the power of God unto salvation

2. There are the efforts we put forth

3. There is the desire of the lost to open their hearts to God

1. As we have opportunity, do that which is good toward all men: Gal 6:10 “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.”

2. Buy up every opportunity you see to speak to others: Col 4:5-6 “Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.”

3. Pray for doors to be open and that we speak that which we ought: Col 4:2-3 “Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains,

4. Become all things to all men that we might gain more: 1Cor 9:19-27 “For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the gospel's sake, that I may be partaker of it with you. Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

By 1906 the fissure between Disciples of Christ/Christian Churches and the churches of Christ had become distinct and widespread enough to be recognized in the Census of Religious Bodies. This division which began with differences of conviction with respect to missionary societies and instrumental music eventually mushroomed to the point that it involved many other permanently divisive issues. The census of 1906 reported a total membership of 1,088,359 for all of these groups, with 159,658 (14.67%) of that total belonging to churches of Christ and the remaining 928,701 (85-33%) belonging to Disciples of Christ/Christian Churches. Though churches of Christ were comparatively small in membership at the beginning of the Twentieth Century, by the last quarter of that century they had grown to a membership of about 2,000,000. However, this rather expansive growth was accompanied by other doctrinal controversies and divisions.

Teaching methods. Some brethren have objected to the church being divided into classes on the basis that such an arrangement involves separate organizations parallel to the denominational Sunday school or the missionary society, is not mentioned in the Scriptures, and is in violation of certain Scriptural principles (I Cor. 14). In responding to these objections other brethren have pointed out that classes do not constitute independent organizations, they are generically authorized in the command to teach (I Tim. 3:15) and are not in violation of the Scriptures cited.

Some have objected to having women teachers at all, but the only restriction placed on a woman’s teaching is that it not be done over a man (I Tim. 2:8-15; Tit. 2:3,4; Acts 18:24-26).Other brethren have objected to Bible class literature as though it were parallel to denominational creed books, but such is generically authorized under the command to teach the truths of God's word (I Tim. 3:15; II Tim. 2:2) and is not recognized as a standard of religious authority as the Bible is.

Finally, some brethren objected to the employment of one preacher by a church to work with it for a stipulated wage. Such an arrangement is usually thought of by objectors as the "pastor system." Though there are certain dangers and abuses connected with such an arrangement, the Scriptures authorize churches to have preachers work with them and pay wages (Acts 18:27,28; 19:8-10; II Cor. 11:8,9).

One container for the fruit of the vine. Some brethren have insisted that only one container, as opposed to multiple containers, be used in serving the grape juice in the Lord’s Supper. Their contention is based upon the reference to "the cup" (Matt. 26:27-29). This error results from a failure to understand that a figure of speech (metonymy) is employed whereby the container ("cup") is put for what is contained ("fruit of the vine"). The "cup" is the fruit of the vine which was distributed among the disciples. Whether they drank from one container or multiple containers is not stated and thus not bound upon disciples.

Premillennialism is a broad and varied subject, but at the heart of it is the idea that Christ will return to earth to establish His millennial kingdom and reign. During the time between World Wars I and II it infiltrated a number of churches of Christ and became a hotly debated topic. R. H. Boll is usually regarded as the foremost advocate of premillennial views among churches of Christ during this period. Earl I. West represents Boll’s views thusly: 'Substantially, Boll taught that Jesus came to set up His kingdom only to be rejected by the Jews. To meet this rejection, Jesus established the church, which was only one stage of a wider manifestation of the kingdom to be realized at the second coming of Christ. Christ, therefore, was not on David's throne now, but would be at His return. Meanwhile, the church was to teach a ‘gospel of grace’ but a fuller gospel would be preached for the kingdom when it would ultimately be revealed. Boll also believed that the Jews would return to Palestine" (The Search for the Ancient Order - Volume III, pp. 397,398). However, the rejection and crucifixion of Jesus was part of God's plan for human redemption (Acts 2:23). The church is not a stopgap measure but is part of God's eternal purpose (Eph. 3:10,11). It is the kingdom of Christ (Matt. 3:2; 4:17; 10:7; 16:18,19; Col. 1:13). Christ has been reigning as its king since its establishment (Lk. 1:32; Rev. 1:5; 17:14).

General benevolence. Following World War II another rupture of fellowship among churches of Christ was caused by differences over a number of issues, one of which was the benevolent work of the church. Could churches build and maintain benevolent institutions? Could they contribute to them? Could they engage in works of general benevolence? In answer to these questions it should be noted that churches of the New Testament never built and maintained any institutions but themselves. Neither did they contribute to benevolent institutions. Furthermore, the only individuals to whom they made benevolent contributions were saints (I Cor. 16:1,2; I Tim. 5:5,16).

Centralization. Another divisive issue was the "sponsoring-church" method of evangelism in which one church or eldership would undertake a project beyond its financial capacity with the expectation that other churches would channel contributions to the sponsoring church to enable it to do the work it assumed. There are several errors involved in this arrangement. Firstly, it is not authorized in the Scriptures. In the New Testament church-to-church evangelistic contributions are never mentioned. Secondly, churches are not authorized to obligate themselves beyond their abilities. Thirdly, it centralizes work, funds, and oversight which really belong to many churches under one church.

Church-supported recreation and secular education. Though many churches of Christ have become involved in such activities, they are absolutely without any Scriptural authority. The church was established to provide the gospel (I Tim. 3:15), not recreation or secular education.

Teachers and Pupils

The Apostle Paul (formerly Saul) had been a pupil of Gamaliel, a Pharisee. Paul thought and acted like a Pharisee until the Lord appeared to him and opened His eyes. Once he became a disciple of Jesus, he thought and acted like one trained by the Lord.

GREAT INFLUENCE

How one comes to think and act depends greatly on who does the teaching. It is no wonder that some have an aversion to one who has been trained by the Lord to be a teacher of the young.

They understand the principle: "will be like his teacher." They fear that pupils will be influenced by the godliness of the teacher.

(It's not surprising that worldly-minded people want to be the instructors of youth and have control over the curriculum.)

Be certain that your children are "pupils of the Lord." Impart the teachings of Jesus to them.