Lesson 20 — The New Testament Program for the Modern Church

1. 1 THE NEW TESTAMENT PROGRAM FOR THE MODERN CHURCH

THE NEW TESTAMENT PROGRAM FOR THE MODERN CHURCH

The program for the Church has always been the same throughout this Age of Grace. The modern program should be exactly like the original one that made the Church known throughout the Roman world, in a few years. The New Testament program has not changed. It is the Church that has changed, and it will always be true when there is any change at all. The program for the Church is clearly stated in Scripture, and it is powerfully and supernaturally demonstrated in the lives of the early believers, as recorded in history, so there cannot possibly be any misunderstanding as to what it is if we honestly seek to know the truth. Anyone who can read simple human language can discover such truth by reading the record in the New Testament.

This record is one of carrying on the work that Christ Himself started. Many are the Scriptures that reveal the power and success of the early Church. The following brief study of these Scriptures will make clear to any honest-hearted believer what the New Testament program was in the early Church and also how it should be continued today in the modern Church.

This program is not a complicated and intricate one. It is made up of two main points: first, to preach the gospel, and second, to confirm the gospel. This is very clearly stated in the following Scriptures: “The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and to teach” Acts 1:1-2, “Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of diseases among the people” Matthew 4:23-24; “Go and shew John again the things which ye do hear and see. The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached unto them” Matthew 11:1-6; “He healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils . . . And he preached in their synagogues” Mark 1:34-39; “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me TO PREACH the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal . . . to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord” Luke 4:16-19.

Preaching and healing constituted the great work of Christ in starting the New Testament program and this was the work that He commanded the apostles to carry on both before and after the crucifixion. Note the following passages before the cross which prove that the disciples started their ministry doing the work of preaching and healing: “He called unto him his twelve disciples [Judas included], he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease . . . These twelve [Judas included] Jesus sent forth and commanded them . . . as ye go preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give” Matthew 10:1-7; “He ordained twelve [Judas included], that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils” Mark 3:13-15; “And they [the twelve, Judas included] went out, and preached that men should repent. And cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick and healed them” Mark 6:7-13, “He sent them [the twelve, Judas included] to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick . . . and they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing every where” Luke 9:1-6.

Not only did the twelve, including Judas, receive power from the Holy Spirit to preach and to heal, but Christ ordained seventy others also whom He sent out two by two to do the same work that He and the twelve were doing. He said to the seventy, “into whatsoever city ye enter . . . heal the sick that are therein, and say [preach] unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you” Luke 10:1-24.

When the Lord was ready to be taken up to Heaven again He specifically commanded the early believers to carry on the work which He “began both to do and to teach” Acts 1:1-2. He told them that “All power [authority] is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” He commissioned them, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (age, Mt. 28:18-20). Christ further commanded them, “but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high” Luke 24:49Acts 1:4-8.

Not only did He promise that they would be endued with power from on High, but He said, “These signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents [see Lesson Fourteen, Point V, 11 for the doctrine of taking up serpents]; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover” Mark 16:15-18; “Ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence . . . Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me . . . unto the uttermost parts of the earth” Acts 1:4-8; “He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it . . . ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you . . . I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you” John 14:12-15John 15:7, 16.

These and hundreds of promises were made to believers. There is no limitation or qualification stated in any of the promises of God. They are all unlimited and unqualified so that “all things are possible to him that believeth” Mark 9:23Mark 11:22-24. These promises were given, not to fill up a book or to make the Bible bigger, but they were given to give absolute assurance that believers could carry on the work that Jesus “began both to do and to teach” and to confirm the Word of God as it is preached. To prove that they are true the Lord backed up the preaching of the early Church, thus demonstrating that He wanted all men in this age to know that preaching is just part of the Church program. He wanted them to also know that confirmation of what is preached is also a part of that program.

The following passages prove that God continued the Church program through the early believers by confirming what was preached: “They cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them” Mark 6:7-13; “They departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing everywhere” Luke 9:16; “And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even devils are subject unto us through thy name” Luke 10:17; “So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following” Mark 16:19-20; “And many wonders and signs were done by the apostles . . . such as I have give I unto thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk . . . and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength” Acts 2:43Acts 3:6-11; “And when they had prayed the place was shaken . . . and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost . . . and by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people . . . Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. There came also a multitude . . . bringing sick folks, and them that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one” Acts 4:29-31Acts 5:12-16; “Peter said unto him, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise, and make thy bed. And he arose immediately . . . Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up” Acts 9:32-43.

It is argued by many, even whole denominations, that only the twelve apostles received the baptism in the Spirit and had power to confirm the Word of God, but this is false as proven by the following Scriptures recording the same miraculous works which we read about in the lives of the apostles and the seventy above. In Acts 6 we have seven men chosen from among the laymen because they were “full of the Holy Ghost.” One of these men, Stephen, who was “full of the Holy Ghost and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people” Acts 6:3, 5. Philip, another of these business elders, had a great revival and did great miracles among the people in Samaria Acts 8:5-20. Many in the early Church were scattered, and we read they “went everywhere preaching the word . . . And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned to the Lord” Acts 8:4Acts 11:19-21. The hand of the Lord being with them proves they did miracles, as is clear from Acts 4:30; 13:11. Men turned to the Lord in great numbers because of miracles Acts 9:35Acts 15:12, 19.

There are a number of men mentioned as being apostles and as doing great miracles who were not of the twelve apostles who followed Jesus. Ananias was filled with the Holy Ghost and power enough to lay hands on Paul and baptize him in the Spirit and heal him of blindness Acts 9:10-19. Paul and Barnabas did great signs and wonders Acts 13:11Acts 14:3, 8Acts 15:12Acts 16:16-34Acts 19:1-6 and God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul so that from his body went handkerchiefs and aprons to heal the sick and cast out demons to confirm his preaching Acts 19:11-20Acts 28:7-9Romans 15:18, 29. Paul’s immunity from a snakebite is one of the signs that are to follow all believers Acts 28:1-6Mark 16:17-20. Timothy, one of Paul’s converts, did the same kind of miracles Paul did 1 Corinthians 16:10. And so the story goes throughout the New Testament. Ordinary elders of all the churches were to be called to heal the sick James 5:14-16. In fact, Paul said that none of us shall escape the judgment of God if we neglect so great salvation “Which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to His own will” Hebrews 2:3-4. Paul in 1 Cor. 12 speaks of nine gifts of the Spirit that are distributed among all believers who covet them. Thus the teaching that miracles occurred only among the twelve apostles and that men today cannot do the same things is false.

The New Testament program of preaching and confirming the word that is preached is plainly established for the Church of modern times if believers desire at all to have such experiences. Men throughout this age were to be commanded to observe all that Jesus commanded His disciples Matthew 28:20. The same baptism in the Spirit is promised everyone who believes on Christ Matthew 3:11John 7:38-39Acts 2:38-39Acts 5:32. All the promises of God are yea and amen to them that believe 2 Corinthians 1:20.

It is clear from the above facts that Christ began this program. The disciples were commanded to carry on the same program. They were promised power to make a success of this program. And they did make a success of it and commanded men through this age to continue such a program and contend for the faith once delivered to the saints (Jude 3). The reason that many in the early Church failed and that the Church has failed as a whole from the apostolic period until today is explained in Lesson Nineteen, Point VII, 2 and 3.

II. The Power Every Believer in Christ Should Exercise

According to the promise of Jesus every believer should have power to do the works of Christ and greater works than He did John 14:12-15John 15:7, 16. The apostles promised that all believers could have the same baptism in the Spirit that was received Acts 2:38-39Acts 5:322 Corinthians 1:20 and that they could have the gifts of the Holy Ghost 1 Corinthians 1:71 Corinthians 12:1-11, 311 Corinthians 14:1Romans 1:11Romans 12:3-8Ephesians 4:7-161 Timothy 4:142 Timothy 1:6.

I have seen for years the apostasy in our churches, and I am zealous for them to come back to the old truths. Millions of people are turning away from our Christian churches and going into false religions because the program of modern churches holds nothing for them. False religions are showing more power and are getting people more results physically, materially, and spiritually than the average modern church is getting for them; so they are turning to the religions that offer them something in the way of benefits that are tangible. I am against these false religions. I am for the churches and want to help all of them to see how they can get anew the old type of Christianity and attract these people back into the fold.

People are hungry for the supernatural power to heal when they need it. They want answers to prayers. They want material help. They want freedom from sin and failure. If they cannot get it from one source they will accept it from another. If they cannot get the real that the gospel offers, then they will accept the substitute that Satan offers. Satan knows that he can deceive men by his counterfeit of real power, and he is winning millions that should be in Christian churches and would be if ministers would awaken to their responsibility and get God into the churches in a supernatural way.

III. Christian Doctrines and Experiences Seldom Seen in Modern Churches

A number of years ago I became greatly awakened to the need of the modern church by the fact that God was not doing for modern believers what I read about in the New Testament. Being a man of sincerity, honesty, and at least ordinary intelligence, I decided to find out what was wrong. I had enough sense to know that in material things when a machine will not run, or something fails to carry out its creative purpose, there is something wrong which needs to be corrected before the machine will work normally. I applied this common sense to the Christian religion and spiritual things. I had read the New Testament enough to see a vast difference between the modern church and the early one.

I fell upon a plan of investigating and experimenting with spiritual truths as taught in the New Testament. I was pastor of a certain church whose members were nearly all honest and open to all the teachings of the Bible. I said to the church, “Let us gather night after night and read the New Testament through to find out what it teaches that we are not doing and what kind of spiritual experiences it teaches that we have not yet received. Let us bring pencils and paper and jot down everything we find that we are not doing as a church and every blessing and experience that early believers had that we do not have today.” We gathered on Monday night and read as far as Mt. 10. We discovered that first night why we did not have the power that the early disciples had. Christ “gave them power” and said, “heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give” Matthew 10:1-8. I stopped and made a comment that we have found out what we wanted the first night. The reason we cannot freely give is that we have not freely received.

To make a long story short, when we got through reading the New Testament through and honestly listing everything we had found that we were not practicing as a church and every experience that was not normal in our lives, I had 160 points on my list. I could hardly believe my eyes, and yet there was chapter and verse for every point. I had sense enough to know that we were not doing all these things and that we did not have all these experiences as Christians today because they were never manifest in our church. From then on I became a new man. I had to consecrate myself to remain honest and face facts and to acknowledge the truth that I had found, or reject my findings and turn dishonest and excuse myself and others today for not having these blessings and for not practicing all the New Testament. I decided, as I have always done and always will do, that I am going to be honest with the Eternal Word of God and with my soul and that of each man to whom I give out truth. I have received a measure of power from God and am expecting the fullness in my life so that I can help all men get free from the devil and all his works.

The truth is that Jn. 14:12 states the divine limitations to every believer. Until a believer can do the works of Christ he is not a normal New Testament Christian in power. He may have many other blessings from God, but if he does not have power like that of Christ he is coming short of his privileges, and there is nothing to be gained by denying this fact. This fact does not mean he is not saved and is not going to Heaven. It simply means that he is not up to the New Testament standard of power with God. Anything short of this power proves a human limitation to the promises, and anything beyond this will be a divine limitation. The New Testament standard of normal power for every believer is clear, and we can have it if we want it and if we will obey all the New Testament to the letter.

These and scores of New Testament teachings and practices are more or less foreign to the average church member. Even the average preacher knows little about these things. Is it any wonder that the modern church is powerless? Is it any wonder that multitudes are going after the counterfeit power and outward refinement in some false religions? Many hundreds and thousands of people in local churches are following men who even deny that New Testament doctrines and experiences, as we have mentioned above, are for us today. Until the modern church again believes in the faith once delivered to the saints it cannot contend for that faith; so it will continue in helplessness and defeat. It will continue in worldliness and formality as is manifest on every hand, and there will continue to be an exodus from the churches, of people who are searching for the supernatural, even if they have to deny Christ and the Bible.

The modern church must awake to its responsibilities and privileges in the gospel, or millions more will be lost to false religions and demon powers. Time is short, and what the church must do it must do quickly. Let every one who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity and contend for the fullness of power and faith that is promised those who believe the gospel of Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God. God will back us up by the power of the Holy Ghost and all the hosts of Heaven. The devil is already a defeated foe, and his power has been broken. He has already been proven in the Court of Heaven as a usurper and an intruder into man’s dominion, holding men in his power only as they consent to it. All that needs to be done is to carry out the execution of the sentence against Him. This will be done at the second advent of Christ. Believers now can defeat him and all his works in their personal lives and enjoy the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ. Let all who read these lessons unite to pray and work for New Testament power in all of our churches.

IV. Questions the Modern Church Must Answer:

1. Is this program for the modern church?

2. Does God desire to carry on this program today?

3. Do we need such a program in the modern church?

4. Who does not God carry on this program more fully than He does now?

5. Has God a lower standard of world-attraction for His gospel than in the beginning?

6. Is God able to confirm the gospel today as recorded in the New Testament?

7. Are supernatural powers necessary today to confirm the Word of God?

8. Does the Word of God need confirmation today before the unbelieving world?

9. Are there any sick, lame, demon-possessed, and defeated people today?

10. Why would not God want to see men delivered today from the devil as in days of old?

11. Why did Jesus die for all men of all ages to deliver them from these troubles if His work was to be limited only to the early Church period?

12. Why did the Holy Spirit come to abide forever with men if He was to work only in the lives of the apostles and a few special pets of God in the early Church?

13. Why were the hundreds of promises given that all men of all ages should be victorious over all the works of the devil if they were to be limited to the early Church?

14. Why would God desire to see His people today tormented of the devil any more than He desired it in the days of Christ and the apostles?

15. Why would God want His children oppressed by His enemy when no other father would tolerate such a thing if he could help it?

16. Are we receiving new light about God’s New Testament program for the Church?

17. What should be the attitude of the Church if these things be true?

18. What is the responsibility of the Church in view of these facts?

19. How can we get the New Testament program into operation today?

20. What would be the results of such a program in the modern Church?

These and other questions must be answered by modern believers, and it is clear to each one by now what the answers are. If such a program was for the early Church it is still for the Church of today, for the apostles were commanded to teach all nations to observe all things Christ had commanded them Matthew 28:19-20. Jesus Christ is the same today as ever Hebrews 13:8. In no Scripture did God say this program was to be changed when the apostles died or that it was to be only for a certain period. On the contrary Christ has promised to be with the Church even until the end of the age Matthew 28:20. Paul said that all the promises of God were yea and amen to them that believe 2 Corinthians 1:20. God is the same. The devil is the same. Sin is the same. Sickness and demon-possessed people are with us the same. The power of God needs to be manifest today as ever; so we must conclude that it is the will of God that the modern Church face the facts and contend for the faith once delivered to the saints (Jude 3). The work of the Spirit and the power of the blood and the Word of God were to continue to be effective in the lives of all that believe throughout this age so as individuals, if the Church of today refuses to accept these truths or put forth the least effort to carry on this program, we can get individual benefits by faith.

The only reason God does not carry on this program more today is the failure of the Church to cooperate with God. There is no question that such a program is needed to bless men according to their needs and that God needs it to attract multitudes to His gospel. God works only through men who will have faith and who will permit Him to work in their lives. This has always been true and always will be Romans 10:10-21. God has not lowered His standard of world attraction to His gospel, and He is waiting for the Church to pray for a spiritual revival that will produce signs and wonders again. God is just as able today to save and heal the multitudes if preachers would awake to their true work and work at it.

Demon-inspired religions are being evidenced and confirmed by the manifestation of the supernatural power of the devil, and the need of God’s greater power is very evident to prove to men that Christianity promises and gives to all men all they need in this life as well as in the life to come. The contest is on between the actual results and the power of the gospel and that of false religions. The Word of God needs confirmation today in the sense of proving that the gospel is the same power of God unto salvation today as in the beginning. The ungodly and believing world has been made to believe in supernatural powers, and the multitudes are being attracted wherever there is a real manifestation of the supernatural, whether it be the devil’s power or that of God.

The Church stands today on the threshold of great and mighty achievements if it will awaken and wage an aggressive fight against Satan and his demon-forces. The Church can again prove to the world that the power of God is greater than that of Satan. There are sick and demon-possessed people in nearly every home who would willingly turn to God and be healed and saved from sin if all the churches would quit fighting each other and the gospel itself and begin to teach the people how to get the benefits that are promised by God.

Jesus died that this program might be carried on throughout this age. The Holy Spirit was sent to carry it on. The Word of God was given to teach men what it is and how to get the full benefits that are needed on every hand. The program was started right, as demonstrated by Christ and the early Church, and it can be revived fully again by the Church if all men will accept the truth. God has always been ready to defeat Satan and his works in the lives of His children, and when the Church gets ready and anxious to see God work, then their desires will be granted. God said to Jeremiah that if men would call upon Him, He would show them great and mighty things Jeremiah 33:3. Jesus and others promised that these things would be done in the lives of every believer so there is no excuse but the hardness of the heart and the sin of unbelief in the lives of modern Christians.

This might sound impossible and like an idle dream, but just as sure as God is in Heaven and the Word of God be true, these changes and many others will literally come to the divided and worldly Christendom of today if all churches will adopt the program of the New Testament as it is.