AUTHORIZED RELIGIOUS ACTION

• Introduction
  1. Colossians 3:17
     All that we say or do religiously must be done in the name of the Lord.
     1. Acts 19:11-17
        Clearly, calling on His name is not a mere magical incantation like "Abracadabra." Instead, it means that the Lord must authorize the action.
     2. 2nd John 9
        We must be careful not to go too far.
  2. Matthew 18:15-17
     1. As exemplified in this passage, religious action takes place on three levels:
        1. The individual level, as a Christian (15).
        2. The conjunctive level, as a plurality of Christians, but not the church (16).
        3. The collective level, as a church (17).
     2. Our study is a simple examination of those things we ought to do in religion, and the ways in which they can be accomplished.

1. Prayer
   1. Individually (A Christian)
      1. Matthew 6:5-6
   2. Conjuctively (A few Christians)
      1. Acts 12:12
   3. Collectively (A church)
      1. Acts 2:42
      2. Acts 12:5
      3. 1st Corinthians 14:15-16
   4. Alternatively (A college, a camp, a retreat, a foundation, a society, etc.)
      1. Unauthorized
2. Song
   1. Individually (A Christian)
      1. James 5:13
   2. Conjuctively (A few Christians)
      1. Acts 16:25
   3. Collectively (A church)
      1. Colossians 3:16
      2. Hebrews 2:12
      3. 1st Corinthians 14:15
   4. Alternatively (A college, a camp, a retreat, a foundation, a society, etc.)
      1. Unauthorized
3. Evangelism
   1. Individually (A Christian)
      1. Acts 8:4-13
      2. Acts 8:26-40
   2. Conjuctively (A few Christians)
      1. Acts 16:30-32
      2. Acts 18:26
   3. Collectively (A church)
      1. 1st Thessalonians 1:8
      2. Ephesians 3:10
   4. Alternatively (A college, a camp, a retreat, a foundation, a society, etc.)
      1. Unauthorized
4. Exhortation & Edification
   1. Individually (A Christian)
      1. Philippians 4:8
      2. 1st Timothy 4:15
   2. Conjuctively (A few Christians)
      1. Acts 20:20
      2. Hebrews 3:12-13
   3. Collectively (A church)
      1. Acts 11:26
      2. Acts 13:1-3
      3. Acts 15:32
      4. Hebrews 10:24-25
      5. 1st Corinthians 4:17
   4. Alternatively (A college, a camp, a retreat, a foundation, a society, etc.)
      1. Unauthorized
5. Discipline
   1. Individually (A Christian)
      1. Matthew 18:15
      2. Galatians 6:1
      3. James 5:19-20
      4. 1st Timothy 6:5
   2. Conjuctively (A few Christians)
      1. 2nd John 10-11
      2. Matthew 18:16
   3. Collectively (A church)
      1. Matthew 18:17
      2. 1st Corinthians 5:1-5
   4. Alternatively (A college, a camp, a retreat, a foundation, a society, etc.)
      1. Unauthorized
6. Ministry To The Saints
   1. Individually (A Christian)
      1. 1st John 3:17
   2. Conjuctively (A few Christians)
      1. 1st Timothy 5:8, 16
   3. Collectively (A church)
      1. 1st Corinthians 16:1-2
      2. Acts 4:32-37
      3. Acts 11:29-30
   4. Alternatively (A college, a camp, a retreat, a foundation, a society, etc.)
      1. Unauthorized
7. Preacher's Wages
   1. Individually (A Christian)
      1. Luke 8:1-3
   2. Conjuctively (A few Christians)
      1. Luke 10:4-7
   3. Collectively (A church)
      1. Philippians 4:15-16
      2. 2nd Corinthians 11:8-9
   4. Alternatively (A college, a camp, a retreat, a foundation, a society, etc.)
      1. Unauthorized
8. LORD's Supper
   1. Individually (A Christian)
      1. Unauthorized
   2. Conjuctively (A few Christians)
      1. Unauthorized
   3. Collectively (A church)
      1. Acts 20:7
      2. 1st Corinthians 11:17-21
   4. Alternatively (A college, a camp, a retreat, a foundation, a society, etc.)
      1. Unauthorized

• Conclusion
  1. In Christ, we may act:
     1. Individually, as Christians.
     2. Conjunctively, with other Christians.
     3. Collectively, as the church.
  2. The church is the only means whereby we may act collectively to perform our religious duties.
     1. Ephesians 4:11-16
        The body must build itself up. We are to encourage each other's growth in the church.
     2. Ephesians 3:20-21
        God is to be glorified in the church. The church is the setting in which we worship Him together.
     3. Ephesians 3:10-11; 1st Timothy 3:15
        God's eternal purpose includes making known His manifold wisdom through the church, which is the foundation of the truth.
  3. Ephesians 4:4; 1:22-23; Romans 12:15
     There is one head - Christ, one body - His church, and the members are Christians individually. Where do organizations other than the church fit into this arrangement?
  4. Acts 20:28
     The Lord shed His blood to purchase the church, not a college, camp, foundation, ladies' retreat, or missionary society.
  5. Matthew 15:13
     1. If God did not establish a certain religious entity, He will most certainly overthrow it.
     2. There is no authority whatsoever to establish other organizations or institutions to do religious work, such as:
        1. Colleges, with their mandatory chapel attendance, Bible departments, preacher training courses, and annual lectureships.
        2. Camps, with daily Bible classes and twice daily devotionals.
        3. Women's retreats, with singing, praying, and Bible studies.
        4. Privately funded foundations, with their annual lectureships.