The Universal and Local Church

I. Introduction: We sometimes hear the terms universal and local church. Yet we may have some misunderstanding about what they mean or why it is important.

II. Text: Matthew 22:1-14

III. The terms

A. We do not find the designations “universal church” and “local church” in the scriptures but the concept exists in the New Testament.

B. Definition

C. The local church is a church that meets in a particular locality.

D. The church in Jerusalem (Acts 11:22), the seven churches of Asia from Revelation 2 and 3 are biblical examples of this use. The Northwood church would be an example of a local church.

E. The universal church comprises all believers in Christ.

F. Hebrews 12:22-23 – The assembly of the firstborn Ephesians 5:25-27 – Jesus died for the church to purify it

G. The universal church is not made up of churches but people.

H. In the Catholic system, the Roman Catholic Church is one church made up of many local churches.1 Corinthians 12:20-27 – Members individually of the body This distinction is important when we consider the differences between the universal and local church.

I. Differences

J. God regulates fellowship in the universal church but the local membership regulates fellowship in the local church.

K. Universal

L. Acts 2:47: “…and the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” In the passages from Revelation, it is clear that God removed some from His fellowship.1 John 3:24: “Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.”

M. Local

N. Paul

O. Acts 9:17-20 – Converted while persecuting Christians Acts 9:23-28 – The church would not receive him until Barnabas made the case for Paul’s legitimacy.

P. The church was within its right to refuse fellowship to one they perceived a danger to the body.

Q. 2 John 1:10-11- Do not receive the false teacher lest you share in his deeds1 Corinthians 5 – Withdrawing fellowship/general Titus 3:9-11 – Rejecting a divisive man Matthew 18:15-17 We are careful about what we eat lest we let some dangerous organism into our physical body that would make us sick. We must exercise care with whom we choose to fellowship for some would harm the local body.

R. 3 John 1:9-10 – Some good people could be cast out by bad people

S. Here we see an abuse of fellowship In this case there were some who were part of the universal church that were not part of the local church and at least one—Diotrophes—who was in the local church but is apparently not in the universal church.

T. Cannot withdraw from another church

IV. So What