Posted on 06/20/2017 4:12:13 PM PDT by ealgeone
Question: "What is the church?"
Answer: Many people today understand the church as a building. This is not a biblical understanding of the church. The word “church” comes from the Greek word ekklesia which is defined as “an assembly” or “called-out ones.” The root meaning of “church” is not that of a building, but of people. It is ironic that when you ask people what church they attend, they usually identify a building. Romans 16:5 says “… greet the church that is in their house.” Paul refers to the church in their house—not a church building, but a body of believers.
The church is the body of Christ, of which He is the head. Ephesians 1:22-23 says, “And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.” The body of Christ is made up of all believers in Jesus Christ from the day of Pentecost (Acts chapter 2) until Christ’s return. The body of Christ is comprised of two aspects:
1) The universal church consists of all those who have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. “For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink” (1 Corinthians 12:13). This verse says that anyone who believes is part of the body of Christ and has received the Spirit of Christ as evidence. The universal church of God is all those who have received salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.
2) The local church is described in Galatians 1:1-2: “Paul, an apostle … and all the brothers with me, to the churches in Galatia.” Here we see that in the province of Galatia there were many churches—what we call local churches. A Baptist church, Lutheran church, Catholic church, etc., is not the church, as in the universal church—but rather is a local church, a local body of believers. The universal church is comprised of those who belong to Christ and who have trusted Him for salvation. These members of the universal church should seek fellowship and edification in a local church.
In summary, the church is not a building or a denomination. According to the Bible, the church is the body of Christ—all those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ for salvation (John 3:16; 1 Corinthians 12:13). Local churches are gatherings of members of the universal church. The local church is where the members of the universal church can fully apply the “body” principles of 1 Corinthians chapter 12: encouraging, teaching, and building one another up in the knowledge and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Wrong.
God sent JESUS for the salvation of the human race.
John 3:14-18 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
John 5:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
John 5:39-40 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.
Acts 4:12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
1 Corinthians 12:27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.
Romans 12:4-5 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
Try this
As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,
“The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,”
and
“A stone of stumbling, and a rock (petra) of offense.”
They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.
Can you be any more condescending?
Just correcting errors.
That He did and you know, and I know and Ebb tide knows that the church that He founded was the Catholic church....it has existed from the time of Christ because He instituted it as the eternal, inerrant, COMPLETE, symbol and example of His redemption of mankind.....can't change it, can't improve on it.....you can deny it, but it remains the ONLY true and complete Christian church on Earth.....
Wrong!
Do you understand the term apostolic?
One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic.
It’s in our Creed.
How did the Church survive after Christ’s Ascension into heaven?
Because of the Apostles.
How many times are they listed in the Bible?
And it uses the passage most Catholic's use as evidence of apostolic succession.
https://www.redeemerbc.com/what-is-the-church-matthew-1613-19/
Lies...
Jesus founded his church for the already saved of the human race...They form(ed) the body of Christ, which IS the church...
Col_1:24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:
1Co_12:27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
Eph 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Eph 4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
The church does not preserve God's revelation to man...God's words do...The recorded words in the scriptures...That's how they are preserved...
Psa 12:6 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.
Psa 12:7 Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.
Psa 12:8 The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.
The church doesn't dispense grace to anyone...
Php 1:1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
Php 1:2 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Grace comes only from God...And since the church is the total sum of its members, there is no one to dispense grace to anyone...And since there is no head of the church other than Jesus Christ (not even a proxy), there is no authority nor power to dispense anything...
1Co_11:3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
So no there is no priest, bishop, cardinal, pope or even the Mary of the Catholic religion who is over any man...
Eph 1:22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
Eph 1:23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
There is nothing between God and the members of his church...
Tit_2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Grace comes from God, not the Catholic religion to dispense to nations...Grace has and does appear to all men directly from God regardless of any religions...
It doesn't matter what doctrine or dogma the Catholic religion comes up with...God has already corrected it in his scriptures...
Nobody is saved until his final judgement before Jesus Christ.
And why would Jesus found a "church" only for those who are "already saved"? Why would they need this "church"?
Wrong.
Jesus Christ is God. I'm sorry you don't understand that.
WoW...Is this the official position of the Catholic religion???
Again;
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Do you believe in or reject the Holy Trinity?
The Holy Spirit guiding the ekklesia.
I'm sorry you don't understand that.
Galatians 4:4-7 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.
Heh, and imagine this.
The Roman Catholic church says that God sent His Son, too.
JESUS SENT BY THE FATHER FOR THE SALVATION OF THE WORLD
http://www.vatican.va/jubilee_2000/magazine/documents/ju_mag_01041998_p-24_en.html
The error is on your part.
The Holy Spirit inspired Scripture says that God sent His Son.
I guess I’m going to believe God over you.
You used “God” not “Father”.
Do you believe in the Blessed Trinity?
No, we are saved now and have already passed from death into life, as Jesus told us.
Those who believe HAVE eternal life, as NOT condemned, but have passed (past tense) from death into life.
John 3:14-18 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
John 5:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
John 6:40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
John 11:25-26 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
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