What the Bible affirms is that the church is a congregation of called out believers, NOT an institution..
The church is those who are IN CHRIST; it is NOT some formal priesthood...
The 'church' is not beautiful buildings adorned with statues, fine art and tapestries..That's a temple, not the church...
The 'church' is not a priesthood with 'religious' people parading in long, fancy robes peforming religious rituals...
The 'church' IS the body of believers who ARE the Body of Christ who gather in buildings across the world, whether it be a store-front, someone's basement, a garage, or in a field or the side of a hill with Jesus and ONLY Jesus as it's HEAD, come together to worship Jesus...
THAT'S the Bible description of the 'church', the body of Christ...
When a Christian realizes that he/she doesn't visit the Body of Christ on religious days, but that he/she IS the Body of Christ, it generates a Spiritual awakening unknown to the person who 'attends' THE church...
And of course it will be foolishness to those religious who are not IN Christ...
You wrote:
“What the Bible affirms is that the church is a congregation of called out believers, NOT an institution..”
Wrong. The Church is shown by the scriptures to most definitely be an institution. There is a definite leadership, for instance.
“The church is those who are IN CHRIST; it is NOT some formal priesthood...”
Straw man. The Church is more than the select (note, “formal” priesthood makes no sense as a term). There is also the priesthood of all believers - the laity. All are called to be IN Christ.
“The ‘church’ is not beautiful buildings adorned with statues, fine art and tapestries..That’s a temple, not the church...”
True. Notice how you are making up more straw man arguments? Who is claiming the Church is a building?
“The ‘church’ is not a priesthood with ‘religious’ people parading in long, fancy robes peforming religious rituals...”
Another straw man. Why not trott out some other silly cliche while you’re at it?
“The ‘church’ IS the body of believers who ARE the Body of Christ who gather in buildings across the world, whether it be a store-front, someone’s basement, a garage, or in a field or the side of a hill with Jesus and ONLY Jesus as it’s HEAD, come together to worship Jesus...”
The Church is the Catholic Church. We too gather in buildings all over the world - including store-fronts, theaters, basements, grottos, catacombs, garages, the open fields, the side of hills and only Jesus is our Head and thank Him, He sent shepherds to pastor us for Him.
“THAT’S the Bible description of the ‘church’, the body of Christ...”
Oh, so now you are admitting that the Church is the body of Christ? Earlier you denied it:
You wrote: “No church ever has been nor ever will be the Body of Christ...”
So, now after I mentioned Ephesians 1:22-23, you’re changing your tune? No surprise there.
“When a Christian realizes that he/she doesn’t visit the Body of Christ on religious days, but that he/she IS the Body of Christ, it generates a Spiritual awakening unknown to the person who ‘attends’ THE church...”
When a Christian realizes that the Body of Christ is the Church as the Bible says it, when he previously denied it, it generates a lot of backtracking, posting of straw men, cliches, and maybe even a sanctimonious dismissal or two.
“And of course it will be foolishness to those religious who are not IN Christ...”
Then why do you persist, since you are not IN Christ?