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.
That's what Eve told Adam.
Not as proud as the people who think so highly of themselves that they think they can actually do works that are good enough to please God and that because of that He will let them into heaven.
Did Jesus Christ perform “works”?
Check out the sequence of the numbers of the posts:
Thus our one immovable foundation, our one blissful rock of faith, is the confession from Peter's mouth, Thou art the Son of the living God. On it we can base an answer to every objection with which perverted ingenuity or embittered treachery may assail the truth."-- (Hilary of Potier, On the Trinity (Book II), para 23; Philip Schaff, editor, The Nicene & Post Nicene Fathers Series 2, Vol 9.
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Notice that #25 is out of sequence.
78,25,79
So you are one of those posters that learned how to do that?
I remember posters playing with some script/html like that years ago.
No it isn’t.
Do you only have a Catholic bible?
Thought I pinged you to 104
I have the one Bible, not an edited one by a heretic.
Yes, Christ did perform works.
Flawless ones. The works of the Father.
Ours are not flawless. They are tainted by sin.
At the very least, our motivation for doing works can come into question.
And then whether they are actually the works God wants us to do as opposed to the works that we THINK God wants us to do.
And then if they are done in pride, that would taint them as well.
All our righteousness is as filthy rags in the sight of God, so if that’s what you want to offer up to God as good works worthy to get into heaven, good luck with that.
Then I suppose that it's a pre-Vatican 2 version, correct?
Two or more born agains in the same room will claim the others are not Christian...so there are none in the room.
Did the Apostles perform works?
Mine is edited by The Holy Spirit.
“the one Bible”
Is that the bible of the Cult of The One?
Non sequitur, and typical of a haughty, bitter little soul.
It was Elsie who made that post. It’s shamefull she won’t fess up.
Click on [Post Reply] to post #79 and you’ll see who your doppelganger is.
My how you all love each other.
Are you talking about Luther again?
“born agains”
Interesting you make that seem like a dirty word phrase.
When what it means comes from Jesus and it is born again people that make up the actual Body of Christ that includes all-and ONLY-those that are saved and in the Kingdom of God.
I’m sure you know the scriptures, but I will gladly cite them for you if you are not familiar with the teachings of Jesus about salvation.
I have the one Bible, not an edited one by a heretic.
Which version?
You have to be born again to be a Christian, the bible is clear.
It’s not up to me to pass judgement on that though.
Yes.
Which proves what?
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