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.
Okay, how did you do that? How can you post in my name?
Polly want a cracker?
Is someone having fun with HTML?
Why are you talking to yourself?
Because I have been hacked. If THEY can change my font color, they can change my words.
If you really think so, why don’t you change your password?
There was no HTML in post #82.
I didn’t say anything about post #82.
I didn’t say post #82 had HTML fun. it was a question about previous postings.
Your post #83 was a direct response to my post #82.
Have you been hacked again?
Do you actually believe you have fooled God into not seeing you asking when you ask someone to do it for you? Is the god of your Org that naïve?
Beautifully stated. Thank you for that.
Go back to posting to yourself.
You’re welcome.
You need to password protect it or change the password because someone in the building in which your computer is situated is using your computer to post.
Unless you sleep-post.
I have been in my car experiencing sleep-driving in the past.
I remember nothing, in one case, of where I was for 7 miles until I was awoken from my altered state of mind.
No not altered by drugs.
I know.
Hypotheticals are a waste of time.
Only God knows the heart and can determine if anyone is in heaven or not.
But it’s interesting how Catholics are so quick to condemn us for saying someone is going to hell because we can’t know their heart and then DEMAND that we make that determination about someone.
ebb tide:
I can’t.You can ask God but it could be he will not hear your prayer.Will you ask Him for me?
Perhaps you regard iniquity in your heart
See Psalm 66:18
God will hear a prayer from a sinner seeking salvation, so if you pray to God saying you repent from your past and wish to be a dedicated follower of Jesus he will hear that prayer and you can enter His kingdom!
Aren''t you the prideful one?
Just trying to help.
You seemed to need it from your post.
Sorry if you were offended but I am tasked with the job of spreading the Gospel.
If scripture convicts you may it exhort you instead.
What do you see for post # 78?
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