What Is The Church?

What is the church?

A Gathering

The early church borrowed a Greek term, ?????s?a (ekklésia), meaning a gathering of citizens. Thus we call the study of the church ecclesiology. Can it describe a local church?

To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours (1 Corinthians 1:2 NASB)

Can it mean a church in a region or province? Can it be both singular and plural?

Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers. (Acts 9:31 NIV)

The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house. (1 Corinthians 16:19 NIV)

Can it even refer to the universal church?

Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. (Ephesians 4:11 NLT)

To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect (Hebrews 12:23 KJV)

An Old Testament word for church, ????? (qahal), also meant “assembly, company, and congregation.”

You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month, then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is to kill it at twilight. (Exodus 12:6 NASB)

Thus, church refers to the people of God not a building.

Pictures

Metaphors help us understand the church via various pictures. Let’s look at a few. Is the church like the body of Christ?

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. (Ephesians 1:22-23 NIV)

Is the church like a family?

"I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." (2 Corinthians 6:18 NIV)

Is the church like a vine and branches?

… I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing… (John 15:1-11 NKJV)

Is the church like a pillar of truth?

… the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. (1 Timothy 3:15 ESV)

Is the church like a field and a building?

For we are co-workers in God's service; you are God's field, God's building. (1 Corinthians 3:9 NIV)

Is the church like a living temple under construction?

Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. (Ephesians 2:20-21 NLT)

A living stone is easily chiseled. Was the cornerstone (Jesus) once rejected?

… And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple… The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone… (1 Peter 2:4-8 NLT)

Does God dwell in this holy temple?

Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in your midst? (1 Corinthians 3:16 NIV)

Is the church a royal priesthood and a holy nation?

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (1 Peter 2:9 ESV)

Is the church like salt and light?

You are the salt of the earth… You are the light of the world. (Matthew 5:13-15 NIV)

The church is a varied gathering of people. It is far from perfect. Do you want to be in such a faulty institution as the church? I hope so. The eternal rewards are out of this world! You decide!