What exactly is the 'church'?
- Thread starter RayneBeau
- Start date
The "Church" is the visible manifestation of Jesus Christ in our world today. It was designed to lead the Christians yet to be born into the future so people can come to know God. It is also spiritual, leading with the truth of the scriptures and determining the correct theology derived from them. It is One, it is Universal, it is the Holy Catholic Church.
PeanutGallery
Well-known member
One is born by the word of God, not by membership.
1Thess521
Well-known member
The Church as used in the context of the NT; are those called by Christ to Him.
Its true membership is known to God
The real church is made up of real believers from many denominations and walks of life. Just going into a building means a whole lot of nothing, following a religious system is just following man and means nothing, it is following Jesus.
Yep that is not your institution at all. It fails every scriptural test and does determine the correct theology that is why it has false doctrines. It is not one at all, these threads have seen the gulf in RC beliefs. Don't make me laugh it is the evil tree and not holy at all.
the rcc isn't that.
the rcc doesn't do that.
It isn't of His Spirit. It doesn't know or teach the truth of the scripture, nor does it determine the correct theology derived from it.
It isn't one or holy.
Believers in toto are the church.
🦋 🥀 🌻 🦚Stella1000
Well-known member
Visible membership of the Church is described in the Scriptures. It have a valid place in faith.
RayneBeau
Well-known member
Can you be saved and not be in the church?
plz post verses.
RayneBeau
Well-known member
Is it possible that a person can "go to church" each Sunday and not be 'in the church'?
Is there only one true church?
The Bramble Bush
The Bramble Bush
Matt.20:25 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. 26 But it shall not be so among you: The Olive, the Fig and the Vine Judges 9:8 The trees went forth on a time to...
forums.carm.org
Judges 9:8
The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them;
and they said unto the olive tree,
Reign thou over us.
The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them;
and they said unto the olive tree,
Reign thou over us.
Paul's Olive Tree
Romans ch.11
9 But the olive tree said unto them,
Should I leave my fatness,
wherewith by me they honour God and man,
and go to be promoted over the trees?
Stella;
the Bramble Bush is not the "Church of Christ"
Stella1000
Well-known member
Are you denying that scripture describes a visible church with functions to serve the faith of its members?
#1:
Proverbs 2:1
Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:
12 To deliver thee from the way of the evil man,
from the man that speaketh froward things;
Ps.109:6Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:
12 To deliver thee from the way of the evil man,
from the man that speaketh froward things;
Set thou a wicked man over him:
and let Satan stand at his right hand.
13 Who leave the paths of uprightness,
to walk in the ways of darkness;
14 Who rejoice to do evil,
and delight in the frowardness of the wicked;
15 Whose ways are crooked,
and they froward in their paths:
to walk in the ways of darkness;
14 Who rejoice to do evil,
and delight in the frowardness of the wicked;
15 Whose ways are crooked,
and they froward in their paths:
#2:
To deliver thee from the strange woman,
even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;
17 Which forsaketh the guide of her youth,
and forgetteth the covenant of her God.
18 For her house inclineth unto death,
and her paths unto the dead.
19 None that go unto her return again,
neither take they hold of the paths of life.
even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;
17 Which forsaketh the guide of her youth,
and forgetteth the covenant of her God.
18 For her house inclineth unto death,
and her paths unto the dead.
19 None that go unto her return again,
neither take they hold of the paths of life.
Stella1000
Well-known member
So does that mean that you agree that Scripture describes a visible Church with functions to serve the faith of its members? Or not?
PeanutGallery
Well-known member
How does that affect the following: One is born by the word of God, not by membership.
PeanutGallery
Well-known member
There is only one body of Christ; one's sins must be washed in the blood of the Lamb in order to be a member.
I think RCC confuses or at the least conflates its church with the body of Christ.
Exeter
Active member
The word church is an incorrect substitute for the Greek word ekklesia, which literally means "the called out ones".
See this link: The Origin Of The Word "CHURCH"
Act 7:37-38 This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear. (38) This is he, that was in the ekklesia in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:
1Cor 1:2 Unto the ekklesia of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
Kuriakon actually means “pertaining to the lord.” It is used twice in scripture: 1 Cor 11:20 The “ Lord’s [ kuriakon]supper;” and Rev 1:10, the “ Lord’s [ kuriakon] day.” In those passages it is the supper belonging to the Lord and the day belonging to the Lord respectively.
Kuriakon, kirche, and church, all meant simply a religious building originally used by pagans and later used by Christians following pagan customs. Christians originally didn’t use buildings, which distinguished them from the pagans whose focus was on building, statues, ritual and physical objects. [Copied from The Origin Of The Word Church at scribd.com]
Throughout the Greek world and right down to NT times (cf. Acts 19:39), ekklesia was the designation of the regular assembly of the whole body of citizens in a free city-state, “called out” (Gr, ek, “out,” and kalein, “to call”) by the herald for the discussion and decision of public business (Lambert 1929, 651).