What is the church?

The Church, the Body of Christ, is the community of all who believe in Jesus Christ and in whom the Holy Spirit dwells. The Church has the mandate to preach the Gospel, to teach everything that Christ commanded, to baptize, and to shepherd the flock. In fulfilling this mandate, the Church, guided by the Holy Spirit, takes the Bible as its standard and constantly orients itself toward Jesus Christ, its living Head. (1. Kor 12,13; Röm 8,9; Mt 28,19-20; Kol 1,18; Eph 1,22).

The church as a sacred assembly

"...the church is not created by a gathering of men who share the same opinions, but by a divine convocation [assembly]..." (Barth, 1958:136). According to a modern view, one speaks of church when people of similar beliefs meet for worship and instruction. However, this is not strictly a biblical perspective.

Christ said that he would build his church and that the gates of hell would not prevail against it. (Mt 16,16-18)It is not the church of men, but it is the church of Christ, "the community of the living God." (1Tim 3,15)...and local congregations are "churches of Christ" (Röm 16,16).

Therefore, the church fulfills a divine purpose. It is God's will that we "should not abandon our meetings, as some are in the habit of doing." (Hebr 10,25)The church is not optional, as some may think; it is God's will that Christians gather.

The Greek term for church, which also corresponds to the Hebrew names for assembly, is ekklesia, and refers to a group of people called out for a purpose. God has always been involved in creating communities of believers. It is God who gathers people in the church.

In the New Testament, the words congregation [church] or congregations are used to refer to house churches [house churches] as we would call them today. (Röm 16,5; 1Kor 16,19; Phil 2), urban communities (Röm 16,23; 2Kor 1,1; 1 Thessalonians 1:1), communities that extend over an entire region (Apg 9,31; 1Kor 16,19; Gal 1,2)...and also to describe the entire community of believers in the known world. Community and togetherness.

Church means participation in the communion of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Christians belong to the communion of his Son. (1Kor 1,9), of the Holy Spirit (Phil 2,1). with the father (1Joh 1,3). called so that, as we walk in the light of Christ, we may “have fellowship with one another” (1Joh 1,7). 

Those who accept Christ are intent on “maintaining unity in the Spirit through the bond of peace.” (Eph 4,3)Although there is diversity among believers, their unity is stronger than any differences. This message is emphasized by one of the most important metaphors used for the Church: that the Church is the “body of Christ” (Röm 12,5; 1Kor 10,16; 12,17; Eph 3,6; 5,30; Kol 1,18).

The original disciples came from different backgrounds and probably did not feel naturally attracted to fellowship with each other. God calls believers from all walks of life to spiritual togetherness.

Believers are “members of one another” within the worldwide or universal community of the Church. (1Kor 12,27; Röm 12,5), and this individuality need not threaten our unity, for “we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body” (1Kor 12,13).

Obedient believers, however, do not cause division by quarreling and stubbornly insisting on their point of view; rather, they honor each member so that there is “no division in the body,” but that the “members care for one another equally.” (1Kor 12,25).

“The church is…an organism that shares the same life—the life of Christ—(Jinkins 2001:219).
Paul also compares the church to "a dwelling place of God in the Spirit." He says that believers are "joined together" in a building that "grows into a holy temple in the Lord." (Eph 2,19-22)He refers to 1. Korinther 3,16. and 2. Korinther 6,16 also to the idea that the church is the temple of God. Similarly, Peter compares the church to a "spiritual house" in which believers form a "royal priesthood, a holy people" (1Pt 2,5.9) The family as a metaphor for the Church

From the very beginning, the Church was often described as a kind of spiritual family and functioned as such. Believers are referred to as "brothers" and "sisters". (Röm 16,1; 1Kor 7,15; 1Tim 5,1-2; Jak 2,15).

Through sin we become separated from God's purpose for us, and each of us becomes, spiritually speaking, lonely and fatherless. God's desire is to "bring the lonely home." (Ps 68,7), to bring those who are spiritually alienated into the communion of the Church, which is the “household of God”. (Eph 2,19).
In this “household [family] of faith (Gal 6,10)Believers can be nourished in a safe environment and transformed into the image of Christ, because the Church, which is also associated with Jerusalem (City of Peace), is above (see also Offb 21,10) is compared to “our mother is” (Gal 4,26).

The bride of Christ

A beautiful biblical image speaks of the Church as the Bride of Christ. This is alluded to through symbolism in various scriptures, including the Song of Songs. A key passage is... Hohelied 2,10-16, where the bride's lover tells her that her winter is over and now it's time for singing and joy (see also Hebr 2,12), and also where the bride says: "My friend is mine and I am his" (Hl 2,16)The Church belongs to Christ, both individually and collectively, and he belongs to the Church.

Christ is the bridegroom who “loved the church and gave himself up for her” so that she “might be a glorious church, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing.” (Eph 5,27)This relationship, says Paul, “is a great mystery, but I am referring to Christ and the church.” (Eph 5,32).

John takes up this theme in the Book of Revelation. The triumphant Christ, the Lamb of God, marries the bride, the Church (Offb 19,6-9; 21:9-10), and together they proclaim the words of life (Offb 21,17).

There are additional metaphors and images used to describe the Church. The Church is the flock that needs caring shepherds who model their care on the example of Christ. (1Pt 5,1-4)It is a field where workers are needed to plant and water. (1Kor 3,6-9)The church and its members are like vines on a grapevine. (Joh 15,5)The church is like an olive tree. (Röm 11,17-24).

As a reflection of the present and future Kingdom of God, the Church is like a mustard seed that grows into a tree in which the birds of the air find refuge. (Lk 13,18-19); and like sourdough, making its way through the dough of the world. (Lk 13,21)etc. The Church as a Mission

From the very beginning, God called certain people to carry out his work on earth. He sent Abraham, Moses, and the prophets. He sent John the Baptist to prepare the way for Jesus Christ. Then he sent Christ himself for our salvation. He also sent his Holy Spirit to establish his Church as an instrument for the gospel. The Church, too, is sent out into the world. This work of the gospel is fundamental and fulfills Christ's words, with which he sent his followers into the world to continue the work he had begun. (Joh 17,18-21)That is the meaning of "mission": to be sent by God to fulfill his purpose.

A church is not an end in itself and should not exist merely for its own sake. This can be seen in the New Testament, in the Acts of the Apostles. Throughout the entire book, the spread of the gospel through preaching and the founding of churches was a primary activity.Apg 6,7; 9,31; 14,21; 18,1-11; 1Kor 3,6 etc.).

Paul refers to congregations and specific Christians who participate in the "fellowship of the gospel". (Phil 1,5)They fight alongside him for the gospel. (Eph 4,3).
It was the church in Antioch that sent Paul and Barnabas on their missionary journeys. (Apg 13,1-3).

The church in Thessalonica “became a model for all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.” From them, “the word of the Lord resounded not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but everywhere else.” Their faith in God extended beyond their own borders (1 Thessalonians 1:7-8).

The activities of the church

Paul writes that Timothy should know how to conduct himself “in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.” (1Tim 3,15).
Sometimes people may feel that their understanding of the truth is more valid than the Church's understanding of God. Is this likely when we remember that the Church is the "foundation of truth"? The Church is where truth is established through the teaching of the Word. (Joh 17,17).

Reflecting the “fullness” of Jesus Christ, their living head, “who fills all in all” (Eph 1,22-23), the New Testament church participates in works of ministry (Apg 6,1-6; Jak 1,17etc.), to community (Apg 2,44-45; Jud 12 etc.), in the execution of church regulations (Apg 2,41; 18,8; 22,16; 1Kor 10,16-17; 11:26) and worship (Apg 2,46-47; Kol 4,16 etc.).

Churches were involved in supporting one another, exemplified by the help given to the community in Jerusalem during a time of food shortage. (1Kor 16,1-3)A closer look at the letters of the Apostle Paul makes it clear that the churches communicated with and were connected to one another. No church existed in isolation.

A study of church life in the New Testament reveals a pattern of congregational accountability to church authority. Each individual congregation was accountable to the authority of the church beyond its immediate pastoral or administrative structure. It can be observed that the church in the New Testament was a fellowship of local congregations held together by collective accountability to the tradition of faith in Christ as taught by the apostles (2 Thessalonians 3:6). 2Kor 4,13).

Summary:

The Church is the body of Christ and consists of all those who are recognized by God as members of the "communities of saints". (1Kor 14,33)This is significant for the believer because participation in the church is the means by which the Father preserves us and keeps us alive until the return of Jesus Christ.

by James Henderson