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 What is the CHURCH?

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ah bel




Number of posts : 52
Age : 30
Location : east york
Registration date : 2009-03-08

What is the CHURCH? Empty
PostSubject: What is the CHURCH?   What is the CHURCH? EmptySat Oct 17, 2009 5:49 pm

What is the church?

Church in the Greek "ekklesiai" means, "the called out"

1. The church is people not a building
a. For the first 350 years Christians did not own "church buildings"
2. If you are part of the church then you have been "called out of the world"
3. The basic meaning of the church: a people holy & set apart from the world.
4. The word church simply means a group of people

While most people identify the word "church" with a building or denomination, the meaning of the Greek word for "church" in the New Testament is AN ASSEMBLY OF PEOPLE. When Jesus told His disciples that He would build His "church" He did not mean a building or organization but simply a group of people redeemed from sin by His sacrificial death.

(Matthew 16:13; 16-18) Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He began asking His disciples, saying, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" .....And Simon Peter answered and said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." And Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it.

The true nature of the church as an assembly of people and the true essence of Christianity as a relationship rather than a religion is clearly demonstrated in Paul's letter to the Ephesians where he used the relationship of the church to her Savior Jesus to illustrate the ideal relationship between husband and wife.

(Ephesians 5:22-31) Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her; that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless. So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of His body. This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.

THE PILLAR OF TRUTH
The apostle Paul when writing to Timothy described the church in this way:
(1 Timothy 3:14-15) I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long; {15} but in case I am delayed, I write so that you may know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.

The church is called by Paul the pillar and support of the truth. The truth of God's Word has been preserved and disseminated throughout the ages by the church. All people desiring to grow in the knowledge of the truth and learn more about God should find a local church that honors and teaches the Bible and begin to benefit from the teaching ministry which is offered there for them by God.

THE BODY OF CHRIST
When describing the exalted position of Jesus the apostle Paul explained that the church was the "body of Christ" with Jesus as it's "head".

(Ephesians 1:22-23) And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, {23} which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
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off_lo




Number of posts : 34
Age : 38
Location : Richmond Hill
Registration date : 2009-03-07

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PostSubject: Re: What is the CHURCH?   What is the CHURCH? EmptyTue Oct 20, 2009 2:19 pm

good reminder...i think we talk about this before....but i never really study it or put my mind to it.....this time i will study it hard....
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ahli3259




Number of posts : 25
Age : 38
Location : 385 South Park Rd Unit 3
Registration date : 2009-03-11

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PostSubject: Re: What is the CHURCH?   What is the CHURCH? EmptyThu Oct 22, 2009 11:46 pm

hi again !
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boyscout




Number of posts : 348
Age : 111
Location : the 3rd rock
Registration date : 2009-03-10

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PostSubject: Re: What is the CHURCH?   What is the CHURCH? EmptySat Oct 24, 2009 1:44 pm

Hi Ah Lo,

Thank you Dannie for setting up this forum so that we can remind/spur one another by posting topics. MAY THE GLORY BE THE LORD!

This is Ah Bel ....ooops....using Eric user ID by accident!
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boyscout




Number of posts : 348
Age : 111
Location : the 3rd rock
Registration date : 2009-03-10

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PostSubject: Re: What is the CHURCH?   What is the CHURCH? EmptyFri Aug 07, 2015 4:43 pm

What is church? This mad woman has part of the answer:

http://loveforlife.com.au/content/08/08/11/who-israel-who-church-lorraine-day-md
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