The Church

Word Definition

• Modern English – Church

• Middle English – Chirche

• Old English – Circe

• Greek – Kyriakon (Κυριακών) of the Lord

ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑ

• EK-out (origin) + KLESIS-a calling

• called out, assembly, of the call

Classical Greek use of the word

• Herald (Kyrix-Κυρίξ) – a public crier following a trumpeter.

• Acts 19:32 Some therefore cried one thing and some another, for the assembly was confused, and most

of them did not know why they had come together.

• Acts 19:39 But if you have any other inquiry to make, it shall be determined in the lawful assembly.

• Citizenship + Social Status (Slave or Free Person)

• 1Pet. 2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a

royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

• Rom. 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in

Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

Biblical View of the Church

1. The Church is “a call to justification through Christ’s sacrifice and to life through His Spirit”

• 2Th. 2:14 to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

• Gal. 4:4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman,

• 1John 4:2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God,

• 1John 4:3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

• Surah4:157-158 And because of their saying: We slew the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, Allah's messenger - they slew him not nor crucified him, but it appeared so unto them.And lo! those who disagree concerning it are in doubt thereof; they have no knowledge thereof save pursuit of a conjecture; they slew him not for certain. But Allah took him up unto Himself.

• Justified (δικαιόω) - to be pronounced righteous in a court of law when we are not

• Glorified (δοξάζω) – is more a Biblical term rather than Greek, the Divine mode of Being

• Rom8:30 Moreover whom He predestined,

these He also called; whom He called,

these He also justified; and whom He

justified, these He also glorified

• Made alive (ζώοποιέω) – to cause to live, to make alive

• 1Cor. 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.

• Col. 2:13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,

• 1Pet. 3:18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,

• Rom. 10:13 For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”Rom. 10:14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?

• Matt. 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,Matt. 28:20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Biblical View of the Church

1. The Church is “a call to justification through Christ’s sacrifice and to life through His Spirit”

2. The Church is the Body of Christ

• Col. 1:18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead.

• Acts11:26 And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

Club-type member of the Church• Agree with the regulations (manifest) of the

club• Pledge allegiance to the organization• Must attend meetings • Must give money to support the club • Must act and dress according to the rules of

the club • Recruit new members • Participate in activities

• Rom. 12:4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, Rom. 12:5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.

• Eph. 4:15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—ChristEph. 4:16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

Body-Type member of the Church• Plays it’s role • Is dependent on others• Unites two other parts • Passes along nourishment• Passes along orders• Causes growth to the body• Stays put

Biblical View of the Church

1. The Church is “a call to justification through Christ’s sacrifice and to life through His Spirit”

2. The Church is the Body of Christ

3. Church is the Universal, Timeless and Distinctive Family of God

The Church is Universal and Timeless

• Acts 9:31 Then the Church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.

• Matt. 16:18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

The Church is doctrinal distinctive and above our cultural understanding

• 1Cor. 4:17 For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church.

• 1Cor. 4:6 Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other.

• 1Cor. 1:10 Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

It is the Family of God

• God is called Father 15 times in Old Testament and 245 times in New Testament

• 1Tim. 3:15 but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct

yourself in the house of God, which is

the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

The Church