The Nature of the Church

What is a Church? What is the Church?

The church is the assembly of God’s people

There is a difficulty in defining “Church” due to the fact that the word can and is used in various senses. So before we come to a more complete definition, it is necessary for us to do some background work.

Ekklesia

The word “church” in our English bibles is a translation of the word ekklesia which means a “called out assembly” or a “congregation”. It is the only word in the New Testament that is ever translated as “church” or “assembly” or “congregation”, so if you see those words in your English Bibles, ekklesia is the Greek word behind it.

In the time of the writing of the greek New Testament, it was a word used in Greek-speaking cities to refer to assemblies called to perform specific tasks.

Luke uses it to describe the riot that gathered at the amphitheater in Ephesus

Acts 19:32 “32 Now some cried out one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together.” Acts 19:39 “39 But if you seek anything further, it shall be settled in the regular assembly.” Acts 19:41 “41 And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.”

It is used in the following passages to describe Old Testament Israel:

Acts 7:38 “This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. He received living oracles to give to us.”

Hebrews 2:12 “saying, “I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.””

Matthew records for us in his Gospel Account that Jesus founded his own ekklesia; his own church.

Matthew 16:18 “18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

Understanding the meaning and use of ekklesia is helpful for several reasons:

The understanding of “church” or “congregation” is not unique to the New Testament or Jesus’ ministry. The idea of a gathered people or congregation has been at the heart of God’s story and plan from the beginning.

We understand that it is a gathered people. There is no ekklesia if there is no gathering.

We understand that we need to look at each context the word is used to find out the sense of it.

>> We need to distinguish between the church in history and the church in eternity <<

CATHOLIC or UNIVERSAL

Sometimes the Church is spoken of in the universal, ultimate sense, including all of the redeemed of all ages.

Ephesians 5:23 “23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.”

Ephesians 3:21 “21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

LOCAL CHURCH

Other times it is spoken of as a specifically local assembly of Christians.

Colossians 4:15 “15 Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.”

Colossians 4:16 “16 And when this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea.”

1 Thessalonians 1:1 “1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.”

VISIBLE vs INVISIBLE CHURCH

Sometimes the Church is spoken of as all those who are outwardly identified with Christ, though not necessarily those who are truly born again. This is what theologians call the visible church.

Philippians 3:6 “6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.”