Nature Of The Church

The Essence of The Church

Catholics often speak of the “Soul of the Church”,

-Devine defines the “soul of the Church” as “the society of those who are called to faith in Christ, and who are united to Christ by supernatural gifts and graces.”

-Catholics will not admit that what may be called the “invisible Church” logically precedes the visible. Moehler says: “The Catholics teach: the visible Church is first - then comes the invisible: the former gives birth to the latter.

The Greek Orthodox Church

-The Church does not recognize the Roman Catholic Church as the true Church, but claims that honor for itself. There is but one true Church according to the author, and that is the Greek Orthodox. The infallibility of the Church is maintained, but this infallibility resides in the bishops, and therefore in the ecclesiastical councils and synods. “As invisible,”, says Gavin, “she (the Church) is the bearer of divine gifts and powers, and is engaged in transforming manking into the Kingdom of God. As visible, she is constituted of men professing a common faith, observing common customs, and using visible means of grace.” At the same time the idea is rejected of “an invisible and ideal Church, of which the various bodies of Christians formed into distinct organizations and calling themselves “Churches”, are partial and incomplete embodiments.” The Church is “an actual, tangible, visible entity, not an unrealized and unrealizable ideal.”

The Protestant Conception

-The Reformation was a reaction against the externalism of Rome in general, and in particular, also against its external conception of the Church.

-The invisible is the Church as God sees it, a Church which contains only believers, while the visible Church is the Church as man sees it, consisting of those who profess Jesus Christ with their children and therefore adjudged to be the community of the saints.

-The Church forms a spiritual unity of which Christ is the divine Head. It is animated by one Spirit, the Spirit of Christ; it professes one faith, shares one hope, and serves one king. It is the citadel of the truth and God’s agency in communicating to believers all spiritual blessings. As the body of Christ it is destined to reflect the glory of God as manifested in the work of redemption. The Church in its ideal sense, the Church as God intends it to be and as it will once become, is an object of faith rather than knowledge. Hence the confession: “I believe one holy catholic Church.”

The Many-sided Character of the Church

-The Church in the present dispensation is a militant Church, that is, she is called unto, and is actually engaged in, a holy warfare. This, of course, does not mean that she must spend her strength in self-destroying internecine struggles, but that she is duty bound to carry on an incessant warfare against the hostile world in every form in which it reveals itself, whether in the Church or outside of it, and against all the spiritual forces of darkness. The Church may not spend all her time in prayer and meditation, however necessary and important these may be, nor may she rest on her oars in the peaceful enjoyment of her spiritual heritage. She must be engaged in all her might in the battles of her Lord, fighting in a war that is both offensive and defensive. If the Church on earth is the militant Church, the Church in heaven is the triumphant Church. There the Church is exchanged for the palm of victory, the battle-cries are turned into songs of triumph, and the cross is replaced by the crown. The strife is over, the battle is won, and the saints reign with Christ forever and ever.

-Catholics speak also of a suffering Church. This Church, according to them, includes all those believers who are no more on earth, but have not yet entered the Joys of Heave