The Church - Who We Are

Ekklesia

ek - “out of” kleis “a calling”

Family

(ESV)

46While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him.

48But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?”

49And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers!

50For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

Body

(ESV)

4For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function,

5so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

(ESV)

12For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.

13For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

Priesthood

(ESV)

4As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious,

5you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

(ESV)

9But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Fellowship

(ESV)

7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

(ESV)

32Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.

33And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.

34There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold

35and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.

22But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

(ESV)

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

2Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. .

(ESV)

16Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

(ESV)

35By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Temple

(ESV)

16Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?

17If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

(ESV)

27“But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built!

(ESV)

48Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says,

49“ ‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord, or what is the place of my rest?

Building

(ESV)

21in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.

22In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

No reference in the entire Bible refers to the Church as being a building.

Bride

(ESV)

2For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.

(ESV)

6Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.

7Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready;

8it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

9And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”

Salt and Light

(ESV)

13“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.

14“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.

15Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.

16In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Sheep

(ESV)

1“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber.

2But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

3To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

4When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.

5A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”

6This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

7So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.

8All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.

9I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.

10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

11I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

12He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.

13He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

14I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,

15just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.

16And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.

17For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.

18No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

Relationship

The Relationship of Believers to God

The Relationship of Believers to One Another

The Relationship of Believers to Unbelievers

(ESV)

22And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,

23which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.