What is the Church?

[GoldenEagle]

This question came up in another thread... Let's discuss it here.

 

What is the Church? Who is part of the Church?

God bless,

GE

[other one]

Rom 10:1-15

10:1 Brethren, my heart's desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. 3 For not knowing about God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. 5 For Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on law shall live by that righteousness. 6 But the righteousness based on faith speaks thus, "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?' (that is, to bring Christ down), 7 or' Who will descend into the abyss?' (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). "  8 But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" —  that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, 9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; 10 for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed." 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call upon Him; 13 for "Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved." 14 How then shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring glad tidings of good things!"

NASB

 

i believe that it is the people who have followed this scripture and done so truthfully.

 

[nebula]

The word Jesus used for "church" in the Greek was ecclesia, which simply means "gathering of people" or "assembly", more specifically one that was called out. It was a normal Greek word.

 

So one could say the "Church" is Jesus' assemly or congregation - His people n- we who are called out from the World unto Him.

[OakWood]

What then, is the correct term for the building that so many people wrongly refer to as a church?

[Guest]

The building is A church, that is just a modern use of the word.The followers of the Christ are THE church.

 

I will take a slight exception to Nebula's definition, the church (eklesia) is not simply a congregation, that is how the work came to be used, just as chuch has come to mean a building in modern times. In the Greek, is says a little more than that:

 

The word has a meaning build in to it, that is separate from how it is used.  It is constructed from ek and kaleo.  Ek means "out from within and to" and kaleo means "to call". In other words, it is about the people who are called out from within the world to God who then become the elkesia, the church,,which are the called out ones.

[ncn]

The building is a church, The followers of the Christ are THE church.

 

Amen . 

[nebula]

What then, is the correct term for the building that so many people wrongly refer to as a church?

 

A Christian Meeting House.

[Guest man]

 

What then, is the correct term for the building that so many people wrongly refer to as a church?

 

A Christian Meeting House.

 

 

 

Or Fellowship Hall. 

[Qnts2]

The word church comes from the word chirche or kirch, middle English. Which came from Old English cirice. It supposedly comes from Greek, kuriake iokia, which supposedly means 'the Lord's house'. Kuriake would mean the Lords, and is used in scripture when referencing the Lord's supper, or the Lord's day.  

 

So, if church comes from kuriake, it does not really come from ecclesia.  So, I am confused.    

[Fez]

I think church is a good idea, and I think the bible tells us that as well. But as to buildings it tells us this....

 

Act 17:24  The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man,