Who is the church?

[I am no one]

Matthew 3:7-11 (KJV)But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
Matthew 3: ⁹  And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which brength not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

 

[I am no one]

Matthew 3:9  And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

[Bawb]

2 hours ago, Mike Mclees said:

    Jesus said that He and the Father are one and we are one with Him. Today the denominational churches have a multitude of names and beliefs.. As Jesus returned back to the Father He told the disciples  to wait in Jerusalem and they would receive the Holy Ghost. Many may say their church is the the true church. Today the churches  all have a multitude of names. If we study Acts the first chapter the 120 in the upper room received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and they were all filled, but no name was ever given to the church.  We also say followers word  Christians Antioch but the was given to the followers by the people of Antioch.

Catholic means Universal church. The word Catholic was used in a letter by Ignatius, the Bishop of Antioch at about 100AD. It was never used to be the official name for the church neither was the  Roman Catholic church at the time. Catholic was just a word used  in a letter that caught on. All believers are followers of Christ from the day of Pentecost until today. There is only one faith that saves and resides in our hearts. The church became personal When God tore the Vail in the temple. That ended the Law of the Old Testament.         

I'll discus these two word with you... Pentacost-50 days? The actual HOLY Day is Shavuot. Or the first fruits of the wheat harvest. This comes 50 days after the period of times listed in the Bible as "The Days of Unleavened Bread". These include, The Passover (When Yeshua was REALLY crucified), First Fruits (When Yeshua actually rose and it doesn't fall on the same SUNDAY like the worship of the Ashtoreth (Canaanite), and Ishtar (Babylonian) worship introduced by the RCC.)

Universal Church: A "church" that syncretized all of the vile pagan traditions, images and customs into the pure worship of YeHoVah the early Messianics practiced. And then they persecuted and killed them if they wouldn't "convert" to this blasphemy! Why would you convert a lie when you already had the truth? (See the Inquisition) And then when people woke up from the delusion and tried to form a Protestant Church once more the "Universal" church also persecuted and killed them. Also the killing of William Tynsdale for the "Crime" of translating the bible for the masses shows how vile and evil this "universal" church was. They wanted to keep people in the dark to stay in power. There may be followers of Christ in this "church" but the RCC is anything BUT they hold another un-biblical gospel and worship another God, Son of God and Mother God.

[FortifiedbyFaith]

1 hour ago, Mike Mclees said:

Do you go to church Sundays. Do you go as non affiliate

I am not a church attendee, nor of any orthodox. I am simply a follower of Jesus Christ and believe solely in HIS Word.

[missmuffet]

17 hours ago, Waggles said:

Is that by various church definitions or by the standards of scripture?

Scripture.

Many people today understand the church as a building. This is not a biblical understanding of the church. The word “church” is a translation of the Greek word ekklesia, which is defined as “an assembly” or “called-out ones.” The root meaning of church is not that of a building, but of people. It is ironic that when you ask people what church they attend, they usually identify a building. Romans 16:5 says, “Greet the church that is in their house.” Paul refers to the church in their house—not a church building, but a body of believers.
 

The church is the body of Christ, of which He is the head. Ephesians 1:22–23 says, “And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.” The body of Christ is made up of all believers in Jesus Christ from the day of Pentecost (Acts 2) until Christ’s return. Biblically, we may regard the church in two ways, as the universal church or as the local church.

The universal church consists of everyone, everywhere, who has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. “For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink” (1 Corinthians 12:13). This verse says that anyone who believes is part of the body of Christ and has received the Spirit of Christ as evidence. All those who have received salvation through faith in Jesus Christ comprise the universal church.The local church is described in Galatians 1:1–2: “Paul, an apostle . . . and all the brothers with me, to the churches in Galatia.” Here we see that in the province of Galatia there were many churches—they had a localized ministry and were scattered throughout the province. They were local churches. A Baptist church, a Lutheran church, an E-Free church, etc., is not the church, as in the universal church; rather, it is a local church, a local body of believers. The universal church is comprised of everyone who belongs to Christ. Members of the universal church should seek fellowship and edification in a local church.In summary, the church is not a building or a denomination. According to the Bible, the church is the body of Christ—all those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ for salvation (John 3:16; 1 Corinthians 12:13). Local churches are gatherings of people who claim the name of Christ. Members of a local church may or may not be members of the universal church, depending on the genuineness of their faith. The local church is where believers can fully apply the “body” principles of 1 Corinthians chapter 12—encouraging, teaching, and building one another up in the knowledge and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.

https://www.gotquestions.org/what-is-the-church.html

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

Edited November 16, 2021 by missmuffet

[Mike Mclees]

13 hours ago, HAZARD said:

 If your not a member of this church, your in the wrong
one, according to Scripture, its that simple. Paul never taught Jesus +
some church brings salvation, Paul never taught Jesus + certain
sacraments brings salvation, Paul never taught Jesus plus
legalism brings salvation, Paul never taught Jesus + purgatory brings
salvation, Paul never taught circumcision brings salvation, Paul taught
only Jesus + nothing else brings salvation.

We cannot do anything, or add anything to all Jesus, the Father and
the Holy Spirit did to save mankind. 

All we need do is believe in Him and in Him who sent Him.

Galatians 1: 6, I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called
you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

    7, Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you,
and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

    8, But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other
gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

    9, As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach
any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

    10, For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to
please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

    11, But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was
preached of me is not after man.

    12, For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught
it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

 

Jesus Christs church is not a building or a particular religious group with
some special name?  The new Testament Church, of which Jesus Christ is the
head is a called out body of people of all nations who have been born again and
who have lived a true Christian life and died in the faith. It also includes
all those who are alive in Christ today. This present church is called the
"ekklesia" of the New Testament times, called out of this world to
evangelize the world in this age.

The church, in its largest signification is the whole company of redeemed in
all ages, in Heaven and in Earth (Eph. 3:1-11; Heb. 12:23). It is the spiritual
people who have been made members of the universal family of God. The church
in this sense is the body of Christ, and it does not consist of saved and
unsaved. It is not a group of individuals associated together for social and
benevolent purposes, as seems to be on every hand in most worldly church
gatherings. It is the body of people indwelt by God through the Holy Spirit and
through whom God works in the world.

The church is a supernatural body of believers filled with the presence and
power of God as individuals conform to the gospel of Christ. The church is like
a family in its social life, yet is unlike a family in its formation. Each
local church is a part of the universal church in the broad sense. 
However there are many in local churches that do not belong to the body of
Christ, and therefore they are not a true part of the universal church of the
New Testament.

 

By universal does that mean you are Catholic.  That is not a hit onn Catholics, just asking. 

The church is not a membership but anyone who believes in Christ to follow Him is the church. There will come a day when Christ comes to take His church. When He does come which of a thousand denominations  will be His Bride? In the Catholic church Jesus may have those who follow Him but that does not mean the RCC is the true church. The church is a people not any organized order. Nor can it claim the only way of salvation including protestant.  

[HAZARD]

5 hours ago, Mike Mclees said:

By universal does that mean you are Catholic.  That is not a hit onn Catholics, just asking. 

The church is not a membership but anyone who believes in Christ to follow Him is the church. There will come a day when Christ comes to take His church. When He does come which of a thousand denominations  will be His Bride? In the Catholic church Jesus may have those who follow Him but that does not mean the RCC is the true church. The church is a people not any organized order. Nor can it claim the only way of salvation including protestant.  

No, I am not Catholic. like I said; Jesus Christs church is not a building or a particular religious group with
some special name?  The new Testament Church, of which Jesus Christ is the
head is a called out body of people of all nations who have been born again and
who have lived a true Christian life and died in the faith. It also includes
all those who are alive in Christ today. This present church is called the
"ekklesia" of the New Testament times, called out of this world to
evangelize the world in this age.

[Leonardo Von]

Quote

Who is the church?

Everyone who really is in Christ (vice-versa)  abiding by His words.

[Ray12614]

On 11/15/2021 at 9:09 PM, FortifiedbyFaith said:

I am not a church attendee, nor of any orthodox. I am simply a follower of Jesus Christ and believe solely in HIS Word.

Why not do both???  Attend church and believe solely in the Word?  I will never understand why people think they cannot do BOTH. But, I too believed that I could not serve Jesus and attend church, but found out some years later that I could. And that IF I believe His Word, then, I won't ignore the command to assemble together. Or, should I just selectively obey the parts of scripture that I want, like a buffet? Ooooo . . . yes . . . give me the yummy deserts, and pass by the spinach and other vegetables . . . LOL

I do agree that there are many denominations that have lost their focus on Jesus being the center of why they exist. I am not suggesting we attend those churches, but, we should find an local fellowship of believers and assemble with them, be it at a church building, or, store front, or home fellowship. My church is in an old lumber building that we are renovating and it is a blessing to be able to have a place to assemble together.

But what do i know . . .  there are many church haters on worthy who disagree with me . . . and thats okay, you don't have to be right to be my friends . . . . LOL

Grace and Peace . . . Ray . . . 

[FortifiedbyFaith]

5 hours ago, Ray12614 said:

Why not do both???  Attend church and believe solely in the Word?  I will never understand why people think they cannot do BOTH. But, I too believed that I could not serve Jesus and attend church, but found out some years later that I could. And that IF I believe His Word, then, I won't ignore the command to assemble together. Or, should I just selectively obey the parts of scripture that I want, like a buffet? Ooooo . . . yes . . . give me the yummy deserts, and pass by the spinach and other vegetables . . . LOL

I do agree that there are many denominations that have lost their focus on Jesus being the center of why they exist. I am not suggesting we attend those churches, but, we should find an local fellowship of believers and assemble with them, be it at a church building, or, store front, or home fellowship. My church is in an old lumber building that we are renovating and it is a blessing to be able to have a place to assemble together.

But what do i know . . .  there are many church haters on worthy who disagree with me . . . and thats okay, you don't have to be right to be my friends . . . . LOL

Grace and Peace . . . Ray . . . 

I asked the Holy Spirit to direct me to a church and received no response back. NONE. I have learned that is the same as a no answer. Possibly it is none of the churches in my area are worthy. I have nothing about gathering in faith. I have with some in small groups (2 or more in HIS name). I have nothing against those that attend brick and mortar and consider themselves part of an orthodoxy.

Blessings to you Brother.