What is the Church?

[Waggles]

On 2/18/2022 at 4:47 AM, Joshua-777 said:

What is Church?

Acts 2:1  When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 
2  And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 
3  And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 
4  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. 

Romans 1:7  To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1Cor 1:2  To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:

Ephesians 1:1  Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus:

Romans 8:28  And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 
29  For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 
30  And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

[Waggles]

Ephesians 5:25  Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 
26  that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 
27  so that he might present the church to himself in splendour, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 

[Fancicoffee]

30 minutes ago, Waggles said:

Ephesians 5:25  Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 
26  that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 
27  so that he might present the church to himself in splendour, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 

jI 

 

31 minutes ago, Waggles said:

Ephesians 5:25  Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 
26  that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 
27  so that he might present the church to himself in splendour, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 

The "Church" represents the body of believers, I believe.  Anyway, that is what I get out of this verse.  Plus, that is what I beleieve.  

[Waggles]

Acts 20:27  for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. 
28  Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. 
29  I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 
30  and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. 

[JMJ]

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church

751 The word "Church" (Latin ecclesia, from the Greek ek-ka-lein, to "call out of") means a convocation or an assembly. It designates the assemblies of the people, usually for a religious purpose.¹³⁹ Ekklesia is used frequently in the Greek Old Testament for the assembly of the Chosen People before God, above all for their assembly on Mount Sinai where Israel received the Law and was established by God as his holy people.¹⁴⁰ By calling itself "Church," the first community of Christian believers recognized itself as heir to that assembly. In the Church, God is "calling together" his people from all the ends of the earth. the equivalent Greek term Kyriake, from which the English word Church and the German Kirche are derived, means "what belongs to the Lord."

752 In Christian usage, the word "church" designates the liturgical assembly,¹⁴¹ but also the local community¹⁴² or the whole universal community of believers.¹⁴³ These three meanings are inseparable. "The Church" is the People that God gathers in the whole world. She exists in local communities and is made real as a liturgical, above all a Eucharistic, assembly. She draws her life from the word and the Body of Christ and so herself becomes Christ's Body.

Symbols of the Church

753 In Scripture, we find a host of interrelated images and figures through which Revelation speaks of the inexhaustible mystery of the Church. the images taken from the Old Testament are variations on a profound theme: the People of God. In the New Testament, all these images find a new center because Christ has become the head of this people, which henceforth is his Body.¹⁴⁴ Around this center are grouped images taken "from the life of the shepherd or from cultivation of the land, from the art of building or from family life and marriage."¹⁴⁵

754 "The Church is, accordingly, a sheepfold, the sole and necessary gateway to which is Christ. It is also the flock of which God himself foretold that he would be the shepherd, and whose sheep, even though governed by human shepherds, are unfailingly nourished and led by Christ himself, the Good Shepherd and Prince of Shepherds, who gave his life for his sheep.¹⁴⁶

755 "The Church is a cultivated field, the tillage of God. On that land the ancient olive tree grows whose holy roots were the prophets and in which the reconciliation of Jews and Gentiles has been brought about and will be brought about again. That land, like a choice vineyard, has been planted by the heavenly cultivator. Yet the true vine is Christ who gives life and fruitfulness to the branches, that is, to us, who through the Church remain in Christ, without whom we can do nothing.¹⁴⁷

756 "Often, too, the Church is called the building of God. the Lord compared himself to the stone which the builders rejected, but which was made into the comer-stone. On this foundation the Church is built by the apostles and from it the Church receives solidity and unity. This edifice has many names to describe it: the house of God in which his family dwells; the household of God in the Spirit; the dwelling-place of God among men; and, especially, the holy temple. This temple, symbolized in places of worship built out of stone, is praised by the Fathers and, not without reason, is compared in the liturgy to the Holy City, the New Jerusalem. As living stones we here on earth are built into it. It is this holy city that is seen by John as it comes down out of heaven from God when the world is made anew, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.¹⁴⁸

757 "The Church, further, which is called 'that Jerusalem which is above' and 'our mother', is described as the spotless spouse of the spotless lamb. It is she whom Christ 'loved and for whom he delivered himself up that he might sanctify her.' It is she whom he unites to himself by an unbreakable alliance, and whom he constantly 'nourishes and cherishes.'"¹⁴⁹

[Ani Tefillah]

On 2/17/2022 at 8:16 PM, Waggles said:

Go and learn of the Emperor Penguins which stay the winter in Antarctica - you will see a great example of what the church is supposed to be. 

United......one in the sum of the Holy Word and in the Holy Spirit. 😊 

[Ani Tefillah]

7 hours ago, Waggles said:

Acts 20:27  for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. 
28  Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. 
29  I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 
30  and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. 

😭 

[Prycejosh1987]

The church is the people, not the building. If family members meet at houses and pray together thats church. A building is just place where people meet, but people meet at a bar, or pub, it doesnt entirely make them all alcoholics. The same is true for church, friends are made through relationships and so is the church.