For those who believe solely in the "local church"

[kittylover0991]

lol "ABC's of Christian Growth" *gets that look that people get when drinking hot chocolate*

We've just finished going through that in my Sunday School class and when we were back at "C", it all made sense.. but now we are doing a whole other study and after going to a service of a cult last night(didn't know for sure until afterwards), I have been greatly questioning this.. not in the sense of "I wonder if this is what the bible really means" or if I have been taught correctly, but rather they brought up particular verses that I have in the past wondered about but brushed off as nothing, knowing that I could find out "another day" if I'd just ask somebody.... but then teh verses got brought up so this is where I stand....

This whole thing about church and churches is so confusing that I just dont know where to stand or what to believe on this... It is really weird because of what I have learned, what others have told me, I don't quite know who is telling me what anymore becuase it seems more of an issue of semantics, or just the fact that I don't understand.... I'm sorry you guys, thank you ...

Crystal

[Prodigalson123]

I always understood that Christ meant church in the "corporate" sense. How could he really have meant church in the local assembly of believers, when knowing that the church would expand well beyond the boundaries of Israel it would seem a limiting statement. There are many references to the "church" meaning the group of believers throughout the ages. I guess I'm confused at the level of confusion here.

[Floatingaxe]

kittylover...

My 2 cents here is just simply that anyone who is born again is part of the Body of Christ...the Church...whether he is in Canada or Calcutta, he has become part of the universal Church! Now that new believer needs to attach himself to the local assembly of believers in order to grow and function in ministry...that is the local church, the local body.

Understand better? I hope so!

[LadyRaven]

lol "ABC's of Christian Growth" *gets that look that people get when drinking hot chocolate*

We've just finished going through that in my Sunday School class and when we were back at "C", it all made sense.. but now we are doing a whole other study and after going to a service of a cult last night(didn't know for sure until afterwards), I have been greatly questioning this.. not in the sense of "I wonder if this is what the bible really means" or if I have been taught correctly, but rather they brought up particular verses that I have in the past wondered about but brushed off as nothing, knowing that I could find out "another day" if I'd just ask somebody.... but then teh verses got brought up so this is where I stand....

This whole thing about church and churches is so confusing that I just dont know where to stand or what to believe on this... It is really weird because of what I have learned, what others have told me, I don't quite know who is telling me what anymore becuase it seems more of an issue of semantics, or just the fact that I don't understand.... I'm sorry you guys, thank you ...

Crystal

Maybe if you think of it this way.... You have an extended family yes, grandparents, aunts and uncles and the like. Compare that to the church universal...all believers. And you have an immediate family...your mom and dad and you and whatever sibs (of maybe you're married and have your own kids). This is the local congregation. The local congregation is a part of the whole, not different from it. Just like your immediate family is part of the extended family.

[Marnie]

The church is both universal and local. In terms of the Body of Christ, that is, the one new man which Christ created on the cross, and which Christ fills as life, the church is universal. It is the sum total of all genuine believers worldwide.

In the Bible, however, it cannot be denied that the churches in practicality were local. The churches are identified by a specific region or city. Therefore, the expression of the universal church, the Body of Christ, is practically carried out localy.

Clear as mud?

Your answer is clear to anybody who actually reads the epistles.