ECCLESIOLOGY
1B. The English Word: “Church.”
1C. Its Derivation.
1D. Ultimately from the Greek: kuriakos = lit. “The Lord's” or “that
which belongs to the Lord.”
1E. 1 Cor. 11:20 - “The Lord's Supper.”
2E. Rev. 1:10 - “The Lord's Day.”
2C. Its Popular Use.
1D. A local congregation of professed Christians. “The church at
2D. A denominational group of congregations. “The
3D.
The universal body of professed Christians (Real Christians). “His body of
which He is the head” (Col. 1:18).
4D. A building used for religious worship. “We will meet at the church.”
3C. Observations.
1D. There is no Biblical authority for #2D and #4D above.
2D.
A denomination has no Biblical authority for calling itself a church. It is
better to speak of them in the plural form: “The Methodist Churches.”
3D. There is only one church (The Universal Church), but there are many
local churches.
4C. Occurrence in Scripture.
1D. The English term is not found in the Old Testament.
2D. In the KJV it is found 113 times in the New Testament.
3D. In the KJV it always a translation of the Greek word ekklesia, except in Acts 19:37 where it
is from hierosulous. The NASB
translates it as “robbers of temples” which is more correct.
2B. The Greek Word: Ekklesia.
1C. Its Derivation
1D. Derived from two parts ek-kaleo which was used for the summons to
the army to assemble.
ek = “out”
kaleo = “to call”
2D.
In the writings of Euripides, Heroditus (5th Century B.C.) and onwards, it is
attested to mean this.
3D.
Denotes in the usage of antiquity the popular assembling of the competent, full
population of the polis or city (NIDNT Th., I, p. 291).
2C. Its Occurrence in the New
Testament.
1D. It occurs 115 times in the
New Testament.
2D. Of those, 112 times it is
translated “church.”
3D. Of those, 3 times it is
translated “assembly.” All three occurrences are in Acts and refer to the
3C. The Pre-Christian use.
1D.
Greek Literature. Commonly used to designate an assembly of free citizens in a
city-state summoned to meet together by a herald.
2D. Septuagint. Often used to translate the Hebrew word gahal. It refers to an assembly of
Israelites called together for worship or other purposes (Lev. 4:13)
4C. Summary.
1D. To the Greek it demonstrated a democratic assembly of free citizens.
2D. To the Jew it denoted a Theocratic assembly of a people who belong
to God.
3D.
Both of these meanings combine to form the New Testament meaning. A Theocratic
democracy. All members are equal and free, but God is the ground of their
freedom and the final source of authority.
5C. The general use of ekklesia
in the New Testament
1D.
A political assembly of free citizens (Acts 19:32, 39, 41). The NASB translates
this “assembly.”
2D.
The Jewish assembly of the Old Testament called together (Acts 7:38). The NASB
translates this “congregation.”
3D. The New Testament Church.
4D. Summary:
All
three meanings are distinct. Christ
said, “I will build My church” (future tense). This means that we do not find
the church in the Old Testament, and the Old Testament in the church.
6C. Uses of ekklesia with reference
to the Christian Church.
1D.
The universal church (Eph. 1:22-23; 4:4; 1 Cor. 12). Sometimes in various
writings the universal church is distinguished from the local church by
capitalizing it.
Universal church is written “Church.”
Local church is written “church.”
2D. The local church which met in homes (1 Cor. 1:2; 16:19).
3D. The historical church.
1E.
Defined: The whole body of professed
Christian believers on earth during a definite period of history.
2E. Possible references, but not definite references are Acts 9:31; 1
Cor. 1:2.
4D. Observations.
1E. The above three are not totally separate churches.
1F. The universal church is manifested on earth in the local and
historical churches. But the local church and historical church might incorporate
non-believers.
2F. The local church is the universal church manifested in any
particular place.
3F. The historical church is the universal church manifested in any
particular period of time.
2E. Terminology used to distinguish the differences between the three.
Universal
Church Local Church
Spiritual External
Invisible Visible
Ideal Real
Organism Organization
3E. The differences between the three.
1F. The universal church contains only the true believers on earth and
in heaven (Heb. 12).
2F. The local church and historical church may include mere professors
and has reference only to the earth.
1B. Definition.
The whole spiritual body of true Christian believes regardless of
location or circumstance.
2B. Revelation of the Universal
Church.
1C. In the Old Testament it is only revealed through types.
1D. Through an object - the Temple is an example. We are the Temple of
God.
2D. Through a position - the priesthood (1 Pet. 2:5-9).
2C. In the Gospels through prophecy. Matt. 16:18 - Christ's prediction,
“I will build My church.”
3C. In the Book of Acts through history.
4C. In the Epistles through teaching. The complete revelation of the
church is given in the doctrinal Epistles (Eph., Col., Phil., Gal.).
3B. The Historical Beginnings of
the Church.
1C. The first direct reference is in Matthew 16:18.
1D. The future tense indicates that the church was not a present
reality.
2D. It is the simple but sure promise that Christ will build it.
2C. Christ's building of that church began on the day of Pentecost. This
is seen in:
1D. In Acts 1:5, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is still future.
2D. According to 1 Cor. 12:12-13, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit forms
the church, Christ's body.
1E. The aorist passive - it happened at a point in the past
2E. The passive - Christ did it to us.
3E.
“All were baptized” - it was already done, so no one needs to go around praying
for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
3C. Acts 2:1-4 is a description of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, but
it is described as the “filling.” In Acts 11:15-17 Peter says the “baptism”
happened “at the beginning” which refers to Pentecost. The body of believers
baptized by the Holy Spirit into one body is the church.
4C. Matthew 16:18 (“I will build My church”) compared with Eph. 2:20-22
(“Having been built”). This is all associated with Christ and the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit came at Pentecost. There is one beginning, but it is constantly
going on.
5C. Conclusion: On the day of
Pentecost, the Lord began to build His church forming a spiritual body through
the work of the Holy Spirit.
6C. Several Erroneous Views:
1D. The church began somewhere in the Old Testament.
Some say it began with Abraham. In that case, what were the people a
part of who were before Abraham?
2D. The church began somewhere in the Gospels.
Christ
did begin to gather disciples, but they were not yet formed into the church.
Compare John 14:20, “In that day . . . they were gathered in preparation.”
Also, if the disciples were part of the church, what do you do with Judas?
3D. Some believe the church as a body began after Pentecost (Ultra
Dispensationalist).
Some
start in Acts 9, Acts 13, or Acts 28 (an extreme view). Their error is in the
idea that they do not think something can exist (the church) until it is
explained or revealed (to Paul in Eph. 3:1-13).
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