Monday, March 16, 2009

The True Church

So many people wrongly think that the ‘church’ is a building where you attend to learn about Christ and hear sermons. Actually, we, the Christians, are the ‘church’ spoken about in the Bible.

Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Strong’s Concordance has the following description for church:

1577 ekklesia {ek-klay-see'-ah}

from a compound of 1537 and a derivative of 2564; TDNT - 3:501,394; n f

AV - church 115

1d) in a Christian sense
1d1) an assembly of Christians gathered for worship in a
religious meeting
1d2) a company of Christian, or of those who, hoping for
eternal salvation through Jesus Christ, observe their own
religious rites, hold their own religious meetings, and
manage their own affairs, according to regulations
prescribed for the body for order's sake
1d3) those who anywhere, in a city, village, constitute such a
company and are united into one body
1d4) the whole body of Christians scattered throughout the earth

In other words, the building is where the ‘church’ (the Christians) meets in order to worship God together.

The apostles and prophets are the foundation for the ‘church’, with Jesus Christ being the chief cornerstone:
Ephesians 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

We, the born-again Christians are the stones that build up the ‘church’.

1 Peter 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

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