Doctrine of Ecclesiology
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Ecclesiology is a branch of theology that deals with the doctrine of the church.
In the simplest phrase “ the study of the church .
As a head Pastor this doctrine has framed the way I pastor and lead people. it is essential for each believer to understand what is the churh and why is it here.
The Study of various aspects of the church . The function of the church , purpose of the church , organization of the church, offices of the church , the various church disciplines of the church .
So we have a wide spectrum of topics that refer to the church.
What is the church ?
Definition
Greek - ekklesia - an assembly of believers joined to Christ’s spiritual body by the Holy Spirit.
“Called out one’s.”
It’s not a building, it’s people.
Called out of the world and placed in the body of Christ.
The word “ church “ was used by three separate people groups . Heathen nations , the Jewish , and now Christians
Heathen/ Technical definition for church : assembly , or assembly of citizens in a self governing state.
Jewish definition for church : the Septuagint uses the word for “the congregation of Israel” also “Summoned for a purpose” 1 Kings 8:65
Christian definition for church : A group of people called out of the world and belonging to the Lord.
Theres a progression thats takes place . A more nobler translation of the word “Ekklesia”
Origin of the Church
- The Church was not established until Christ’s ascension.
- The joining together of Jew and Gentile. - Ephesians 3:1-6;
Ephesians 2:14-16
- The mystery of how Jew and Gentile would be joined into one body in Christ was not in the Old Testament, which revealed that Gentiles would receive the gospel’s blessings; the New Testament made it known how this would be possible (Eph. 3:6)
- Prophecy of Joel 2:28 - 32.
The new birth is an essential requirement for membership of the universal church .
The church is used in two sense .
The “Universal Sense” and the “Local Sense”.
The universal sense is referring to the church at Large and the local sense has to do with geographical location .
The universal church are those who have been born of The Spirit and in by the same Spirit have been baptized into The Body of Christ.
Those who are possessors of The Spirit of God and who been placed in a new family.
1 Corinthians 12:13 (NKJV)
For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.
Key point : The Spirit of God is the creator of the church. Thats how you know you're a member is by the Spirit of God. The Spirit is Who unifies us . and it doesn’t matter of your nationality ( Jew or Greek ) or your station in life ( bond or free ) if you have The Spirit of God living in you, you are apart of the church.
1 Peter 1:3 (NKJV)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
Begotten means to be born again .
The Spirit makes us adopted children of God
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”
The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
vs 14 - being led by the Spirit, doesn’t mean service or guided in a particular path by the Spirit. It means general control by The Spirit
“He is the sphere and mode of their being, and is their seal unto the day of redemption.” William Newell
The Holy Spirit’s control and direction attests the believer’s privileges in God’s family as a “son” (huios means a child mature enough to take on adult family privileges and responsibilities). A son in God’s family is led by God’s Spirit.
So The Spirit of God makes us sons of God, thats women and man.
The Spirit of adoption makes us children of God.
Why the term “Universal Church” ?
1. The term universal church is used because Christ spoke of building His church not churches.
And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
The word Church is singular. not plural
Also I want to note its Christ building His church not man. I have to constantly remind my self its Christ who’ s building His church . Not my methods not my preaching, its Christ .
2. Paul was grieved because he persecuted “the church” ( 1 Cor 15:9, Gal 1:13 , Phil 3:6 ). Paul persecuted the church not churches . Universal
3. Christ is said to have loved the church and given Himself for her.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,
4. Our Lord is purifying and sanctifying “the church”
that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,
that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
This speaks about progressive sanctification.
5. Christ is the head of “the church”. ( Eph 1:22 , 5:23, Col 1:18 )
And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church,
For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.
And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
Have the class split up in groups and ask them this question: What does it mean that Christ is the head of the church?
the final manifestation of Christ headship over all creation will be in the future .
When it speaks about Christ being the head of church. Its referring to position but as well as submission .
Man is not the head over Christ He is the head over man . so we submit to the reality .
The same way the wife isn’t more inferior then the husband . but she submits because of her services rendered to The Lord. Eph 5:23 “For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.”
6.He has set gifted leaders in “the church” ( 1 Cor 12:28 )
And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.
The church makes known to the ruler and authorities in heavenly places the manifold wisdom of God ( Eph 3:10 ) - The church reveals the wisdom of God .
These are the key terms of the universal church .
1. The church is describe as “ a Building of God “ ( 1 Cor 3:9 , 16f Temple of God , 2 Cor. 6:16 the temple of The Living God Eph 2:20-22 , 1 Tim 3:15 Pillar and ground of the truth) we possess God . How profound is that !!
2. Christ is the cornerstone of this building ( Matt 16:18, 1 Co 3:11 , 1 Peter 2:6f ) Read 1 Peter 2:6f Christ is the visible support on which we rely for strength and stability . The church trust in Christ as much as a building relies on this cornerstone.
3. He dwells ( lives , takes up residence ) in us by His Spirit .1 Cor 3:16,6:19
4. The believer performs priestly service in the Temple . Hebrews 13:15 ( giving thanks in the Temple ), 1 Peter 2:9 ( proclaim His praises ) Rev 1:6, We have access to God . Romans 5:2 “through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”
5. The universal church is also called The Body of Christ ( Romans 12:4 , 1 Cor 12:12 -27 , Eph 1:22f , 3:6, 4:4 ,12, 16 , 5:23 ,30 , Col 1:18 , 24, 2:19 , 3:15 ) . Hence thats why the church is presented as an organism .
What is the local church?
Paul’s idea of the local church was to organize the many converts into self governing and self propagating groups.
Theres no local church without boots on the ground. You heard of those satellite churches ?
Passages on the local church .
Turn to Acts 11:19-26
Acts 11:19–26 (NKJV)
Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only.
But some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus.
And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord.
Then news of these things came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch.
When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord.
For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.
Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul.
And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
Who sent our Barnabas ? Jerusalem . another self existing self governing church. A local church, a local church sent out Barnasbas
The mother church Jerusalem sent out Barnabas to go to Antioch , because the number of Christian converts.
Barnabas was a wise choice to go to Antioch.
Why was Barnabas a wise choice to go to Antioch?
He was from Cyprus , so he was familiar with the people and the place in Antioch . Mind you Antioch was 300 miles from Jerusalem
He was discerning, he was able to see the grace of God and how God was moving in Antioch Acts 11:23
He was able to discern the grace of God in peoples.
He was generous and therefore thoughtful to others Acts 4:37
He was known for his encouragement ( Son of encouragement ) Acts 4:36 . If you want to be known for anything be known for being an encourager.
Also Luke’s testimony about him . Acts 11:24 “For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.”
Without the local organized church this expansion would have never happened . And if the expansion would have happened the growth and development wouldn’t have happened .
The local church recognizes these core qualities! Without the local church one can say I belong to the universal church and I have no need for a local assembly.
The Local church defined: It is an assembly of professing believers in Christ who have been baptized and who are organized to carry out God’s will.
I’m not saying this is what it takes to be apart of the universal church. But in order to be a bonafide local assembly this is whats required.
Notice the important facets of this definition.
This is referring to the church at large not a individual believer.
What does a healthy local church look like?
And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
This is church planting 101, every local church should have these.
Luke gives us a beautiful cameo of The Spirit filled church! This verse summarizes the church life after Pentecost.
It was a learning church
-They devoted themselves to the apostles doctrine. Being filled with the Spirit does not mean anti-intellectualism. Spirit of Truth.
-The Spirit of God, leads the people of God to submit to The Word of God.
2. It was a loving church
The devoted themselves to fellowship. This wasnt any fellowship
This word for fellowship is Kiononia -This was a Trinitarian fellowship. First its fellowship with God is the act of praise and worship. A deep expression of fellowshipping with God. Father Son and The Holy Spirit.
Secondly It was fellowshipping with each other. In our common share of our relationship with God.
The greek word Kiononia actually means generous. This church was definitely that. They had All things in common
3. It was a worshiping church
It was a church that worshipped at the temple and in there homes .
It was formal and informal
I think bringing those two together are important.
Me and my wife try to at least visit one body members home once a week and once a week have church members come to our home.
P. Bailiy’s church grew because as soon as a new member came to his church he would visit them and have coffee.
Breaking of Bread - could be in reference to communion. But breaking of bread is an very important aspect of ministry I believe we take for granted. Literally every service we have some kind of refreshments and people hang out for hours after service. vs 46 -breaking bread again
4. It was an evangelistic church .
-If you just read vs42 it gives you a very lopsided view of the church . But they were evangelistic
Acts 2:47 “praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.”
-They where missions minded.
-Jesus is missions minded ! and He’s the head of the church.
vs 42
5. It was a devoted church.
The continued steadfastly.
Steadfastly - they where persistent, and they continued in. They where devoted !
Acts 1:14 “These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.”
Acts 2:46 “So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,”
3. Acts 6:4 “but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.””
4.Romans 12:12 “rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;”
5. Col 4:2 “Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving;”
6. 2 Tim 3:14 “But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them,”
The NT was not written yet so the “apostles doctrine” was a combination of the OT (which in this same chapter Peter quoted David.)
- the doctrine where Different Messianic Prophesy throughout scripture .
- And words and experiences throughout there time with Jesus Christ.
Also at the time ther present experiences that became inspired scriptures .
But now we have access to the full counsel of God . Apostles doctrine is written down through the Epistles by the inspiration of The Holy Spirit.
Turn to . 2 Tim 3:14-17 “But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God ( God breathed ) , and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
Organization , this word gets a bad rep. People who tell you they don’t like the organized religion. They are essentially saying they prefer disorganized religion. Or no church at all . Its not a local church if it doesn’t have structure. Acts 14:23 Acts 6 - God added organization.
So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
Ordination of Zimbabweans
Should the local church be subject to the authority of a larger governing body?
In other words should the local church have full autonomy.
There are clear indications that each local church had its own autonomy .
The local church Had its own officers
- Phil 1:1
Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
- Rev. 1:20
The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.
Angels - just means messengers - I believe these 7 angels where Pastors and Jesus through John was addressing these churches and there Pastors in this passage.
2. The local church has its own membership and roll keeper. There isn’t a universal membership
Do not let a widow under sixty years old be taken into the number, and not unless she has been the wife of one man,
Taken into the number . They kept tally .
So they kept roll of the widows and who should get support and who shouldn't get support. ( Acts 6)
3. The local church has the authority to discipline its own members .
( 1 Cor. 5:13
But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person.”
Even the apostle Paul did not assume to excommunicate a member , but called upon the local church to do so.
4. The local church ordained its own officers ( Acts 6:1-7)
the local church was responsible for picking out there own elected officials .
Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business;
As a branch Pastor I’m allowed to ordained anyone God lays on my heart without approval from Baltimore. Its wise I seek out counsel . Paul told timothy to lay hands on no man to quickly . Timothy has automony
5. The local church has the authority to settle its own internal difficulties. Acts 6:1-5
I remember we had a situation with a guy upstairs from our church in Edgewood . He didn’t want us there . He called Baltimore. But Baltimore allowed us to settle it within the Edgewood church . Actually if they would have gotten involved it would had made the situation worst .
6. The local church has the autonomy to extend fellowship to other churches .
- Gal 2:9
and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.
The right hand of fellowship : They made an agreement , they where unified in there decision. This is how local churches should be .
7. Local church have the freedom to cooperate with other churches . ( 2 Cor 8:8-19 )
Paul was encouraging the Corinthian church to give “in proportion to what they have” . .( 2 Cor 8:12 ) -
Titus would go between churches and send gifts or love offerings from Macedonia to Jerusalem . Local churches cooperating . And giving to one another .
7. The local church had the authority to guard and administer its own ordinances .
For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;
Paul instituted the ordinance of communion to the local church.
8. The Local church sent its own missionary’s .
Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
The Antioch church prayed and fasted and the Holy Spirit said separate Barnabas and Saul . And they both went to Cypress .
9. The local church bore the responsibility of the culture and tone of the there respective churches .
- Rev. 1-3 Jesus was addressing all 7 churches and corrected them corporately .
10. The local churches are responsible for training and being taught .
- Look at Stephen the first Marytr . Acts 7 , He referenced at least 70 OT verses in his discourse. He was taught in His local church .
Also the Bereans Acts 17:11
These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.
What the church is not?
1. The church isn't reformed Judaism. It isn't a modification of the old.
The church is not the new Israel .
syncretism - this idea of merging the Judaism with Christianity
- Israel and the church are not synonymous Terms ( having the same or nearly the same ) terms .
The church isn’t old wine in new wine skins . But new wine in new wine skins Matt 9:17
Matthew 9:17 (NKJV)
Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”
John the baptist was a reformer, bringing about repentance to Israel. But Jesus wanted to bring true righteousness that only came from Himself .
There are connections with the saved of all ages John 10:16 Romans 11:16 , 24 , 1 Peter 2:9 )
Also Paul makes distinction between Jews , Gentiles and the church 1 Cor 10:32 “Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God,”
Paul also speaks to the church as one new man . Eph 2:15 “having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace,” , Col 3:11 . The church is composed of believing Jews and Gentiles .
Eph 2:12-13 “that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”
we have a new position corporately
Because of the circumision there was great social and spiritual boundaries between the Jews and the Gentiles .
There are five privileges listed that Israel had.
first, They where separated from Christ . They had no national hope of a Messiah .
second, The where excluded from the citizenship of Israel Romans 9:4 . They where alienated
Third , they were foreigners to the covenats of promise. They were deprived of direct participation in Gods covenats and thus had no hope of future glory and blessing as Israel did.
forth, the gentiles where without hope. Gentiles had no expectations of a personal Messiah - Deliverer and the Messianic age.
fifth , They were without God in this world . The gentiles where in a desperate situation . They had no meaning , hope, purpose , or direction .
No nation hope of a Messiah, excluded from citizenship, foreigners , without hope , with out God . But now you have been brought near!
Eph 2:14 “For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation,”
Christ has made both Jew and Greek both one .
Christ destroyed the spiritual seperation , that some of the Jews paraded over the gentiles . This enmity is what caused the seperation.
The Spirit of God is what makes the church and Unifies the church .
Also in Romans 11 - Israel still has a future . God is provoking Israel unto jealously through the church .
So the church is not a continuation of Israel/ Jusdism. It is a completely separate entity entirely .
Theres a big movement about who is a spiritual Jew So if someone tells you they are a spiritual jew that is false
2 . The church is not a kingdom. This Kingdom began when The Lord was rejected by his own , ( they where calling Jesus satan Matt 9:34, 12:22-37 ) and when he began and planned the purpose of God for this coming age . This happened around the time Jesus began to proclaim about the mysteries behind the kingdom . ( Matt. 13 ) - The Kingdom of heaven parables .
Ask the class when did the church start ? The church started at Pentecost .(Acts 1:5; 2:1–2; 11:15–16
. The Holy Spirit is the creator of the church .
So though the church is apart of the Kingdom of God is not equated as being one and the same .
3. The church is not a denomination.
We can often believe that our church is the only church out there . We can get the Elijah complex . We are the only ones .
Some churches refer to themselves the only “ Only true church “ Catholism consider themselves to be the one true church . “The church of the living God”
But theres only one church . “ All of the redeemed member's of this age is the one universal church .
Paul actually warns us about such divisions in the church . 1 Cor 1:11-17
For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you.
Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.”
Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,
lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name.
Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other.
For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.
4. The purpose of the church is not to save the world. We realize that world is going get worst and worst as time progresses.
If you read your Bible you will realize the World events will sour and become much worst . ( 2 Tim 3:1-7 , 2 Peter 3:1-5 )
Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder),
that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior,
knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts,
and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.”
For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water,
But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:
For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,
traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts,
always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
The purpose of the church is not to convince non believers to be good and civilized.
5. The church purpose isn’t become or imitate the world.
I went to one church and they had no preaching . The church service was they played a movie and every 5 minute in between the Pastor would say something spiritual about the video.
The purpose of the church is not to romanticize of a perfect world when we still have our sin nature still intact
We are in the world not of the world.
If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
6. The purpose of the church isn’t to isolate yourself from the world.
monasticism -is removing yourself from the world to escape the perversions of the world. Monks and Nuns came from this belief .
7. The church isn’t called to serve the world.
Nowhere in the Bible are we told to lobby for pollution laws .
or to build wells . or to fight for rights for others .
or do humanitarian exploits
We have churches who do does things not knocking it. 90 percent of missions are humanitarian “building schools, houses etc.”
But missions in the scriptures are proclamation churches.
In the OT the word EKKLESIA was never used in a religious sense but only for a geographic assemblies of people .
Dt 4:10 “especially concerning the day you stood before the Lord your God in Horeb, when the Lord said to me, ‘Gather the people to Me, and I will let them hear My words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children.’”
Dt 9:10 “Then the Lord delivered to me two tablets of stone written with the finger of God, and on them were all the words which the Lord had spoken to you on the mountain from the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly.”
Dt 18:16 “according to all you desired of the Lord your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, nor let me see this great fire anymore, lest I die.’”
In Greece the assembly of people gathered in one place was consider EKKLESIA
It is used in for the assembling of Jews in the dessert .
In the NT the word churches are used of a congregation of Christians in a given location .
Acts 9:31 (NKJV): 31 Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.
Act 14:23 And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.
Act 15:40 And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.
Act 15:41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches
1Co 1:2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
But in some cases EKKLESIA is used of a body of believers regardless of location
Mat 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.
Eph 1:22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
Eph 3:10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
Eph 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
Eph 5:24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
Eph 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish
Col 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
This isn’t talking about location but a people group .
Before churches before religious gatherings what was it ?
There is no evidences of an organized religious life in the earliest accounts of the Scriptures .
The nearest approach to it was the family .
The father acted as priest and leader in the worship of God .
Noah was evidence of this
Gen 6:18 “But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall go into the ark—you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.”
God made promises to the father to lead the sons .
Job 1:5 “So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did regularly.”
Job being an upright man he wanted to make sure his family’s sins where properly atoned for before God .
God blessed Jacob because of His fathers faithfulness.
Gen 26:2-5 “Then the Lord appeared to him and said: “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land of which I shall tell you. Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you; for to you and your descendants I give all these lands, and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father. And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.””
The nations of Israel started to become organized under Moses. The twelve tribes were organized into a nation , a people of God Ex 19:6 “And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.””
This theocracy under Moses involved the total life of the people , their political , social , and religious life .
God was the chief ruler the priests, kings , prophets where merely the executors of Gods will .
The bond of this union was circumcision , the law , and the tabernacle and temple worship .