What is the Church ?

Tuesday 25 May 2021

The house of God is the Church of the living God, the pillar and support of truth. 1 Timothy 3:15

He (God) gave him (Jesus) as supreme head to the Church which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. Ephesians 1:22, 23

What is the Church ?

Opinions are very varied about the Church. Can we also speak of the Church (or assembly) when there are so many communities that give themselves this name?

But what does the Bible say ? For her, the Church is unique. It includes all those who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and received his life by the new birth. Having believed, they were sealed with the Holy Spirit, that is, marked with their belonging to God. all are therefore united together to Christ and form the Church.

The Bible uses three images to speak of the Church as God sees it. Each emphasizes its fundamental unity.

- The house of God : The Church is a spiritual, sure, unshakable edifice that Christ builds and of which each stone represents a believer. God dwells there by his Spirit and there is offered thanks and praise in harmonious order.

- The body of Christ : It is a spiritual organism composed of a multitude of members that are the united believers. by the Holy Spirit, at the head which is Christ glorified in heaven. All members depend on one another for collective life, spiritual nourishment, service of the Lord, joys and sorrows. The activity of each depends on the Head, Christ, who coordinates the whole.

- The bride of Christ : Here it is the side of the affections. Christ gave his life for the Church, he cherishes it every day. He nourishes and purifies it until the moment when he presents it complete and perfect (Ephesians 5:25, 27). In response, the Church is the one who loves Christ and is subject to him.

Source (The Good Seed)