Welcome back to week 19. Today, Lord willing, we will begin our four-week consideration of ecclesiology. Before we begin let’s first define our new term. What exactly does ecclesiology mean? Ecclesiology simply means the church. It is important to understand the church properly (i.e., biblically), so that we also act right (i.e., unity in the truth), in the church and glorify God with our motives.

So then, what is the church? In answering that question it should be helpful to first consider what it is not. The church is not simply a building. The church is also not comprised, in its totality, of a specific localized congregation. In other words, the church is not the local Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist, Brethren, Presbyterian, non-denominational, or Episcopalian building in your neighborhood. The church is also not comprised, in its totality, of the Roman Catholic Church.^[1]

The location of the church can be rightly thought of in three different divisions. Number one is the overarching view of the church which is the universal church. The universal church is comprised of the body of believers across the entire world.^[2] The universal church was also called the “catholic church” as far back as the Apostle’s Creed (150 A.D.). The word “catholic” should not be confused with the idea of the Roman Catholic Church. The term “catholic” simply means “whole,” “entire,” or “universal.” 

The second division of the church is the local church. The local church describes all the individual buildings where believers assemble to worship Christ on a regular basis (1 Thess. 1:1; 2 Cor. 11:8). All the individual churches make up the universal church. The church in its totality is also the bride of Christ (Rev. 21:9). Scripture says that the church is comprised of the individual believers whom make up the body of Christ; the Head of the Church.^[3]

Therefore, the third division of the church flows out of the previous two. Since the church is not simply a building on a plot of land but is also made up of people it is axiomatic that the church is also at home; where the believer lives.^[4] The church should not just be viewed as the assembly of people on Sunday morning. It should be viewed as the body of Christ worldwide.   

We hope our short time considering ecclesiology this week was helpful. Lord willing, next week we will begin considering the role the church plays in the believer’s life. Until then may our Lord bless you and keep you.

^[1] For all the reasons why the RCC is not part of the true body of Christ see: https://pro-gospel.org/.

^[2] 1 Cor. 2:13. The church is distinct from Israel (cf. Eph. 2:11-3:6; 5:32).

^[3] Rom. 12:5; 1 Cor. 3:9; 10:17; 12:12; Gal. 3:8; Eph. 1:22-23; 2:19; Col. 1:24.

^[4] At the same time, believers are commanded to attend corporate worship regularly (cf. Heb. 10:23-25).