Ecclesiology

From Theologica

Contents 1 Definition 1.1 Key verses 1.2 The Local Church 1.3 The Universal Church 2 Purpose of the Church 2.1 Function of the Local Church - What Constitutes a Local Church? 2.1.1 Worship 2.1.2 Instruction 2.1.3 Fellowship 2.1.4 Ministry 2.1.5 Organization 2.1.6 Ordinances 2.2 Ministries of the Church 2.2.1 Church Discipline 2.2.2 Minister to Widows 2.2.3 Ministry of Charity 3 The Distinctiveness of the Church 4 The Day for Corporate Worship 5 Notes 5.1 Reasons to Separate from a Local Church

Definition

• Derived from the Greek word kuriakon, the neuter adjective of kurios, meaning "belonging to the Lord. (MHT 347)
• Also translated from ekklesia, which is derived from ek, meaning "out of," and kaleo, which means "to call," hence, the church is "a called out group."
  • Can also be translated as "congregation" or "assembly" as seen in Acts 19:32 in reference to a mob

Key verses

• Heb 10;24-25

The Local Church

• Refers to a group of believers belonging to a local assembly or congregation. This group will see themselves as a united body which is part of the whole. Examples: the Church in Jerusalem (Acts 8:1), Rome (Rom 16:5), Corinth (1 Cor 1:2), Bonner Springs.
• Early churches did not have buildings specifically designated as meetings places, rather they met in homes (Rom 16:5; Philem 2).

The Universal Church

• Refers to "all those who, in this age, have been born of the Spirit of God and have by that same Spirit been baptized into the Body of Christ (1 Cor 12:13; 1 Pet 1:3, 22-25)
• "A particular emphasis of the universal church is its unity, whether Jews of Gentiles, all together compose one body, in a unity produced by the Holy Spirit (Gal 3:28; Eph 4:4)" (MHT 438)
• Also referred to as the invisible church

Purpose of the Church

Function of the Local Church - What Constitutes a Local Church?

Worship

Instruction

Fellowship

Ministry

Organization

Ordinances

Ministries of the Church

Church Discipline

Minister to Widows

Ministry of Charity

The Distinctiveness of the Church

The Day for Corporate Worship

• The early church and the church fathers did not make any attempt to connect Sunday with the Sabbath (Saturday)
• "The only explanation as to why the early church established a new day of worship unrelated to the Sabbath and the existing calendar was that Sunday was the day of the Lord's resurrection. He not only arose on Sunday, but six post-Resurrection appearances were also on Sunday, and the Day of Pentecost when the body of Christ was formed fell on Sunday." (Ryrie 500)
  • Matt 28:1; Mark 16:2, 9; Luek 24:1; John 20:1, 19; Acts 20:7; 1 Cor 16:2
• Rev 1:10 calls Sunday "the Lord's Day".
• We worship on the same day our Lord rose to bring about remembrance of His sacrifice and subsequent resurrection
• As with the Sabbath, it is a time for reflection on the previous week and the representation of the day itself.

Notes

Reasons to Separate from a Local Church

• From "Grace to You"
  1. If heresy on some fundamental truth is being taught from the pulpit (Gal. 1:7-9).
  2. If the leaders of the church tolerate seriously errant doctrine from any who are given teaching authority in the fellowship (Rom. 16:17).
  3. If the church is characterized by a wanton disregard for Scripture, such as a refusal to discipline members who are sinning blatantly (1 Cor. 5:1-7).
  4. If unholy living is tolerated in the church (1 Cor. 5:9-11).
  5. If the church is seriously out of step with the biblical pattern for the church (2 Thess. 3:6, 14).
  6. If the church is marked by gross hypocrisy, giving lip service to biblical Christianity but refusing to acknowledge its true power (2 Tim. 3:5).