Anonymous (via GotQuestions)
For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
Pete Van Zyl
In The Original Greek Writings wherever 'church' is written' (the words were all translated according to the "demands of King James 1 - under threat of death over his Translators") the original words were actually - "Ekkleisia" (the Called Out) who were the Born again Believers that constituted the saved and Born Again - "body of Christ"!
The Romans, when realising after several hundreds of years that that the "followers of the 'WAY", as they were known, were NOT going be be cowed or wiped out - in order to make them conform or bow to the Roman Emperor - could only be coerced by including them in the "pattern of Roman worship control" and so "places of worship" were created and called "churches", derived from the ancient satanic word KIRK that meant "circle" where witches/demons would adopt this pattern of assembly!
The Roman's used the of gathering (as used by the "church today') of an "elevated platform facing rows of listeners" on a lower level with no chance of the listeners "contributing to the discourse of the meeting' - exactly as the "church" operates today!
The true EKKLESIA met "house to house" in Acts and thereafter!
That's how the GOSPEL flourished and believers grew in numbers, all without an 'elevated superior' and structured organization in control of each individual's life.
Mark Vestal
Pete, this is gut wrenching, but so true. Millions are being led astray and kept in darkness today by Satan's subtlety (2 Cor 11:3).
I do find instances where it seems much clearer to replace the word "church" with "calling out". This is especially helpful when differentiating Peter's "called out" (Israel's believing remnant who Paul persecuted) from Paul's "called out" (body of Christ).
Thank you for your bold and accurate comment.