Mark Vestal Proud of nothing of myself. Freed by Christ who did it all!

From the Greek word 'ekklesia', a church is a called out group or community of members.

There was the church in the wilderness, led by Moses (Acts 7:38). There was Peter's church of God, built 'upon the rock' that Jesus appropriated Peter to lead for Israel (who Saul persecuted prior to becoming Paul). Peter's church was to make known to Israel first and then the world that The Messiah was returning and bringing their long-awaited earthly Kingdom of Heaven (Matt 10:7, Matt 3:2, Matt 4:17, Mark 1:15, Luke 21:31, Acts 1:7).

There is then our church today, the body of Christ, where Paul was made head minister of; the 'mystery' church formed by the gospel of God's grace (Eph 3:2, Eph 3:7, 1 Cor 11:1, Col 1:25, 1 Cor 15:8). According to God's Word, it is believers in this gospel of God's grace (Christ crucified) that compose and are filling this church, which is the body of Christ (Col 1:18, Col 1:24, 1 Cor 12:27, Eph 3:6, Eph 4:12, Eph 5:23).

This church will continue to fill up the body until the last believer believes:

Romans 11:25
"For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in."

It is at that moment that the completed church, the body of Christ, will then be 'caught up' in the clouds to 'forever be with the Lord':

1 Thes 4:17
"Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."

July 04 2023 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Brother Paul Paul's message in Eph 2 was to believers:

NT - The Church is the ekklesia, this is the only word in the scriptures for church. It is not to be mistaken with the word, kuriakkon, a word introduced some centuries later by the RCC; kuriakkon is not anywhere in the scriptures. To call the building, any building, a church, is false doctrine. A purposely built or converted structure can be, a place of fellowship, worship and prayer, but should never be called a church.

The church, according to scripture, according to Jesus, is 'The Body of Christ', it is the Spiritual body of Christ, it is made up of spiritual stones, and these are the born again, spiritually regenerated souls Titus 3:5, who have been grafted into the vine John 15. 


The Church, translated from the word, ekklesia, is...
'one body' in 1 Cor10:16-17
Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread which we break a sharing in the body of Christ? Since there is one bread, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one bread. (If we are in Christ and He in us)

'one body in Christ' Rom 12:4-5
For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. (If we are in Christ and He in us)

'the body' Heb13:3.
Remember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who are mistreated—since you yourselves are in the body also. (If we are in Christ and He in us)

'the body of Christ' 1 Cor12:27
Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it. (If we are in Christ and He in us)

One body, many spiritual bricks; 
One body, of saved souls, regardless of, age, sex, colour or tongue.

It is very clear that the 'Church', the 'ekklesia', is “the body” of Christ in Ephesians 5:22-24 (see 23)
22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Saviour of the body. 24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.

Colossians 1:24.
I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church

A congregation is not necessarily 'the church', part of it can be, depending on how many are 'in Christ', but doubtful all in the congregation are abiding in Christ. 

The church, from the word 'ekklesia', from scripture, is any number of true believers, those in faith, the spiritually regenerated, the ones grafted into the vine, grafted into God through Jesus Christ. Any number, from two or three coming together, Jesus is in their midst, to larger numbers, local or national, country or world, when we are in Christ Jesus as stated, we are members together in His One Spiritual Body. And we are to worship in Spirit and Truth, God is Spirit, if the Spirit of God is not in us, we are spiritually dead, we are NOT saved.

In His Love

Brother Paul ><>

July 05 2023 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report