How the "Church" is defined

[RandyPNW]

I tend to view "Christians" and the "Church" as all those who simply claim to believe in Christ as their spiritual life. They are not always consisting of those who completely make the transition to the "new birth."

People can follow the "knowledge of Christ" without making a complete commitment to him from the heart. They may mean well, but unless they completely commit to Christ, they are basically men living in their carnal nature who only sometimes obey Christ's word. They are not fully transformed.

The Church thus consists of all kinds of Christians who are in process of determining whether they will complete their "Salvation" with a complete transfer of power, from their carnal selves to Christ himself, who would endow them with a completely new spiritual nature.

I don't know if this definition appeals to you? Most Christians I know define the "Church" as the "glorious Bride of Christ" as if transported into the future, all of the "Christians" who didn't make it are now cut off.

I believe both definitions of "Church" are used in the Bible. It tends to refer to a church as simply a gathering of those who profess faith in Christ, whether they become the future glorious Bride or not.

The ideal is also presented when in the future those who prevail in their faith and are spiritually made new become "glorified." This is how the Bible views the *future Church.* Let me know what you think?

[Slug1]

I tend to view "Christians" and the "Church" as all those who simply claim to believe in Christ as their spiritual life. They are not always consisting of those who completely make the transition to the "new birth."

People can follow the "knowledge of Christ" without making a complete commitment to him from the heart. They may mean well, but unless they completely commit to Christ, they are basically men living in their carnal nature who only sometimes obey Christ's word. They are not fully transformed.

The Church thus consists of all kinds of Christians who are in process of determining whether they will complete their "Salvation" with a complete transfer of power, from their carnal selves to Christ himself, who would endow them with a completely new spiritual nature.

I don't know if this definition appeals to you? Most Christians I know define the "Church" as the "glorious Bride of Christ" as if transported into the future, all of the "Christians" who didn't make it are now cut off.

I believe both definitions of "Church" are used in the Bible. It tends to refer to a church as simply a gathering of those who profess faith in Christ, whether they become the future glorious Bride or not.

The ideal is also presented when in the future those who prevail in their faith and are spiritually made new become "glorified." This is how the Bible views the *future Church.* Let me know what you think?

There are no "types" of Christians. People are either a wheat or a tare. A person is either a saved believer, even if they are stumbling along on the road of Sanctification as they are led to their Glorification. Or they are not a believer, are not saved and are not even near a road of Sanctification, even while they sit and fellowship with wheat.


Some "tares" are deceived due to whatever the reason and most likely, the reason is "religion" and their lack of understanding of grace/faith. Some are easy to ID as they express their heretical beliefs about Jesus, yet they still believe in what they believe = not Jesus.

[journeyman]

The church is defined as people who are called out of the world, leaving behind their old lives of sin, becoming followers of Christ.
Paul taught that false teachers, wolves, would be mixed in among God's people.

[The Parson]

Not to oversimplify: A band of born again and baptized believers in Christ Jesus...

[Slug1]

HA! It is interesting. Something I wrote several years ago pops up in a memory list and I will paste it all into this response. This was what I wrote into my online class when majoring in Pastoral Leadership/Counseling.

Part 1: I’ve always described the “church” simply as… The Body of Christ. Alright, about 89 more words to go to reach 100 <smile>. I actually expressed in a previous discussion last week that it would be great to experience a Body of Christians who “express” the love of Christ to others. In this case, even TO brethren who were weak and sinned. So this week I read about some church bodies who “purge” themselves of their brethren who sin as we read concerning all the Anabaptist related text from the chapter. Sure, this is a form of discipline for the “church” but according to scripture, a person’s sin must be heretical in nature for a person to be booted. A sin that is about COUTERING the Gospel, or teaching or influencing (leaven) OTHERS to ALSO sin… then, boot them out. However, if a person has a personal weakness and this leads THEM to sin and they are struggling and they sin once, then twice and they are counseled secretly and then they sin a third time and the church leadership makes the sin public for the PURPOSE of booting them out… where is Christ’s love?   

This is how Christians are destroyed by “a church”. So such “a church” is NOT… “THE” church in my opinion.

Also, seems that this is the enemy working in “a” church group so that NO ONE reveals and confesses their weaknesses that is leading them to sin so that James 5:16 CAN’T be put into effect for the one in need of help. The only way James 5:16 can be put into effect is for those who sin, to confess and for those confessed to… to CONTINUE to fervently pray for the confessor. If a person knows they’ll be booted… they aren’t about to ever confess and they will keep their weakness behind a mask and this enables satan FREEDOM to continue to oppress them.

So, this gets me back to WHAT the church is… a reflection of Christ that is more than just a reflection but more like an ACTIVE BEAM of light. Actually, I really don’t like the usage of “reflection” of Christ but many do understand this analogy. The church actively SHINES Christ as a light upon others, they don’t reflect Him upon others. So in simple terms, this to me… is “the” church. For that person who was to stand up and “confess” a sin that is controlling them… IMAGINE all that LIGHT shining upon them when their brethren LOVES them and prays for them. Exposing their “secret” sin to such a Body of Christ will remove satan’s oppression. Now also imagine this “love” expressed to the LOST… the result will be that many of those who are lost… will be FOUND in Christ when they accept Him and now also receive the love from the SOURCE.

Part 2: The most captivating thought, hmmmm… for me, this begins on page 135 in the section called, “The church is constituted by the Word of God”. This is why it’s the most captivating for me. All the people in any given church DON’T constitute a church. This is what I mean… I have experienced “a” church body almost fall apart when the pastor announced to the congregation that the Lord was moving him to a new area. This announcement was made during the 3rd Sunday of my attendance to that church, I was new to the church. I wasn’t even a real “member” yet. So, a month later this Senior Pastor leaves and the following two months afterwards, about half the congregation leaves as well. Not to be with that pastor since God moved him from the Midwest all the way to a church on the West Coast.

I came to understand that while the Gospel of Jesus Christ WAS preached and Christ WAS present… half the church wasn’t there due to the Gospel and presence of Christ. They were there for that pastor. I believe God purposely moved him for the purpose to clean out that “church”.

In the scriptures we read: Matthew 18: 20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” This is the heart of the truth that the church IS constituted by the Word of God… Christ is the WORD. If any gather together FOR the Word of God, they are there FOR Christ. So if any church leader leaves… there is NO reason to also leave because people are not there FOR a favorite leader, or favorite ministry, or favorite worship team, or for the bathroom (statistically, the bathroom is the #1 reason people CHOOSE a church, this makes me disturbed)!! Such a reason to go to “a” church is idolatry and God will remove that idolatry and in the experience I was able to witness… use that removal to ALSO remove the idolaters.
So this section of the text was the most captivating because straight up… it’s 100% true!

[RandyPNW]

My point really concerned how the *Scriptures* used the word "church," and I still believe it refers to all who fill the room of a church gathering. This includes all kinds on the path of following Christ. Some have been reborn, and some are just following Christ as a model, not completely turning their lives over to him to receive a new nature.

I've seen a lot of flaws in churches, as is being described. I've been in several churches where half the church walked out for various reasons. I do believe churches need to be cleaned out of "dead wood" sometimes. It's truly sad.

Christianity is a more serious business than people let on. But it just can't be treated that way because it involves things beyond our control. Unless we commit to Christ, God won't do His part. Unless we turn our whole lives over to God, we won't receive a new nature.

We can treat church seriously. But we're in the midst of decision-making. And each person has his or her own decisions to make. If we could just get together like a sports team and learn our roles, and work together, what a wonderful world it could be!

But this is a day and age in which people are in different places, spiritually. The church is there for this development to mature for each of us. We're all Christians. We're all the church. But in the process we may be disqualified. So said Paul, I believe.