A building
A denomination
A clergy (Roman Catholics)
A congregation as in the coming together of people at a given time and place for the worship of God, Christian Fellowship, and the spread of the gospel out to the world. (Visible)
The people of God, a people who belong to God and to each other. The simplest definition of the Church might be 'God plus His people'.

Ecclesia is the Greek word that is translated church. To the Greeks it meant any kind of gathering which was convenient. An assembly to hear a message and make a decision about it. The New Testament took this term and baptised it into the faith. It comes from two Greek words. EK=Out of and kaleo=To call.

To call out of the world to hear God's word and respond to it. Called out and Called together.

a. Abraham was called out of Ur of the Chaldees.
b. Israel was called out of the Land of Egypt.
c. New Testament believers are called out of the world and called into a relationship with God. This involves privileges and obligations. 1 Corinthians 1:9 The church is made up of men and women who have been called into fellowship and into an inheritance.

Called into an inheritance: Ephesians 1:18; Acts 26:18; Hebrews 6:12; 11:13-16 The new Testament Israel has been called into an inheritance of the land of promise and the city of God. The spiritual Israel is the only people in the world who have a future. The thread is the call that runs through it all.

Called into the fellowship: called together into the fellowship of other believers. Buildings and denominations make sense only after this definition of the Church is understood.

The Body of Christ
Christians are joined or united to the body of Christ. Ephesians 1:20-23 Christ is the head. Colossians 2:19 The supreme authority in the Church is Jesus Christ not the Pastor, or elder or deacons or the one who carries the most clout in the Church. Christians are members of one another to work together in co-ordination. The body is to be co-ordinated, not clumsy.

The Church has a great deal of diversity. God given variety in gifts, and practices. However we need each other to provoke each other on to good works. There is interdependence among the body of Christ and a vital relationship with Christ the head of the Church. Ephesians 4:4-16; Romans 12:4 Universal Church Colossians 1:18; Local Church 1 Corinthians 12:27

A Holy Temple
A holy temple made up of living stones with Christ as the chief cornerstone built upon the foundation of the Apostles (New Testament) and prophets (Old Testament) - the Word of God. Ephesians 2:19-22; 1 Peter 2:4-5 In the Old Testament, the temple or the Tabernacle before it, was the place where God had chosen to dwell in the midst of His people. By the use of this figure emphasis is placed on the fact that Christians individually and corporately are indwelt by God the Holy Spirit. The Christian is called the temple of the Holy Spirit.1 Corinthians 3:16; 2 Corinthians 6:16 

This image emphasises three things. The Church is constructed by God, stress on the holiness of the Church and the Church constitutes a worshipping community.

The New (Heavenly) Jerusalem
This is the bride of the lamb. Revelation 21:2-3 In 21:9 and 10 it is clearly stated to be the bride as well. Revelation 3:12 So the promise to him that overcomes gives the assurance of being a living member of the triumphant Church of God which is the bride of Christ. Hebrews 12:22-23

In the New Testament the Church is spoken of spiritually as Jerusalem. In the Old Testament Mt. Zion was the place where Israel's worship was centred and Jerusalem in a special sense was regarded as the place of the Divine Presence. God now dwells in the Church. Psalm 87:4-6

The New Israel
Paul sees the Church as the New Israel raised up. Both Jew and Gentiles are the seed of Abraham. Galatians 3:29; 6:16; Ephesians 2:11-12, 19; Romans 9:6-7 Peter takes the phrases which were originally applicable to ancient Israel and applies them to the Christian Church.1 Peter 2:9 The 'New Israel' shows no racial barriers, but embraces all those who truly belong to Christ. 

Believing Jews and converted gentiles have taken up citizenship in Israel who were once foreigners to the covenants of the promise. The Church is seen as a city-state or commonwealth with citizenship given to aliens and foreigners. Matthew 21:43

A Holy (Royal) Priesthood
What does it mean to refer to the Church as a Holy Priesthood? Although all believers have direct access to God through Christ's High Priestly Ministry of Intercession I don't think that is what is meant here. Hebrews 4:14-16; 13:15,16; 1 Timothy 2:5; Romans 5:1-5; Revelation 1:6; 5:10; 20:6 The sacrifice that we as believers offer is the sacrifice of praise and worship.

Peter gives to the Church the honorary titles first given to Israel. The force of the language both in Exodus and the New Testament is probably Missionary and witnessed to the responsibility of their 'Priesthood' toward the world. Exodus 19:6; 1 Peter 2:5, 9 The whole Church has been brought to God through the High Priestly ministry of Christ and the 'Royal Priesthood' of the Church is the High Privilege of Mediating Christ to the world. 

The implication of this is that ministers are not priests. The Church is called Holy Priesthood to emphasis Missions and Evangelism.

The Bride of Christ
The heavenly Bridegroom comes to claim His Bride and to bid His people sit down with Him at the marriage feast. Ephesians 5:22-27; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Revelation 19:7 The marriage relationship is used in Scripture as an illustration of the relationship between God and His people Israel in the Old Testament. Isaiah 62:5 In Hosea we have God's tender care in restoring Israel likened to an adulterous wife returning to her husband. Hosea 2:6 -8, 14

The marriage relationship is used in Scripture not only to illustrate the relationship between God and His people Israel but also Christ and His Church. Ephesians 5:22-27, 2 Corinthians 11:2 Christ is often spoken of as the Bridegroom. Matthew 9:15; 25:1-12; Mark 2:19; Luke 5:34,35

This phrase teaches us two truths. First it show the affection of Christ. The sacrificial love of the Bridegroom Christ for the Bride, the Church. Secondly the loyalty of the Church. The Church must be faithful to Christ. The Church must not run after every ideolology which comes along. When we go after other philosophies, ideolologies, we are not only committing idolatry but also adultery. The Christian running after materialism and humanism is committing spiritual adultery.

The Flock of God
The shepherd and sheep relationship is used in the Old Testament to illustrate the relationship between God and His people Israel. 1 Peter 5:2,3; Jeremiah 23:2; Isaiah 40:11; Zechariah 10:3; Psalm 77:20

The shepherd and sheep relationship is used in the New Testament to illustrate the relationship between God and His people, the Church. In John 10 we have an extended description of the relationship between the shepherd and the sheep, representing the Church listening to the voice of God and Christ laying down his life for the Church. Acts 20:17, 28, 29; 1 Peter 2:25

This picture teaches the leading of Christ. Christ is the Good Shepherd who leads and rules His sheep through the appointed officers of the Church the overseers. It also shows that the Church must follow Christ listening to the voice of Christ and obeying his word.

An Army
The Church is also likened to an army in full armour. Ephesians 6:10 This speaks of the Church Militant. The Church acting as an army against a real enemy. A military battle fought against Satan. The Church fighting for her life. At peace with God but at war with Satan. It is the picture of Spiritual warfare. Christians ought to be spiritually militant.

Household of God
Christians have become members of God's family. There is not only a special relationship between the Father and members of the Family but also among themselves. Knowing the same Father. We recognise one another as brothers and Sisters. This should promote harmony, unity and a family community, not 'Family Feud'. Galatians 6:10; Ephesians 2:19; Matthew 12:49, 50

Pillar & Ground of the Truth
The Church is nothing less than the truth's pillar; and better still it is the truths very foundation. 1 Timothy 3:15 As the Pillar supports the roof and the foundation supports the superstructure of a building. The church supports the glorious truth of the gospel. The Church is the guardian of God's truth as well as its defender. You might call it a 'Citadel of Truth'. The Church is God's foundation and pillar for disseminating the truth. She teaches it, preaches it, defends it and lives it

Stranger in the World
The Church is composed of people who are in the world but not off the world. 1 Peter 1:1. The Church is a pilgrim in this world. Hebrews 11:13-16; 13:14 Their citizenship is in Heaven. Philippians 3:20-21 In heaven we shall rest from our wandering. The Church must not become so entangled in the affairs of this life as to delay their Zion-ward pilgrimage.

Vine and Branches
The main point of these verses from the context is that just as a vine-offshoot bears fruit only when it abides in the vine, so also believers will bear spiritual fruit only when they abide in Christ. John 15:1 The Church has a necessary vital relationship with Christ which sustains and supports them so they are able to bear fruit. The Church then must be productive if it is to be a Church joined to Christ.

Remnant Chosen of Graces
As there was a remnant in Elijah's day chosen by grace out of all Israel, so today there is a remnant chosen by grace. Romans 11:5 The idea of remnant salvation is found everywhere in the bible. There were those in the Nation of Israel who where not part of the remnant and the remnant were set apart only on the basis of the sovereign choice and grace of God not the determination of the will of man. There is a differentiation within Israel that is solely due to the grace of God. 

  Genesis 6:1-8 - Noah's day,
  Luke 17:26,27 - Lot's day 
  Genesis 19:29 - Elijah's day 
  Romans 11:5 - Isaiah's day 
  Isaiah 10:22 - Romans 9:27

And Paul tells us that he belonged to this remnant chosen by grace. Notice that Paul joins election and grace strengthening its power and sovereignty. In fact in the next verse Paul shows the antithesis of grace by placing it against human performance.

It needs to be also pointed out that Paul is referring here to the particular election of individuals in distinction from the theocratic election referred to in 'his people.' v.1 and his people which he foreknew in verse 2.

1. A differentiation in the whole passage between the whole nation and the seven thousand.
2. The election is said to be of grace leaving no doubt that it means salvation and is opposed to works.
3. Election is said to have obtained it v.7 and that can be nothing less than righteousness that leads to eternal life.
4. The seven thousand in verse 4 are said to have been kept for God and as not having bowed the knee to Baal. This speaks of a salvation relationship to God.

For these reasons it is impossible to think of the election as anything other than the election unto salvation which Paul speaks other places about.

The Church has been made a remnant by the grace of God. So what about apostasy in Israel? Does this negate God's grace. In other words can you lose your salvation. Paul answers no! Those who are really of God's grace are the remnant and will persevere but those who apostatise were never of the remnant.

Local & Universal
Universal
Now while these titles are not found specifically in the Bible they are biblical concepts. The Church universal refers to the Church in every generation and every Nation. It indicates the whole family of God. 'The universal Church consists of the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one, under Christ.' Baptist Confession of Faith, 1689, Chapter 26, Page 45. Hebrews 12:23; Ephesians 1:10, 22,23

The practical implication of this truth is that we should have a sense of community with those who have gone on before us. We are united in Christ to the communion of saints which includes Abraham, Moses, Peter, St. Augustine, Edwards, Wesley, Spurgeon and all the redeemed in all ages and from every nation.

Local
The Local Church is a congregation of baptised believers gathered together in one place, associated by a covenant of faith and fellowship of the gospel; and exercising the rights and privileges invested in them by His Word. God's people who meet in a particular place at a particular time constitutes the Local Church. 1 Corinthians 1:2

The glory of the universal Church is being applied to the visible Church in these passages and it cannot be denied that the visible or local Church is more than just a dying institution. It is a demonstration of the present visibility of God's glorious Church. And even all of the imperfections evident in every local Church doesn't change the fact that each Church is responsible to be a tangible manifestation of the perfect ideal.

Gathered & Dispersed
Gathered
Some Christians were in the habit of not meeting together. Hebrews 10:25 And it's interesting that this was long before television. They gathered to worship and fellowship to encourage one another. Acts 20:7 They gathered together on the first day of the week to hear the word and break bread.

Dispersed
The Church is to be dispersed to serve God and to let their light shine. Christ in the great commission sent out his disciples into the world and told them to disperse the gospel starting in Jerusalem and then going out from there to the furthest reaches of the then known world. 

An example of this was St. Columba (521-597 A.D.). He was an Irish Missionary who planted a monastery in Iona an Island off the western coast of Scotland. They would set sail for the mainland and then would regroup the following day in order to get reorganised.

Irenaeus - Gaul
St. Augustine - England
St. Boniface - Germany
St. Patrick - Ireland
Henry Martyn - Hindustan & Persia
Adoniram Judson - Burma
Hudson Taylor - China
David Brainard - American Indians
Elizabeth Elliot - Aucas South America

The Church is gathered for worship but dispersed for missions.

Organized & Organic
Organised
It has structure and organisation. There were Elders and Deacons. The Church met in specific places at specific times. Elders were to rule and teach and preach. 1 Timothy 5:17

The believers who prospered were to relieve the needs of the needy. Paul wrote his letters to the organised Church. Acts 15:2,3 You see the Churches were organised, there were plans for meeting together and teaching and running the Church. It didn't just happen it was organised. There is a very good reason for this and that is that the Holy Spirit is not disorganised. And these men were led by the Spirit of God. Now this needs to be properly understood because while the Church has organisation it is not an organisation. It is not an institution. It is organic.

Organic
Although the Church has organisation it is also a living body, it is an Organism. Organism is a term which indicates that the thing specified is permeated throughout all its parts with one common life. The life is the same in its roots and in all the structure. 

The body of Christ is a living, vital organism, and it cannot be reduced to a mere humanly organised society of men and women. Unlike human organisations, the body of Christ is operated from within and not from without. The centralised authority is not found in a City but rather found in the head of the Church even Jesus Christ. 

When it comes to Organised and organic the Church is not either/or but rather both/and. There is order and spontaneity and fire. It is order and ardour.

Visible & Invisible
Visible
This is the Church as the world sees it. As it meets at 11:00 am and 7:00 pm. The places where believers meet which are recognisable as a building and a membership. However this is a mixed multitude. The visible Church contains those who are born again, inquiring, deceived, backslidden, those not penitent at all. A mixed and fallible group of people.

'All persons throughout the world, professing the faith of the gospel, and obedience unto God by Christ according unto it, not destroying their own profession by any errors everting the foundation, or unholiness of conversation, are and may be called visible saints, and of such ought all particular congregations to be constituted. The purest Churches under heaven are subject to mixture and error; and some have so degenerated as to become no Churches of Christ, but synagogues of Satan; nevertheless Christ always hath had, and ever shall have a kingdom in this world, to the end thereof, of such as believe in him, and make profession of his name.' Baptist Confession of Faith, 1689, Chapter 26:2, Page 45.

It is important for us to point out at this point that membership in the visible local Church does not assure membership in Christ's body. God alone knows who are absolutely his. Man cannot know, but some of the body of Jesus Christ are already in glory and some are on earth. There is no way a person can know and be assured that every member of a local Church is a child of God. An unsaved member in a local Church indicates that there is a Church within a Church. The Lord Jesus called twelve men to establish the local Church. One out of the twelve was not a Christian, so there was a Church within a Church.

Invisible
This represents the Church as it is visible to God. Those who have not only joined the membership of the Church but also those who Christ knows as His own. Made up of those elect of God not those who have elected to join the Church. Again salvation is not merited but the undeserved mercy of God. 

The Lord Jesus Christ Himself exemplifies the invisible and visible aspects of the Church. He is one Person with two natures. His invisible nature cannot be merged into His visible nature or conversely. The same is true of the one Church. The Lord Jesus was visibly manifested, but He was not absolutely visible. Christians are visibly manifested, but they are not absolutely visible. The Church's visibility is only a sign directing us to its invisible aspect. The same is true with the individual Christian. His eternal life points to his internal life.

Again the Church is not either/or but rather both/and visible and invisible. Neither aspect of the Church should be emphasised over the other. Over statement of the visible aspect lead to institutional salvation, (Saved as a member of the Church) and over statement of the invisible leads to excessive individualism. (Don't need the Church). Those who stress the invisible above the visible aspect neglect their responsibility to the local Church. Those obsessed with the visible, institutional aspect of the Church are blinded to its Biblical meaning of union with Jesus Christ.

Militant & Triumphant
Militant
The Church acting as an army against a real enemy. A military battle fought against Satan. We are not to be ignorant of his manoeuvre, temptations or tactics.

Church History is a description of that militant battle of the Church fighting for her life. At peace with God but on the war path against the Devil. 1 Peter 5:8,9 We must never reason, compromise, surrender or align ourselves with Him. The operative word here is resist. 2 Timothy 2:2-3; 4:6-8; 2 Corinthians 10:3; Ephesians 6:10-20 As believers we are to wage war against Satan and his armies. 

Triumphant
The Church victorious. The Church will win because Christ has won. Romans 16:17-20; Matthew 16:18 The Church is not defensive bout offensive. The Church is moving out conquering and not even hell will stop the Church from growing and conquering. John 16:33

The True Preaching of the Word
Worship is to be a dialogue between God and His people - God speaks through his word and His people respond in prayer and hymn. Calvin's point is that if God speaks through the preaching of His Word and no one is listening and responding, then no church exists. But where the Word is faithfully preached and received, there the mark of the true church can be seen. If preaching is faithful, the life of the Church cannot be faithful. It is an essential mark of the true Church. 1 Timothy 4:13; 2 Timothy 4:2

The Right use of the Ordinances
There are only two ordinances instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ to be continued in his Church to the end of the world. Baptism and the Lord's Supper. 

Baptism
Baptism shows that we are saved only by the washing away of sin in Jesus. Matthew 28:19-20; Romans 6:3-5; Colossians 2:12; Galatians 3:27; Ephesians 1:7 Salvation or Grace is not automatically granted to those who are baptised. The Scriptures do not teach baptismal or sacramental regeneration.

Lord's Supper
The Lord's Supper shows that Christians live only through the body and blood of Christ offered as a sacrifice on the cross. Acts 2:42; 20:7; Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:17-22; 33-34

These sacraments or ordinances are an observable mark of the true Church. The true Church will correctly administer these two ordinances. Those who do not practice these two ordinances can not be technically considered a Church.

The Faithful Exercise of Spiritual Discipline
The third mark of the true church is discipline. A biblical standard of purity must be maintained both the purity in doctrine and in life. The issue is if flagrant heresy or notorious unchristian behaviour is tolerated in the church, how can that church be genuinely receiving the Word of God? 

When there is an open and blatant sin such as 1 Corinthians 5 then Church discipline must be exercised. Paul expected it. 1 Corinthians 5:1-3, 13
 

Purpose of Church Discipline
There are three objectives for biblical Church Discipline

The recovery of the Offender
Whatever the form of Church discipline, gentle, correction, admonition, rebuke or excommunication, it is always for the restoration and recovery of the offender. 
The Congregations Health

By insulating the carrier, the sin does not infect the other members of the Church. It deters others from sin. An example of this can be found in 1 Timothy 5:20. Church discipline is necessary to maintain the purity of the Church and her worship. Discipline is designed to preserve harmony, unity and obedience. Where discipline is missing, the Church is not recognisable as a holy community.

To Uphold the Honor of God
God is not only love but also truth and Holiness. It vindicates the integrity and honor of Christ. The church which refuses to exercise discipline can neither command the world's respect nor the confidence of its own members. Galatians 6:1-2; 2 Timothy 2:22-25; Matthew 18:15-20; Revelation 2:14-25

Excommunication means that they could not come near to worship in the Temple area.

Each of the three marks is an expression of the one great mark, the Word. Each mark expresses an aspect of the Word's life and power in the Church. The true church submits to the Word of God. As the church father Tertullian said, 'They are true churches which hold to what they received from the apostles.' The marks of the true church have never been more needed or useful in distinguishing the true from the false. The Reformation insight into the Word as the great mark of the church must still guide and direct us to the true Churches of Christ.

Copyright © 1995 David Graves & Jane Graves, Electronic Christian Media