Local Church Belief

Sorry Preacher@Bethel - I think that the local church is God's primary agency, but also believe that there is a universal body of believers in the world today.

 

Interesting question, Preacher@Bethel.

My answer would be with a few verses taken taken from the Bible...

1 Corinthians 12:15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
1 Corinthians 12:16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
1 Corinthians 12:17 If the whole body [were] an eye, where [were] the hearing? If the whole [were] hearing, where [were] the smelling?
1 Corinthians 12:18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
1 Corinthians 12:19 And if they were all one member, where [were] the body?
1 Corinthians 12:20 But now [are they] many members, yet but one body.
1 Corinthians 12:21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
1 Corinthians 12:22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:

 

There is one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, one God & Father of us all. How does one separate a "local" body of believers from a universal body of believers? Help me out, here. Thanks.

 

I don't understand Preacher@Bethel--are you saying the universal body of believers isn't the church? I always thought that the Church-the Body of Christ-are the "called out" (ekklesia) composed of born again Jews and Gentiles--and the universal body of believers was composed of local assemblies of believers. The Church is also called the Bride of Christ.

 

I must say at this time how strange it is when the greats like Harold Sightler or Tom Malone or even John Rice speak of the church, they speak of it in a general universal sense and then explain it using local church lingo. I Corinthians 12 cited by "Standingfirm" is impossible aside from a local church application.

 

But, should we understand that he set some who were in the church when set, or that he set some beforehand that are now in the church?
The "first, second, third" thing doesn't seem to be a reference to chronology, but authority or importance, based on context, as well.

 

Mt. 16:18-19, "I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven."

Which church?


Eph. 1:22-23, "And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all."

Which church?

Eph. 3:20-21, "Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen."

Which church?

Eph. 5:22-27, "For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless."

Which church?

Eph. 5:32, "This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church."

Which church?

Col. 1:18, "He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything."

Which church?

 

Sounds like we are talking about two churches? The "universal body of believers/the sheep/the elect" and the Church (the ekklesia)or the ones Christ "called out and commissioned to carry out His work".

Like gb93433 is asking: Which church? This could be confusing. What is the function of the "universal body of believers" & what do they believe?

I'm confused.

 

I believe in using strictly Biblical terms in this matter. So, I believe in the local church, which may have unbelievers in it, and the "body of Christ," made up of all believers. However, the body of Christ technically does not become a "church" (called-out assembly) until it assembles in Heaven, as per Heb. 12:23. And that's my two yen!

 

My answer to the question, "Which church"? is: any of the Lord local churches or all of them put together. He speaks of them collectively. What I am trying to point out is that all of the Lord's local churches put together don't make up a universal body of believers because not everyone that is a believer is a church member. All of the local churches put together make up a universal body known as the "bride of Christ". Eph. 5:22-27, "For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, Notice how the word wife is used here. "the wife" I may have a wife and you may have a wife but my wife isn't your wife and your wife isn't my wife. They are seperate wives and yet my wife and your wife are spoken of in this verse as "the wife". Notice the words "the church" is used the same way. The Faith Baptist Church in Clarksville, TN and the Faith Baptist church in Paducah, KY are both local churches. They can both fit into the category of "the church" although they are both seperate local churches.

By His Grace,
Preacher @ Bethel </font>[/QUOTE]This is circular reasoning. Where in the Bible does it say a born again believer in the Lord Jesus Christ has to be a member of a local church to be a member of the Body of Christ, which is the Church?

 

The simple result is that the gov't shuts down a local church for some reasons such as debts or taxes or whatever. However the gov't CANNOT shut down an universal church because this universal church is a universal body of believers. An universal church re-opens its a local church. What do you think?

 

I would agree. Also, not all local church members are part of the universal church.

 

I believe in the primacy of the local church and that the majority of references to the church in Scripture are regarding the local church, but there is obviously a "universal church" as well.

 

Preach, I think you are straining at a gnat. I don't believe the issue you present is an issue at all. I think Linda approaches the topic more carefully. My two Euros.

 

I used to be local church only until I came across this verse and started asking questions about it.

1Co 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether [we be] Jews or Gentiles, whether [we be] bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

I was taught that the Church (body) Paul was writing to was only the local church at Corinth.
Until I saw that Paul included himself (For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body) Now how could Paul be a member of the local Corinthian Church, and a member at Antioch?

Act 13:1 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
Act 13:2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.

Paul had to be talking about the universal church in 1 Cor 12. That is the only way he could have used the word "we" and still be truthful.