Featured Church distinctions

I never cease to be amazed at how a thread can devolve so quickly.

The invisible church (really the universal or catholic church) is an essential recognition that there is one body of Christ. Those that are pompously thumping their chests and bellowing, "Show me where that is in the bible!" need to understand that theological terms often describe what the Bible teaches in a manner in which all can understand. Words like transcendent, ineffable, and immanence each describe some aspect of God's being. The hypostatic union describes God taking on flesh. Perichoresis describes the intimate relationship, and corresponding roles; of Father, Son, and Spirit. All of these words and terms reflect biblical truth.

There are references to the universal (or catholic) nature of the Church in Acts 2:39; Hebrews 12:23; Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 1:10, 22-23; 5:23, 27, 32. Because people hardly ever take the time to look up references for themselves (instead they ignore them and make believe the poster never provided biblical support for their argument), I will provide the full scripture references below:

Acts 2:39 "The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

Hebrews 12:23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,

Colossians 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.

Ephesians 1:10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth.

Ephesians 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.

Ephesians 5:23 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.

Ephesians 5:27-32 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. So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of His body. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.

There is a difference between substance and administration. The Church is the body of Christ. That is the substance of the Church. The Church is universal in nature because it includes all believers through out all time. The administration of the Church is through local assemblies, with Christ still as the head.