Featured Independent baptists and the doctrine of a universal body of Christ

Wow, that is amazing. "You must have had your hands full" just doesn't seem to cover it, lol.


God bless.

 

Yes, we had a farm in Maine - 88 acres. Farm animals, milk cow, ducks, chickens, hogs, etc...
Two gardens.

We delegated all the work to the kids. They complained about all the work they had to do.

But when they get together now - you guessed it - they LOVE to reminisce - for hours!


HankD

 

Sounds as though you have been greatly blessed, my friend.


Psalm 127:4-5
King James Version (KJV)

4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.

5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.


God bless.

 

Indeed.

HankD

 

This just isn't so. John Wyclif certainly taught it 150 years before Luther (quotations available on request), and I think you'll find that he wasn't the first.
The teaching of a Universal church composed of the elect of all ages (I am always a bit unhappy with the term 'invisible') counters the Church of Rome's idea that it is the only Church.

 

I am speaking to the Christians who have a known sin problem in some area, and refuse to even admit they have one, nor seeking to get victory over it!

 

I knew that Yeshua, It was a little fuzzy though

HankD

 

Some say that most of my theology is a bit fuzzy!

 

Its not so much your theology Y but the vocabulary, grammar and syntax you use by which to express it that turns out to be a little fuzzy

HankD

 

Must be a hangover from ny AOG days, expected others here to have gift to interpret my writing tongue!

 

Paul does not here say that we are all members of Christ’s body. He’s speaking of the Corinthian church. He’s giving an analogy of them as a body to illustrate how different members have different roles. Notice he says “ye are the body of Christ,” I.e. he excludes himself. Also note that a body is a local thing.

 

The position stated
There seems to be some confusion about what exactly the local-only position is. It is not that there is no invisible group to which all Christians belong (the Family or Kingdom of God). It is this: that when the Bible uses the term “church,” it is only ever referring to the local assembly. It is also probable, based on this, that the terms “body of Christ,” “temple of God,” “flock,” etc., also only ever refer to the local assembly.

The position defended
The Greek word ekklesia, translated “church,” only means “assembly.” Something is not an assembly if it doesn’t assemble. A universal group does not assemble, and thus cannot be referenced by the word “ekklesia.”

We are to interpret the Bible by the meaning of the words found within. I found not, trying to interpret the Bible is pointless. A word cannot be taken to have a meaning completely contrary to its actual meaning unless it is shown to have been clearly redefined (e.g. “my kingdom is not of this world,”).

See:
The Reformed Reader - Ecclesia, The Church - B. H. Carroll
WHAT IS TRUTH: Ekklesia
WHAT IS TRUTH: "Body of Christ" Defined

 

It would be an assembly, an ekklesia.

But it would not be a church of Christ. The NT thrice uses the word ekklesia to signify an assembled group that isn’t a church (in these cases, it is translated “assembly”). The word is translated church when the context indicates that a church of Christ (a gospel church, church of God, “My church,”) is being spoken of.