The Church Jesus Is Now Building

[adisciplinedlearner]

The church Jesus is now building one lively stone at a time (Mat. 16:18; I Pet. 2:5) is His final or eschatological church. It is the church that will spend eternity with Him. Membership in this church automatically makes one a member of this church in its local, visible expression or manifestation. (See the Day of Pentecost, for example.) Its members are added by God, not voted in by man.

The church Jesus is now building and will one day build to completion is a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and the New Covenant people of God (I Pet. 2:9-10). It is the church of the firstborn ones, whose names are written in Heaven (Heb. 12:23).

The church Jesus is now building is not an invisible church. It is visible to the Triune Godhead, to the angels, to Satan, to demons, and, most likely, to its members now in glory. It is not completely visible to its members on earth, but neither is it completely invisible to them.

 

[Dr. Walter]

The church Jesus is now building one lively stone at a time (Mat. 16:18; I Pet. 2:5) is His final or eschatological church. It is the church that will spend eternity with Him. Membership in this church automatically makes one a member of this church in its local, visible expression or manifestation. (See the Day of Pentecost, for example.) Its members are added by God, not voted in by man.

The church Jesus is now building and will one day build to completion is a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and the New Covenant people of God (I Pet. 2:9-10). It is the church of the firstborn ones, whose names are written in Heaven (Heb. 12:23).

The church Jesus is now building is not an invisible church. It is visible to the Triune Godhead, to the angels, to Satan, to demons, and, most likely, to its members now in glory. It is not completely visible to its members on earth, but neither is it completely invisible to them.[/

Certainly Christ is edifying or building up His institutional church which is found concretely in individual churches. However, they are built the way of the Great Commission (Mt. 28:19-20), gospel conversion brings them into the kingdom of God (Acts 2:41a), baptism is the prerequisite for church membership (Acts 2:41b) and once assembled ("added unto them" - Acts 2:41c) they are then taught to observe all things commanded (Acts 2:42).

His institutional church on earth is in concrete form as visible, local and geographical located congregations of baptized believers covenanted together to carry out the Great Commission as seen in Acts 2:41-42.

There is a yet future glorified congregation not yet assembled and not yet assembling and which will not assemble until after the resurrection and rewards are awarded (2 Cor. 11:2).

However, to confuse the church with salvation is heresy and that is your position. However, to confuse the ordinance with baptism with salvation is heresy and that is your position. However, to confuse "good works" or the fruits of regeneration as necessary for entrance into heaven is heresy and that is your position. Your kind of church does not exist in the Scriptures, it exists only in the minds of heretics.

QUOTE]

 

[adisciplinedlearner]

Christ's church is not an institution or organization like the many social clubs that are found among human beings. It is the New Covenant people of God. It is not a thing; it is Christ's disciples or Christians.

When Saul greatly persecuted the church, THEY were (not IT was) all scattered abroad (Acts 8:1). He made havoc of the church by forcing his way into the houses of Christian men and women, arresting them, and putting them in prison (Acts 8:3). He did not make havoc of the church by arresting IT and putting IT in prison.

Please notice that Christ's church is an unassembled entity in Acts 8:3, but it is still Christ's church.

 

[Dr. Walter]

Christ's church is not an institution or organization like the many social clubs that are found among human beings. It is the New Covenant people of God. It is not a thing; it is Christ's disciples or Christians.

When Saul greatly persecuted the church, THEY were (not IT was) all scattered abroad (Acts 8:1). He made havoc of the church by forcing his way into the houses of Christian men and women, arresting them, and putting them in prison (Acts 8:3). He did not make havoc of the church by arresting IT and putting IT in prison.

Please notice that Christ's church is an unassembled entity in Acts 8:3, but it is still Christ's church.

It is certainly is an institution with membership (Acts 1:15) and offices that need filling (Acts 1:15-22) and a tresurer and ordinances and disciplinary guidelines to remove and receive membership (I Cor. 5). You do not know what you are talking about.

 

[adisciplinedlearner]

There are no rules in the New Testament about adding members to or excluding members from the body of Christ.

 

[Dr. Walter]

There are no rules in the New Testament about adding members to or excluding members from the body of Christ.

2 Thes. 3:6¶ Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.
7 For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;

1 Cor. 5:11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.

 

[adisciplinedlearner]

These are not rules for adding members to or excluding members f5rom the body of Christ.

 

[Dr. Walter]

These are not rules for adding members to or excluding members f5rom the body of Christ.

There certainly are prerequisites/rules for adding members and that is they must profess gospel salvation and be baptized (Mt. 28:19; Acts 2:41).

There certainly are standards to remain members in a church and procedures set down to remove members that do not abide by those standards (Mt. 18:15-18; 2 Thes. 3:6; 1 Cor. 5:6-3). Those standards include both moral and doctrinal (2 Thes. 3:6).