What is the Church

[Paul from Antioch]

I should have added that a Christian is someone who is eagerly awaiting the glorious Return of Christ at the end of time (1 Corinthians 1:7; Philippians 3:20-21; 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10; 2 Timothy 4:8; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 9:28; 2 Peter 3:12-13).

Fine, but what about "A Newly-Born-Again person who has never even head the Gospel before he/she received Christ as her/his personal savior & came from a background where things such as eschatology (or any other Bible doctrine was NEVER taught, much less practiced? This was my own testimony for almost 20 years. In fact, even the reason I wanted to attend one of the series of messages wherein I DID trust Jesus Christ as my Personal Savior was NOT (to me anyway) an inherently "Spiritual" reason. Thank God that the Holy Spirit used what usually is NOT an invitation verse for salvation ( 2 Corinthians 6:17 ). That was my situation in April of 1966. Did I eventually learn about the doctrine(s) of Jesus's coming again to the earth? Yes, but I still was a Christian in the interim....wasn't I? (Just asking, I'm not going into such concepts of God's Foreknowledge on this particular thread since I don't think that this is the thread wherein that particular subject should be introduced.) Thank you for your forthcoming comments on the subject of THIS thread!!

 

[Salty]

There is no need to specifically prohibit it, because a biblical church is a congregation, people, not a physical being. By demonstrating what a church is, the Bible prohibits us from calling something else a church. ...

1) where does the Bible prohibit us from calling a building a church.

2) where have I stated that the Bible says the building is a "church"

3) many words have multiple meanings - IMHO - many are trying to make a mountain out of a molehill

 

[rlvaughn]

1) where does the Bible prohibit us from calling a building a church.

By its teaching of what a church is. We need to be careful to distinguish between Biblical definitions and English definitions, which are not always the same. Our language and usage calls sprinkling baptism. Should we just accept that and move on as if it is?

2) where have I stated that the Bible says the building is a "church"

Brother, I do not recall saying that you did. If I did and you did not, then I will apologize.

3) many words have multiple meanings - IMHO - many are trying to make a mountain out of a molehill

Perhaps the limits of a forum like this makes it seem so when many are not. Here is an example on my part. What I am suggesting is that we who are students and teachers of the word should be careful that our words line up with the Word. We do not have to call sprinkling baptism or a building a church (yet it is so built into our language, this is no simple matter). However, making our words line up with the Word does not mean we have to go out and challenge common usage in all our everyday conversations. If a person asks me where my church is, I understand what that person means, and so I am just going to say something like "We meet at XXXX County Road XXXX" without giving a dissertation about the meaning of the word church. That is a wholly different context from a discussion here on the Baptist Board, a place where most people come for the purpose of discussing the Bible. The only reason I would answer a person differently about "where my church is," is if the context of the question was already set in something about the meaning of the word church (as opposed to them just calling our building a church and wanting to know where it is located).

 

[Salty]

Salty said: ↑
2) where have I stated that the Bible says the building is a "church"

By Brother, I do not recall saying that you did. If I did and you did not, then I will apologize. ).

RIV - my question was not directed at any one person (including you) so no need to apologize - though I do appreciate your concern.