The Church

Many people today think of the church as a church building or a place where Christians meet. This is not the biblical meaning of the word. The word for church comes from the Greek word “Ecclesia,” which means “an assembly” or “the called-out ones.” The original meaning of “church” does not refer to a building but to people—a group of people redeemed by God from the world through the blood of Jesus Christ and belonging to Him. We can also categorize the church into the visible church and the invisible church. The visible church is a group of believers who gather in a specific location to worship God. The invisible church is the collective body of all who have truly believed that Christ is their Savior throughout history, regardless of nationality, race, or denomination. In the Bible, the church is also likened to the bride and wife of Christ, called to be unwavering in her faithfulness to Jesus Christ. Her glory, without blemish or wrinkle, and her holiness and perfection are not the result of the church’s own efforts but entirely the work of Christ Himself.

The church is God’s household, the pillar and foundation of the truth (1 Timothy 3:15), and Christ’s representative on earth. The mission of the church is to continue Christ’s earthly mission—to carry out the will of the Father and do His work. Through the church’s teaching, discipleship, and evangelism, believers are justified by faith. They gather in His name to worship, pray, study the Bible, attend Sunday school, and unitedly learn to serve God and others. In this way, believers receive grace and salvation. Through baptism, they are brought into the body of Christ, reconciled with God and one another, love one another, and worship and serve God in unity. The Bible also encourages believers to meet together regularly to support each other and strengthen their faith. Hebrews 10:25 says, “not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

In Ephesians 5:23, Paul says, “…Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.” He is also the head of the whole body, the church (Colossians 1:18). The Bible never states that anyone else besides Christ is the head of the church. The Bible points out that Jesus Christ is the head of the church, and the church is the body of Christ. Only true Christians can receive the life of Christ, “connected to the head, Christ,” and become a member of His body. Therefore, a person who has not been truly born again and saved, even if they have received formal baptism or communion, is not connected to the head, Christ, and remains an outsider with no relationship to Him (Ephesians 2:12). These nominal Christians may worship and gather with true Christians, but the Bible considers them “sinners in the congregation of the righteous” (Psalm 1:5). Though they cry out, “Lord, Lord,” they are, in fact, people Jesus “never knew” (Matthew 7:21-23).

In short, the church is built on the foundation of the Lord Jesus Christ’s victory over death and His resurrection. Through the Holy Spirit, it is united with God in Christ, bearing witness to God’s eternal kingdom of life. It upholds His will and divine laws and performs His loving and powerful miracles.

The Bible records:

[Ephesians 1:23] Which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

[Ephesians 5:25-27] Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.