condensed theology, lecture 41, ecclesiology 02, forms

8/6/2019 Condensed Theology, Lecture 41, Ecclesiology 02, Forms

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Condensed Theology

A Primer in Systematic Theology



Ecclesiology:The Doctrine of the Church

What does the Bible teach aboutthe church?



Review

A Beginning Definition



Review: Defining the Church

The church is the assembly of thetrue and living God gathered intoone people by his work of

redemption in Jesus Christ.



Review

The Attributes of the Church



Review: Attributes of the Church

1. One

2. Holy

3. Catholic

4. Apostolic



Forms of the Church



Forms of the Church

1. Visible and invisible

2. Local and universal



Forms of the Church

Visible and Invisible



The Visible and Invisible Church

The visible church is the church as we see

it—we see people who profess theChristian faith and partake of thesacraments.

The invisible church is “the church as Godsees it” (Grudem 855)—the Lord knows

who are his (those who possess the faithand do not merely profess the faith).



The Visible and Invisible Church

You can be part of the visible church

without being part of the invisible church…

But you cannot be part of the invisible

church without being part of the visiblechurch; that is, if you are a genuineChristian, you will not long persist to be so

in secret—you will confess your faithbefore men.



The Visible and Invisible Church John 19:38-40: After these things Joseph of Arimathea,

being a disciple of Jesus, but a secret one for fear of theJews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body ofJesus; and Pilate granted permission. So he came andtook away His body. Nicodemus, who had first come toHim by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh andaloes, about a hundred pounds weight. So they took thebody of Jesus and bound it in linen wrappings with thespices, as is the burial custom of the Jews.

Matt 10:32-33: Therefore everyone who confesses Mebefore men, I will also confess him before My Fatherwho is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, Iwill also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.



The Visible Church



The Visible Church The visible church: those who profess the

Christian faith and partake of thesacraments.

The reason why more than profession is

necessary to be considered part of thevisible church is that baptism (initiation)and the Lord’s Supper (continuation)

visibly identify Christians as belonging tothe church.



The Visible Church

The visible church: those who profess the

Christian faith and partake of thesacraments.

In order for letters to be written tochurches (e.g. 1 Cor 1:2; 1 Thess 1:1), thechurch must be visible.



The Visible Church Because the visible church is made up of those

who profess the faith and partake of thesacraments, The visible church contains a mixture of true and

false believers.

1 Tim 1:19: …keeping faith and a good conscience,which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck inregard to their faith. Among these are Hymenaeusand Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan,so that they will be taught not to blaspheme.

2 Tim 4:10: …for Demas, having loved this presentworld, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica.



The Visible Church Because the visible church is made up of

those who profess the faith and partake ofthe sacraments,

The visible church contains a mixture of

true and false believers. Acts 20:29-30: I know that after my departure

savage wolves will come in among you, not

sparing the flock; and from among your ownselves men will arise, speaking perversethings, to draw away the disciples after them.



The Invisible Church



The Invisible Church The invisible church is the church as God

sees it—the true assembly of God. This was a particularly important doctrine

for the Reformers in that the RomanCatholic church declared that the churchwas only visible—only the visible

organization of the church of Rome inunbroken succession from the apostles.



The Invisible Church The invisible church is the church as God

sees it—the true assembly of God. 2 Tim 2:19: Nevertheless, the firm foundation

of God stands, having this seal, “The Lord

knows those who are His.”

Heb 12:23: …to the general assembly andchurch of the firstborn who are enrolled in

heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and tothe spirits of the righteous made perfect.



The Invisible Church The invisible church is the church as God sees it—the true

assembly of God.

Matt 7:21-23: Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord,” willenter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of MyFather who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on

that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, andin Your name cast out demons, and in Your name performmany miracles?” And then I will declare to them, “I neverknew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICELAWLESSNESS.”

John 10:27: My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, andthey follow Me.



Forms of the Church

Local and Universal



The Local and Universal Church The visible church has two expressions:

Universal

Local



The Local and Universal Church The term translated “church” (evkklhsi,a,

ekkl ēsía) is used both of local assembliesof professing Christians who partake of thesacraments and of…

That full number of professing Christianswho partake of the sacraments throughout

the whole world.



The Universal Church



The Universal Church Eph 5:25: Husbands, love your wives, just as

Christ also loved the church and gave Himselfup for her.

1 Cor 12:13: For by one Spirit we were allbaptized into one body, whether Jews orGreeks, whether slaves or free, and we were allmade to drink of one Spirit.

1 Cor 12:28: And God has appointed in the

church, first apostles, second prophets, thirdteachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings,helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues.



The Universal Church Eph 1:22: And He put all things in

subjection under His feet, and gave Himas head over all things to the church.

Col 2:19: …and not holding fast to thehead, from whom the entire body, beingsupplied and held together by the joints

and ligaments, grows with a growth whichis from God.



The Local Church



The Local Church Rom 16:5: …also greet the church that is

in their house. Greet Epaenetus, mybeloved, who is the first convert to Christfrom Asia.

1 Cor 16:19: The churches of Asia greetyou. Aquila and Prisca greet you heartily in

the Lord, with the church that is in theirhouse.



The Local Church 1 Cor 1:2: To the church of God which is at

Corinth, to those who have been sanctified inChrist Jesus, saints by calling, with all who inevery place call on the name of our Lord Jesus

Christ, their Lord and ours. Acts 9:31: So the church throughout all Judea

and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being

built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord andin the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued toincrease.



The Local Church Other local churches included the following: Jerusalem (Acts 8:1; 11:22; 15:4, 22) Antioch (Acts 11:26; 13:1; 14:21-23)

Lystra (Acts 14:21-23) Iconium (Acts 14:21-23) Caesarea (Acts 18:22) Ephesus (Acts 20:17; Revelation 2:1) Rome (Romans 1:7; 16:5) Ancyra (Galatians 1:2) Pisidia (Galatians 1:2) Isauria (Galatians 1:2) Phrygia (Galatians 1:2) Lycaonia (Galatians 1:2) Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:1) Smyrna (Revelation 2:8) Pergamum (Revelation 2:12) Thyatira (Revelation 2:18) Sardis (Revelation 3:1) Philadelphia (Revelation 3:7) Laodicea (Revelation 3:14) Macedonia (2 Corinthians 8:1)



Local and Visible



The Local and Visible Church The local church and the universal church are

subcategories of the visible church, which maybe visualized the following way:





Visible Church:Professing Christians whopartake of the sacraments.





Visible Church:Professing Christians whopartake of the sacraments.

Local Church:Organized assemblies under

the authority of church leadership.





Visible Church:

Professing Christians whopartake of the sacraments.

Local Church:Organized assemblies under

the authority of church leadership.

Universal Church:The full number of

members of local churches.



The Local and Visible Church As a result of this scheme, it is not correct

to say that you are part of the universalchurch without also being part of the localchurch; for…

The universal church is made up of localchurches.



The Universal and Local Church

The Universal

Church




The Universal

Church

Local Church 1:Corinth




The Universal

Church


Local Church 2:Rome



The Universal and Local ChurchThe Universal

Church


Local Church 2:Rome

The Church inChloe’s House




Church


Local Church 2:Rome


The Church in Priscaand Aquila’s House




Church


Local Church 2:Rome

Local Church 3:The Twin Cities


The Church in Priscaand Aquila’s House




Church


Local Church 2:Rome



Redeemer BibleThe Church in Priscaand Aquila’s House




Church


Local Church 2:Rome



Redeemer Bible Bethlehem BaptistThe Church in Priscaand Aquila’s House



Objections to the LocalChurch



Objections to the Local Church This also explains why the following

statement is not biblical: “Since I am a true and professing Christian

(part of the invisible and the visible

church), I do not need to be part of a localchurch—I can do it on my own.”



Objections to the Local Church “But why does it have to be organized

under leadership? In Matt 18:20 Jesussays, ‘For where two or three havegathered together in My name, I am there

in their midst.’” This is not the meaning of Matt 18:20.

As always, the context is determinative…



Objections to the Local Church Matt 18:15-20: If your brother sins, go and show him his

fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your

brother. But if he does not listen to you, take one or twomore with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO ORTHREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BECONFIRMED. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to thechurch; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let

him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly I sayto you, whatever you bind on earth shall have beenbound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shallhave been loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, that iftwo of you agree on earth about anything that they mayask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is inheaven. For where two or three have gathered togetherin My name, I am there in their midst.



Objections to the Local Church The work of establishing a church in a given locale was not

considered complete until local leadership was established

under which the Christians could function in body life.

Titus 1:5: For this reason I left you in Crete, that you wouldset in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as Idirected you,

Acts 14:23: When they had appointed elders for them inevery church, having prayed with fasting, they commendedthem to the Lord in whom they had believed.

Acts 14:23 is particularly instructive in that the churches(assemblies of Christians) existed before elders wereappointed, they were not established until they wereappointed.



Objections to the Local Church Other biblical problems with refusing to belong

to a local church include: We are commanded to imitate and to obey our church

leaders. Heb 13:7: Remember those who led you, who spoke

the word of God to you; and considering the result of

their conduct, imitate their faith. Heb 13:17: Obey your leaders and submit to them,

for they keep watch over your souls as those who willgive an account. Let them do this with joy and not

with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you. This implies at least (1) that you have leaders and (2)

that you know who they are (they are your leaders).



Objections to the Local Church Other biblical problems with refusing to

belong to a local church include: The New Testament assumes participation in

local churches, as its letters were written

either to local churches or to leaders of localchurches.

See for example (1 Cor 1:2; 2 Cor 1:1; 1

Thess 1:1; 2 Thess 1:1; Phil 1:1).



Objections to the Local Church Other biblical problems with refusing to

belong to a local church include: The Pastoral Epistles (1 & 2 Timothy and

Titus) in particular are meaningless apart fromthe local church.

1 Tim 3:15: …but in case I am delayed, Iwrite so that you will know how one ought toconduct himself in the household of God,

which is the church of the living God, the pillarand support of the truth.



Objections to the Local Church Other biblical problems with refusing to belong

to a local church include: When believers relocated, letters of commendation (=

reference letters) were sent to the new assembly withwhich they would be associating.

Rom 16:1-2: I commend to you our sister Phoebe,

who is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea;that you receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy ofthe saints, and that you help her in whatever mattershe may have need of you; for she herself has alsobeen a helper of many, and of myself as well.

2 Cor 3:1: Are we beginning to commend ourselvesagain? Or do we need, as some, letters ofcommendation to you or from you?



Conclusion

Forms of the Church



Conclusion: Church Forms Visible and invisible

Universal and local

condensed theology, lecture 41, ecclesiology 02, forms

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