462 – The Nature of the New Testament Church

SEMESTER 4

462 – The Nature of the New Testament Church

BIBLE INSTITUTE OF CORRESPONDENCE

COURSE: BIBLE SURVEY IV LESSON # 62
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THE NATURE OF THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH

Read I Cor. 12:1-21.

INTRODUCTION:

1. By nature, I mean what the New Testament Church is like.

i. Is it an universal, visible body as Catholicism teaches?
ii. Is it an universal, invisible body as per Protestantism?
iii. Is it a local body compiled of members of that body?
iv. Is it, as some say, a mixture of all of these?
v. Is there such a thing as “The Holy Catholic Church?”

2. I propose, in this lesson, to show that where the Bible usage is not of a particular congregation, it is always generic or institu­tional, and never universal.

I. THE ANALYTICAL MEANING OF THE WORD

1. All occurrences of the word church in Scripture, with the exception of Acts 19:37, come from the Greek word (ekklesia).
2. This word means a calling out, a popular meeting, or a called out assembly.
3. Even by definition, the nature of an assembly seems to both preclude universality, and invisibility.

II. THE BIBLICAL USAGES OF THE WORD CHURCH

1. There are 114 occurrences of the word in 111 New Testament verses.
2. One of these in Acts 19:37 comes from the Greek (hierosulos) meaning a temple despoiler, and is not a church reference.
3. Of the remaining 113 references, thirty-six are plural and thus, obviously local.
4. Of the remaining seventy-seven occurrences, sixty-one are clearly shown to be a particular local congregation:

i. By naming the location, as in I Pet. 5:13.
ii. By activity which manifests it, as in I Cor. 12:19 or 23.
iii. By situations which demand locality, as in III Jn. 1:6-9.

5. This leaves sixteen occurrences which could possibly have a different intent, or definition.
6. One of these is Acts 7:38, not a New Testament church at all, leaving fifteen.
7. If we have ninety-six occurrences that are clearly local, should we suppose any other meaning unless the Bible clearly sets that meaning before us?
8. Those fifteen are as follow: Mat. 16:18, I Cor. 10:32, I Cor. 12:28, Eph. 1:22, Eph. 3:10, Eph. 3:21, Eph. 5:23,24,25,27,29,32; Col. 1:18,24; Heb. 12:23.
9. Let us discover if any of these twelve references imply universali­ty or inviability, by asking:

i. Does Scripture or context clearly give it such a meaning?
ii. Does Scripture or context forbid a local or institutional definition?

I Conclude: that none does, and that we should see all Bible usages as either local or generic (institutional).