article viii

Article VIII of the EFCA statement of faith states that we believe "that the true Church is composed of all such persons who through faith in Jesus Christ have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit and are united together in the Body of Christ of which He is the Head. Here is the first draft of my ordination/licensing paper about this point.

The word church has several meanings in the English language. On the other hand, in scripture there is only one meaning, that is ‘called out ones for the purpose of assembling.’ The use of this word sometimes is different in its scope, but not in its meaning. In the larger sense of the word, church refers to the body of believers in Jesus Christ, not subject to a particular location (Matt. 16:18, Acts 9:31, Col. 1:24). The Church consists of all those that are born again (Tit. 3:5), being redeemed of God (Acts 20:28), saved from His wrath by their savior Jesus (Eph. 5:23). The True Church is all believers, everywhere. This understanding has often been called the true Church, the universal Church, the catholic Church, or the worldwide Church.

In scripture, there are several metaphors used to describe The Church, however, two are primary. The first it is the Body of Christ and the second is the Bride of Christ. The Church, as The Body, belongs to the Head, which is Christ. He, Christ, being the Head, has authority and control over the Body, His Church and the Body has its whole being through the Head (Eph. 4:16, 5:23-24). This is also true for The Church as The Bride of Christ. As the husband is the head of the wife, so Christ is the Head of the Church. He loved the Church and gave Himself up for her on the cross. The Church then is subject to Him as a wife is to her husband (Eph. 5:22-32).

The True Church is one with each other and with Christ. He, as the Head, has called us out from the darkness to assemble together in His marvelous light (I Pet. 2:9). The unity of the Church is spiritual (I Pet. 2:5), yet real, and only because of Him. There is only one body, one Spirit and one Lord. He prayed for this (John 17:22) and presumably still does (Rom. 8:34).

The True Church is central to God’s plan. It is the tool by which God has chosen to make known His manifold wisdom to the rulers and authorities of the heavenly realms (Eph. 3:10). It is the pillar and support of truth (I Tim. 3:15). In Colossians one, Paul lists attributes of the supremacy of Jesus Christ. One item in this list is that Jesus is head of the body, the church (Col. 1:18). The Church is the means by which God wants missionaries commissioned (Acts 13:1-14:28), leaders trained (II Tim. 2:2, Tit. 2:1-5), believers encouraged (Heb. 10:25), and instructed in sound doctrine (I Tim. 4:13, Tit. 1:9).

The early church was devoted to the apostles teaching (i.e. the scriptures, both old and new) and to fellowship (the sharing of material things as well as spiritual encouragement), to the breaking of bread (the celebration of the Lord’s Supper) and to prayer (Acts 2:42). The Church is God’s temple (I Cor. 3:16), consisting of individual living stones being built up into a spiritual house (I Pet. 2:5). Jesus said that God’s house should be called a house of prayer (Mark 11:17). As the church is central to God’s plan, prayer, scripture, fellowship and communion must be central to the Church.