Article #8 of 16/11/22

When we hear the word "Church", quite often we think of the building in which Christians meet. Hence this question:

What “forms of church” do we find in the New Testament?

Let us define the Church from the Greek term Ekklesia. This appears more than 110 times in the New Testament.

The word Ekklesia is made up of the prefix EK, which can be translated "out of" and the conjugated form KLESIA, that is to say "was called" (passive form of the verb Kaleo: I call, I invite). We therefore propose this translation: “who was called out of”.

This word was first used, in Greece, with a political, civic, citizen meaning. Gathering the Ekklesia, consisted in: “regularly calling an assembly of all the citizens of Athens or of another city, to discuss the affairs of the city”.

We have an example of this in Ephesus, in Acts 19.39 : “And if you have any other complaints, it will be settled in the legal assembly (here Ekklesia)”.

In our Bibles, the word has taken on a religious meaning, because it is God who will henceforth summon his people.

At this point, we offer a first definition of the Ekklesia: “The Church is an assembly, called by God out of the world”. This "outside the world" is inspired by John 15.19 "...you are not of the world, I have chosen you in the midst of the world...". And at the same time Jesus said to the Heavenly Father: "I do not ask you to take them out of the world but to keep them from evil" John 17.15. It is therefore for believers to live, in the middle of the world, but in a different way.

Let us now look at the three forms of the Ekklesia in the New Testament :

First form : the universal Church Matthew 16.18 (read the context from verse 13)

Since Matthew 16, we speak of the Ekklesia, as the Church of Jesus Christ, universal:

- It belongs to Jesus Christ and not to men: “My Church” Matthew 16.18

- It is Jesus who builds it: “I will build…” (the Greek verb can be translated as to build, to edify or to construct). Since Pentecost (Acts 2), Jesus tells us: “I am building My Church”. And this until His Return in Glory.

It is interesting to note here that the command of Jesus, before His Ascension, is to make disciples of the nations “discipline the nations” Matthew 28.19, not to build His Church.

With what material is Jesus building His Church ?

According to 1 Peter 2.5: "...and yourselves, like living stones, being built up to form a spiritual house, a holy priesthood...", Jesus builds His Church with living stones: that is to say men , women and children. Jesus being, Himself, the Cornerstone, the Cornerstone of the whole edifice 1 Peter 2.6.

Do all the men, women and children of this world form the Church of Jesus Christ?

According to Matthew 16.16 and 17: only those who confess Jesus as the Son of the living God are living stones, because they have received a revelation from the Heavenly Father.

At this point, we offer a second definition of the Ekklesia: “The Church is the body of men, women and children who confess Jesus as Christ, the Son of the living God. They are the believers of all times and places, from Pentecost until the return of the Lord Jesus.”

There is therefore only one universal Ekklesia, the Church of Jesus Christ.

This Church will be reunited with all the believers of the first covenant, that is to say, all the descendants of Abraham by faith.

However, in Holy Scripture it is sometimes referred to as "the churches". What does this mean for us? This is what we will see tomorrow, with the second form of the Ekklesia, in the New Testament.

Let's claim out loud : “Thank you Lord Jesus; continue to build Your Church by making us living stones. We love you "

Maranatha !