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- The Bible’s usage of “ekklesia” continued:
- Local church assembled: I Corinthians 14:26,28
- Evaluate the following:
- “I was baptized in the church.”
- “I was baptized into the church.”
- “I was baptized into the Benchley church.”
- “He’s an elder of the church.”
- “Christ is Head of the church.”
- “Christ is the head of the church, and elders oversee the church.”
- “This church established 33 A.D. This building erected in 1994.”
- The church
- Its origin: Jerusalem, 33 A.D.
- Its organization: Elders, deacons, saints, …
- The Bible uses “church” as a collective noun.
- A collective noun names (collects) a group that is composed of individual members. Examples: A team of players; a pack of wolves; an army of soldiers; a pride of lions; a colony of bats; a family composed of members.
- Just look at how the word “church” is used. Notice that the Holy Spirit uses the word to refer to a unit of people (either universal or local) who are saved.
- Acts 8:1,3
- Acts 11:26
- Acts 14:26-28
- I Corinthians 1:2
- I Corinthians 12:27-28
- Philippians 1:1 (“church” in Philippians 4:15)
- Hebrews 12:23
- Acts 2:41,27 (KJV/NKJV say “church” in Acts 2:47; Acts 5:11)
- Which is more accurate?
- The church saves.
- The church is the saved.