FBCD_FaithEssentials_June_FlipBook

Faith Essentials

their loyalty to Mosaic Law and continued involvement at the temple or synagogue. Over time, often because of persecution, these Jewish Christian leaders understood that, because God so loved the world, they must take seriously Jesus’ command to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19).

THE CHURCH

That small but determined band of believers obeyed the Lord’s command, spreading the Gospel beyond their borders. Let’s now examine the scope of the church, how the church and its churches have multiplied into hundreds of millions of followers in the past 2,000 years. The church in general— Means all believers in every age. The term “is used in the generic sense to refer to the overall fellowship of the redeemed without respect to locality or time.” 1 It is what Jesus meant when He said, “Upon this rock I will build my church.” This makes no reference to a specific congregation or denomination. The most concentrated use of church in this manner appears in Paul’s letter to the believers in Ephesus. “And He (God) put all things in subjection under His (Christ’s) feet, and gave Him (Christ) as head over all things to the church, which is His (Christ’s) body, the fullness of Him (Christ) who fills in all” (Ephesians 1:22,23; see also 3:10, 21; 5:23-32). God has placed everything under the power and authority of Christ, who is the head of the church. It’s going to be a glorious celebration when believers of all ages will assemble in one place at the Lord’s return. The significance of the church in general will be revealed then. The local church—“ The local church is the visible operation of the church.” 2 This includes all congregations that have ever or ever will exist, including the one you may attend. Of the 115 times that ekklesia appears in the New Testament, 92 of them refer to the local

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