Nature of the Church
AND THE MEANS OF GRACE
THE CHURCH
NATURE OF THE CHURCH
A. Different Uses of the Word "Church" in Scripture. The principal designation of the Church in the Old Testament is derived from a root which means "to call." It was applied especially to the assembly of Israel as it met for worship. The most common word for "church" in the New Testament, which is also the most important, comes from a verb meaning, "to call out." Both words contemplate the Church as an assembly called by God. In the New Testament the word "church" is first used by Jesus. He applied it to the company that gathered round about Him, recognized Him publicly as their Lord, and accepted the principles of the kingdom of heaven. Later on the word acquired several different connotations.
1. Most frequently it denotes a circle of believers in some definite locality, a local church, irrespective of the question, whether it is assembled for worship or not. Some passages regard it as assembled,
Acts 5:11; 11:26; 1 Cor. 11:18; 14:19, 28, 35, and others do not, Rom.
16:4; 1 Cor. 16:1; Gal. 1:2; 1 Thess. 2:14, etc.
2. In some passages it denotes a domestic church, or "the church in the house" of some individual. The wealthy, it would seem, often provided a meeting-place in their homes, Rom. 16:5, 23 1 Cor. 16:19;
Col. 4:15; Philemon 2.
3. In its most comprehensive sense the word serves as a designation of the whole body of believers, whether in heaven or on earth, who
have been or shall be spiritually united to Christ as their Saviour, Eph. 1:22; 3:10, 21; 5:23, 24, 25, 27, 29, 32; Col. 1:18, 24.
There are several figurative designations of the Church in Scripture.
It is called "the body of Christ," 1 Cor. 12:27; Eph. 1:23; Col. 1:18, "the temple of the Holy Spirit," 1 Cor. 3:16; 1 Pet. 2:5, "the Jerusalem that is above," Gal. 4:26, "the heavenly," Heb. 12:22, or "the new
Jerusalem," Rev. 21:2 (cf. verses 9 and 10), and "the pillar and ground of the truth," 1 Tim. 3:15. It should be noted that our word
"church" is derived from a word which means "belonging to the Lord," and thus stresses the fact that the Church is the property of God.
B. The Essence of the Church. There is quite a difference of opinion between Roman Catholics and Protestants as to the essential nature of the Church. The former find its essence in the Church as an external and visible organization. And this organization, strictly speaking, does not consist of the whole body of the faithful that constitute their Church, but of the hierarchy, consisting of the priests together with the higher orders of bishops, archbishops, cardinals, and the Pope. They distinguish this body as the "teaching church" from the common body of believers as the "learning" or "hearing church." This hierarchical body shares directly in the glorious attributes of the Church, such as its unity, holiness, catholicity, and apostolicity, while the general body of believers is adorned with these only indirectly. Theoretically Roman Catholics still hold to the principle that there is no salvation outside of their external organization, though the facts often constrain them to modify it in various ways. The Reformation reacted against this external conception of the Church and sought the essence of the Church in the invisible and spiritual communion of the saints. This Church includes the believers of all ages and no one else, and outside of it
there is no salvation. It is the spiritual body of Jesus Christ, destined to reflect the glory of God as this is manifested in the work of redemption.
C. The Many-sided Character of the Church. In speaking of the Church several distinctions come into consideration.
1. THE CHURCH MILITANT AND THE CHURCH TRIUMPHANT.
The Church as she now exists on earth is a militant Church, that is, she is called unto and is actually engaged in a holy war. She must carry on an incessant warfare against the hostile world in every form in which it reveals itself, and against the spiritual powers of darkness. The Church in heaven, on the other hand, is the triumphant Church, in which the sword is exchanged for the palm of victory, the battle-cries are turned into songs of triumph, and the cross is replaced by the crown.
2. THE VISIBLE AND THE INVISIBLE CHURCH. The one Church of Jesus Christ is on the one hand visible and on the other invisible.
This is a distinction applied to the Church as it exists on earth. She is called invisible, because she is essentially spiritual and cannot, as far as her essential nature is concerned, be discerned by the physical eye, and because it is impossible to determine precisely who do and who do not belong to her. This same Church, however, becomes visible in the profession and conduct of its members, in the ministry of the Word and the Sacraments, and in her external organization and government.
3. THE CHURCH AS AN ORGANISM AND THE CHURCH AS AN
INSTITUTION OR ORGANIZATION. This distinction applies only to the visible Church. The Church as an institution or organization becomes visible in the offices, in the administration of the Word and the sacraments, and in a certain form of Church government. But
even if these were absent, the Church would still be visible as an organism, as a communion of believers, in their communal life and profession, and in their joint opposition to the world.
D. Definition of the Church. In defining the Church it will be necessary to bear in mind the distinction between the visible and the invisible Church. (1) The former may be defined as the company of the elect who are called by the Spirit of God, or briefer still, as the communion of believers. (2) The latter is a broader concept, and may be defined as the community of those who profess the true religion together with their children. It is important to bear in mind that these two are not entirely parallel. Some who are members of the invisible Church may never become members of the visible organization or may be shut out from it; and some who belong to the visible Church may be unbelievers and hypocrites and as such form no part of the body of Christ.
E. The Church in the Different Dispensations. The Church existed from the moment that God set enmity between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent, but it did not always assume the same form.
1. IN THE PATRIARCHAL PERIOD. In the patriarchal period the Church was best represented in the pious households, where the fathers served as priests. There was at first no collective worship, though Gen. 4:26 seems to imply a public calling upon the name of the Lord. At the time of the flood the Church was saved in the family of Noah. And when true religion was again on the point of dying out
God separated unto Himself the family of Abraham. Up to the time of Moses the fear of God was kept alive in the families.
2. IN THE MOSAIC PERIOD. After the exodus the people of Israel were organized into a nation and also constituted the Church of God.
They were enriched with a ceremonial cultus in which the religion of the nation could find expression. The Church had no independent organization, but had its organized existence in the State. Israel was a Church-State. Foreigners could enter the Church only by joining the nation. Religious worship was regulated down to the minutest details, was largely ritual and ceremonial, and found its highest expression in the services at the central sanctuary at Jerusalem.
3. IN THE NEW TESTAMENT PERIOD. On the day of Pentecost the Church was divorced from the national life of Israel and obtained an independent organization. What had up to this time been a national
Church now assumed a universal character. And in order to realize the ideal of a world-wide extension, it had to become a missionary
Church, carrying the gospel of salvation to all the nations of the world. Moreover, the ritual worship of the past made place for a more spiritual worship in harmony with the greater privileges of the New Testament.
F. The Attributes of the Church. The attributes of the Church belong primarily to the invisible Church, though Roman Catholics ascribe them almost exclusively to the visible Church.
1. THE UNITY OF THE CHURCH. According to Roman Catholics the unity of the Church consists in its imposing world-wide organization, which aims at the inclusion of all nations. It centers especially in the hierarchy. Protestants maintain that the unity of the Church is primarily of a spiritual character. It is the unity of a body, the mystical body of Jesus Christ, of which all believers are members.
This unity expresses itself to a certain extent in Christian profession and conduct, in public worship, and in the external organization of the Church.
2. THE HOLINESS OF THE CHURCH. Roman Catholics also conceive of the holiness of the Church in an external fashion. Instead of the inner holiness of its members, it stresses the ceremonial holiness of its dogmas, its moral precepts, its worship, and its discipline. Protestants apply the idea of holiness to the members of the Church. They regard these as objectively holy in Christ, as subjectively holy in principle, since they are in possession of the new life, and as destined for perfect holiness. This holiness finds external expression in a life devoted to God.
3. THE CATHOLICITY OF THE CHURCH. The Church of Rome lays special claim to the attitude of catholicity in view of the fact that she is spread over the whole earth, has existed from the beginning and continues to exist, while sects come and go, and has a greater number of members than all the sects taken together. Protestants stress the fact that the invisible Church is the real catholic Church, because it includes all believers of all ages, has its members among all the nations of the world, and exercises a controlling influence on the entire life of man.
Besides these three attributes the Church of Rome also claims the attitude of apostolicity, since she traces her origen back to the apostles, bases her doctrine on an apostolic tradition, and has in her bishops and the Pope the lawful successors of the apostles.
G. The Notes or Characteristic Marks of the Church. The marks of the Church belong to the visible Church and serve to distinguish the true from the false. Reformed Churches usually mention three marks, but the three can be reduced to one, namely, faithful adherence in teaching and practice to the standard of God's Word.
The three notes of the Church are the following:
1. THE TRUE PREACHING OF THE WORD OF GOD. This is the most important mark of the Church, John 8:31, 32, 47; 14:23; 1 John
4:1–3; 2 John 9. This does not mean that a Church's preaching of the Word must be perfect and absolutely pure, if it is to be recognized as a true Church. Such an ideal is not attainable on earth. It does mean, however, that its preaching must be true to the fundamentals and must have a controlling influence on faith and practice. Naturally, the Church that excels in its adherence to the Word of God is the best
Church.
2. THE RIGHT ADMINISTRATION OF THE SACRAMENTS. The
sacraments should never be divorced from the Word of God, as they are in the Church of Rome, since they are in fact but a visible preaching of the Word. They should be administered by lawful ministers of the Word, in accordance with the divine institution, and only to believers and their seed. Their administration stands out prominently as a mark of the early Church, Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:16;
Acts 2:42; 1 Cor. 11:23–30.
3. THE FAITHFUL EXERCISE OF DISCIPLINE. The faithful exercise of discipline is quite essential for maintaining purity of doctrine and safeguarding the holiness of the sacraments. Churches that are lax in discipline soon find the light of the truth eclipsed, and that which is holy abused. The Word of God insists on proper discipline in the Church of Christ, Matt. 18:18; 1 Cor. 5:1–5, 13;
14:33, 40; Rev. 2:14, 15, 20.
Questions for Review:
What is the meaning of the Scripture words for "church"? What different meanings has the word in the New Testament? How is the Church described figuratively? How do Roman Catholics and Protestants differ as to the essence of the Church? What is the