The Church As The Body Of Christ
The Church Is Not A Building: It's A Living Organism. It is important to understand the differences between The Visible & The Invisible Church.
THE VISIBLE CHURCH |
THE INVISIBLE CHURCH |
|
APPEARANCE |
Visible Buildings & Members |
Invisible Body of Christ |
NATURE |
Moribund ORGANISATION |
Living ORGANISM |
STRUCTURE |
Organisation consisting of Head of organisation (eg Pope; Archbishop) + Members |
Body consisting of Parts; Head is Jesus Christ alone + Born again believers |
CONDITIONS OF ENTRY |
Rules & rituals for entry to membership eg baptism; confirmation; church membership |
Once-only, supernatural work of the Holy Spirit eg born again, baptised in water & Spirit |
MEMBERSHIP |
Anyone who fulfills entry conditions |
Born Again & Baptised by the Spirit Believers |
BASIS OF AUTHORITY |
The Bible + Church Traditions & Authority |
The Word of God / The Bible alone |
BASIS OF SALVATION |
Faith in Jesus Christ + Ordinances of the Church |
By the grace of God through Faith in Jesus Christ as Saviour & LORD |
ORDINANCES |
As ordained by the organisation eg Infant Baptism; Confirmation; Eucharist / Mass; Confession; Penance |
As ordained in Scripture ie Believer's Baptism; The Lord's Supper/ Holy Communion |
OBJECT(S) OF WORSHIP |
The Triune God + eg Virgin Mary + Saints |
The Triune God alone |
At conversion each new born again Christian is baptised by the Holy Spirit into the invisible, supernatural Body of Christ, as Paul says in ROMANS 12:5 and 1 CORINTHIANS 12:12-13; EPHESIANS 4:1-13.
1. The True Church of Jesus Christ is a spiritual organism, not an organisation consisting of born again believers, both living and dead. The Visible Church consists of members of a human organisation.
2. The Head of the True Church is The LORD Jesus Christ, not a Pope, Archbishop, Moderator or leader.
3. The only way to become a member of the True Church is to be born again supernaturally by the Spirit of God through faith in Jesus Christ as Saviour and LORD. The Visible Church consists of those fulfilling membership requirements.
4. The final authority in matters of faith and doctrine in the True Church of Christ is The Bible - which is the inerrant and infallible Written Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit.
5. The only object of worship in the True Church of Jesus Christ is The Triune God - Father, Son & Holy Spirit. All other persons and objects of worship the Bible calls idolatry.
6. The two ordinances ordained by Jesus Christ himself and described in Scripture are Believer's Baptism and The Lord;s Supper, or Holy Communion. All other ordinances have been ordained by the church as an organisation.