A new term for the core Christian believers who are moving the church forward into Kingdom living
This first mention of the word “church” is in Matthew 16:18, ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΝ 16:18SBL Greek New Testament
18 κἀγὼ δέ σοι λέγω ὅτι σὺ εἶ Πέτρος, καὶ ἐπὶ ταύτῃ τῇ πέτρᾳ οἰκοδομήσω μου τὴν ἐκκλησίαν, καὶ πύλαι ᾅδου οὐ κατισχύσουσιν αὐτῆς·
“On this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. ”
The rock referred to here is not poor Peter; it was upon what Peter said. Words are stones, and they can be rocks of building or rocks which curse and kill.
Peter’s confession, that Jesus is the Messiah, Son of the Living God, and of the nature and purpose of Christ is the foundation for all subsequent religious actions and beliefs.
The word ekklesia means literally, the “called-out ones.” Now all human beings have a call on their life (Jeremiah 29:11) but not everyone hears the call, or responds to it when they know it. That is why there are so many inert people in churches. But beside them are the ones who have heard and responded. They may or may not be in positions of authority. Suffice to say they have the authority from God to do what they are called out to do and they do it with or without the approbation of other believers.
People in the Kingdom respond to the King, as well as each other. Kingdom people have five leaders, Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor and Teacher, and many more of them scattered about. They do not focus on building programs and mortgages although they may have them and airplanes and yachts too. The physical is not the point, but the plan and will of God.
Jeremiah 29:11 I know the plans I have in mind for you, declares the Lord; they are plans for peace, not disaster, to give you a future filled with hope.
For further study: ἐκκλησία, ἐκκλεσιας, ἡ (from ἔκκλητος called out or forth, and this from ἐκκαλέω); properly, a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place; an assembly;
This URL shows a complete view of all 115 references, Old Testament and New, including those believers who have died and gone to heaven. https://biblehub.com/greek/1577.htm
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©CorneliaScottCree.com. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission, from this blog’s author and/or owner, is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to CorneliaScottCree.com. Thank you for cooperating in the effort to give glory to God.