The church is the community of people who acknowledge Christ as Lord and obey him (Ephesians 5:21–24). The New Testament word for "church" comes from the Greek word ekklēsia (meaning "a group of people who gather together"). In the Greek-speaking world, this word was used for different types of meetings. It could mean a formal political meeting or just an informal gathering of people (for example, Acts 19:32, 39, 41). In the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament), the term refers to when the community of Israel met (for example, Deuteronomy 31:30).
In the New Testament, ekklēsia refers to:
The entire body of Christ worldwide (for example, Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 1:22)
All Christians in a specific area (for example, Acts 9:31; 1 Corinthians 1:2)
A local community that meets regularly for worship, teaching, fellowship, and prayer (for example, Romans 16:5; see Acts 2:42)
The New Testament uses several concepts to describe the church:
The Israel of God (Galatians 6:16): Those who are "God’s own possession" (1 Peter 2:9–10). They serve as “a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God" (1 Peter 2:5, 9).
God’s family (Ephesians 2:19; 1 Timothy 3:15): This consists of those adopted as God’s spiritual children and named as his heirs.
A holy temple: The place God lives by his Spirit (Ephesians 2:21–22; 4:6; 1 Corinthians 3:16–17; 2 Corinthians 6:16; Colossians 1:27).
Body of Christ: They represent Christ fully in the world, with Christ as the leader (Ephesians 1:23; 4:15; 5:23–24; 1 Corinthians 12:12–27; Colossians 1:18, 24).
Christ's pure bride: The one he died for, cares for, and cherishes. She will live with him forever in unity. (Ephesians 5:25–29).
The church is part of God's plan to unite everything in heaven and on earth under Christ's authority (Ephesians 1:9–10). Through Jesus Christ, God has called people from both Judaism and the non-Jewish world (gentile) to become one new people of God (Galatians 6:16). They are empowered by his Spirit to be present in the world, worship him, and share the good news (gospel) of his unconditional love (Ephesians 2:11–22).
The spiritual roots of the church are in Judaism. The church fulfills God's intention for Israel to be "a light for the nations" and to "bring My salvation to the ends of the earth" (Isaiah 49:6; see also Romans 11:1–5). In this new community of Jewish and non-Jewish believers, Jesus breaks down all the old divisions between people. No one is considered better or worse than others because of their ethnic background, social position, or whether they are male or female (Galatians 3:28).
Those united with Christ are members of his body. Paul describes the close connection between Christ and his people as similar to the unity of a physical body (Romans 12:4–8; 1 Corinthians 12:12–27). Being "in Christ" means "baptized into one body" (1 Corinthians 12:12–13). As a result, "you are the body of Christ, and each of you is a member of it" (1 Corinthians 12:27).
Christians connect with God as part of a new family. Being "in Christ" means being part of the church. Being a Christian means joining a community committed to express Christ's reality in its shared life.
Since the church is one body, unity is necessary. Paul often encouraged Christians to stay united and not let differences separate them.
The church includes people from different ethnic groups, so it should be a community of harmony and peace. Christians should live together in love, united by their shared experience of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:2–6). God's goal for the church is to reach complete unity, faith, spiritual understanding, and Christian maturity. He intends for the full perfection of Christ (4:13, 15; compare Romans 8:29). The church must reflect God's likeness (Ephesians 4:24, 32; 5:1).
Just like each part of the human body has a role, each church member has a function. God has given people in the church various gifts to strengthen the community and help it reach its full potential (Ephesians 4:11–16; Romans 12:6–8; 1 Corinthians 12:7–11, 28).
God intends for the church to display his forgiving grace (Ephesians 2:7; 3:10). It should be a community where people can see God's glory, committed to praising that glory (3:21; 5:18–20).
Passages for Further Study
Romans 8:29; 12:6–8; 1 Corinthians 3:16–17; 6:16; 12:7–28; Galatians 6:16; Ephesians 1:9–10, 23; 2:7; 2:14–3:13; 4:2–6, 11–16; 5:18–20, 23–29; Colossians 1:18, 24, 27; 1 Timothy 3:15; 1 Peter 2:5, 9–10