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The New Testament Church - Nov 5
When Paul wrote to the church in Phillipi (4:5) he addressed "all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Phillipi, with the bishops and deacons" (1:1).
Saints are "set apart" people, who have come "out of darkness into His marvelous light" (1 Peter 2:9), who belong to the Lord (1 Cor 6:20). This is another way of saying that all christians are saints (in the New Testament sense) and beatification by some Roman council has nothing to do with it.
One does not become a saint by "joining" the church; but one becomes a part of the church by becoming a saint. The church does not save; it is the saved, only Jesus saves. So that when we read in Acts 2:47, "And the Lord added to the church ("to them" "together" ARV) daily (day by day) such as should be saved (those that are being saved)."
The word church is a collective word, such as "herd" "covey" "flock." Literally, it indicates a collection or assembly (called out people) and is translated "assembly" in Acts 19:32, 39 and 41, with no reference what-so-ever to God's people. In some places it refers to saints literally assembled (1Cor 11:18) but is perhaps more often used to "collect" figuratively those who have something in common.
All of God's children (first born ones, Heb 12:22-23) make up the church in its general or universal sense. They are "collected" in this designation because they have something in common, their relationship to God the Father, this consists of all the saved of all the ages. They do not need to know one another, and God authorizes no plan for collective acts. But as each seeks to serve God through Jesus Christ, he "glorifies God in the church" (Eph 1:6, 12; 2:6, 22; 3:21). It would be an error to try and bind these passages to the local organized church.
But there are requirements, and provisions in the New Testament, for saints to work collectively, to function as a unit. They were to assemble, (Heb 10:25) worship, (1 Cor 11:22) have overseers, (Acts 14:23) a treasury, (1 Cor 16:2) etc. It was to such a group as this that Paul addressed the Philippian letter, and he called them a "church" (Phil 4:15). This is the local church or congregation, large or small, and the only organization of christians given divine sanction in the New Testament.
These saints are "collected" by something more than a common relationship to God; they enter into a certain oneness by agreement (Acts 9:26-28; 3 John 10), discipline one another, (Matt 18:17, 1 Cor 5) send messangers, (Phil 2:25) and in many other ways work as one, collectively.
Many errors arise because we fail to recognize the New Testament definition of "church" (Ex, the importance of being a member) or various uses of the word (Ex, some try to make each obligation of the individual saint, an obligation of the local church).
Careful reading would keep us from making many mistakes and foolish notions. Besides that we might learn something.
Steve Corbett