DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH

ECLESIOLOGY

The meaning of the word “Church” in Greek is ekklesia. It is derived from the verb “ekkaleo.”
The compound ek means “out” and kaleo means “to call or summon.” The literal meaning is “to
call out.”

I. The Origin of the Church with Several Views:

a. It began with Adam in Genesis 3. Dr . Earl Radmacha quotes R. B. Kaiper who says:”
And if we assume as undoubtedly we may, that Adam and Eve believes the promise of
God the seed of the serpent would indeed bruise the serpent head… then it may be
asserted that they constituted the first Christian Church.”

b. It began with Abraham in Genesis 12, this is the position of most emanant tailogians. The
logic behind this view is the belief that as Israel once functioned as Gods church in the
Old Testament, so the Church now functions as God’s Israel in the New Testament.

c. It began with Christ. Here are four different time periods are advocated by those who
believe it began with the Savior:

1. St the call of the twelve apostle (Matthew 10)

2. With Peter confession in (Matthew 16)

Advocates of the position place the Church at this point the sinful reason that it is
first mentioned by Christ. (Matthew 16:18)

3. With the Last Supper in (Mathew 26). Those who defend this view point out that it was
as this time that Christ instituted the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper, indicating the
Church now existed.
4. On the first Easter Sunday night often Jesus resurrection in (John 20)

II. Nature of the Church

a. The Church considered from a negative viewpoint.

1. It is not a new name of Israel, covenant theologies teach that the Church has become
God’s elect people as Israel once was.

2. It is not the Kingdom, the Church is to be built up during this present time (Ephesians
4:2), while the Kingdom will be set up at a future time (Acts 15:16 / Revelations 11:15)

3. It is noy a building structure composed with wood, bricks, nails and mortar.

b. The Church considered from a positive viewpoint.

1. The ekklesia of the New Testament refers only to three geographical groups of baptized
believers who regularly assemble, led by the pastors and deacons, for the purpose of
worship, instruction, fellowship, and evangelism.

2. The ekklesia of the New Testament embraces both the fatal body of Christ (including
living and departed between) and individual local assemblies with the main emphasis
being placed on the latter meaning (Corinthians 25:9 / Galatians 1:13 / Ephesians 5:25-32
/ Hebrew 12:23 / Revelations 19:6-9). While the bulk of remaining ekklesia references
describe local Church assemblies.

III. The Purpose of the Church

a. Its purpose considered from a negative viewpoint:

 1. The purpose of the Church is not to save the world. The leaven of Matthew 13;13 is
certainly not a picture of the Gospel permeating and purifying society, thus turning it
into the golden age of the millennium.

2. The purpose of the Church is not to serve the world. In the New Testament, in the
Church told to lobby for stronger population laws.

3. The purpose of the Church is not to fight for the world.

b. Its purpose considered from a positive viewpoint.

The fact are that Christ has literally loaded down by his Church with many and manifold
responsibilities and tasks.

1. It is to love God (Revelations 2:4)

2. It is to glorify God (Ephesians 1:5,6,11,12,14)

How to glorify God?

- Through our praise and prayer (Psalm 50:23)

- Through our giving (Philippians 4:18)
- Through our preaching and ministry (1 Peter 4:9)

3. It is to display God’s grace (Ephesians 2:7 ; 3:6 / 1 Peter 2:9)

4. It is to evangelize the world (Mathews 28:19-20)

5. It is to baptize believers (Mathews 28:19)

According to C.I. Scofield, the Church which in his body has for its mission to build itself up
until the body is complete. (Ephesians 4:11-16 / Colossians 2:19)
 IV. The Destiny of the Church
V.
Everyone likes a story that has a happy ending. The story of the Church has such a happy ending.
The bridegroom gets the bride and together they live happily ever after.

The glorious destiny of the Church are:

a. To be caught up by the bridegroom at the rapture. (1 Corinthians 15:51-53 / Revelations

4:1)

b. To be examined and rewarded at the judgement seat of Christ (Romans 14:10-12 / 1

Corinthians 3:13 / 2 Corinthians 5:10)

c. To be united with Christ at the marriage service of the lamb. (2 Corinthians 11:2 /
Ephesians 5:22-23 / Revelations 19:7-8)

d. To share the New Jerusalem of Christ throughout all eternity. (Revelations 21:1,2,9-27)

e. To illustrate the glory of Christ throughout all eternity (Ephesians 1:6,12 ; 2:1-7 ; 3:10)