About the Church
8.1 - Foundations of the Christian Faith
Unit 8 of this online course on the Foundation of the Christian Faith explores the topic of the One, Holy Christian Church, and the Communion of Saints. In this unit, we will examine the nature, character, and mission of the Church, as well as explore the biblical foundations for its existence. We will also examine the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church and how the Spirit works to unite believers in Christ. Throughout this unit, we will seek to understand the essential role of the Church in the Christian faith and how we can be faithful members of this community of faith. Additionally, we will cover the meaning of the term “saints” and the concept of communion before delving into what the communion of the saints means for Christians. We will also look at how believers on earth and in heaven are connected in worship and how one can participate in this communion. By the end of this unit, you will gain a deeper understanding of the fellowship of believers and the significance of being a part of the larger Christian community.
About the Church: There is more to “the Church” than first meets the eye. First, when we use the word “church,” we are often referring to the church building. This is a common usage, but it misses the point entirely. When the early church was formed on that fateful Pentecost day, it had no buildings. On the whole, the church in its infancy was persecuted. They often met underground to avoid persecution, so the idea of a church building never entered their minds. The big buildings and cathedrals rose up out of the cultural context of a highly organized and state-sanctioned church organization.
There are two common phrases used by theologians that will help you better understand the church in its universality: the Church Triumphant and the Church Militant.
The Church Militant refers to the Church still on the earth. This is not the building or the organization or even a denomination. Rather, the Church Militant is comprised of every member of Christ’s body still living on the earth. If you have been born again, then you are a part of Christ’s Body, thus a member of the Church Militant.
The Church Triumphant refers to the Church in Heaven. This includes every believer who has ever lived in any age and in any location. They have died and gone to heaven to be with the Lord Jesus. Their journey is over; they are now at rest.
So, the Church, as Jesus referred to it, is the whole community of faithful Christians in heaven and on earth, called and formed by God into one people. The Church on earth gathers to worship God in Word, song, prayer, and sacrament, to serve God and neighbor, and to proclaim the Gospel to the ends of the earth. The Church in Heaven has found its rest and joins the heavenly hosts to worship God in His glory.
The Church is also called the Body of Christ for obvious reasons. All who belong to the Church are united to Christ, who is their Head and source of life, and they are united to one another in Christ for mutual love and service to him. Paul told the believers at Ephesus that God put all things under Christ’s feet, and “gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all” (Ephesians 1:22–23). Paul was very clear on this point, saying, “For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones” (Ephesians 5:30). To the believers in Rome, Paul wrote: “For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another” (Romans 12:4–5). This is a great mystery that stands at the center of our beliefs about the Church of Jesus Christ. We are joined together with Christ for both an earthly and a heavenly destiny.
Your assignment: Read the following scriptures to see what else the scriptures say about the church.
Exodus 19:4–6
4 ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. 6 And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”
Psalm 22:22–23
22 I will declare Your name to My brethren;
In the midst of the assembly I will praise You.
23 You who fear the Lord, praise Him!
All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him,
And fear Him, all you offspring of Israel!
Matthew 28:19–20
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
Ephesians 2:11–22
11 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands— 12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. 17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. 18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. 19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
1 Peter 2:4–10
4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture,
“Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”
7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient,
“The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone,”
8 and
“A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.”
They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed. 9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
1 Corinthians 12:12–27
12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be? 20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.
Ephesians 5:25–30
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. 28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. 30 For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.
←RETURN to the previous lesson | ADVANCE to the next lesson→