The Local Church

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Many people believe that Ephesians 5 refers to the church as a whole of all believers. Sort of like a universal church. I disagree for several reasons. According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: I would agree that what is written in each epistle applies to other churches. No one has even hinted that it doesn't. But to say it applies to believers who have not yet joined one of his churches or have left out of church is not necessarily true, though some things may apply to both. </div> <bR> <div> Paul didn't write any epistles to people who strayed out of the New Testament church. He wrote epistles to New Testament churches. He also didn't write any epistles addressed to some universal invisible church. In Eph. 3:9-10 it says "all". The "men" is only what it doesn't say but that can be inferred by the fact that it isn't talking about animals or objects. The third word in the verse is "pantas" which means "all". 1 Corinthians 10:2 "And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea"; They were an Old Testament church. They were LOCAL. They travelled together. They were assembled. I believe Ephesians 5 applies to local churches, not Universal. There is no universal church, the word "Universal" isn't even mentioned in the bible. </div> <bR> <div> I also noted that your website uses "ekklesia" in reference to "called out ones".  I disagree with this.  All the references to "ekklesia" in the Bible are to specific gatherings of believers.</div> <bR> <div> I look forward to your reply </div> <bR> <bR> <div> WEBSITE RESPONSE </div> <bR> <div> Thank you for writing and being honest.  I will address your concerns one by one.</div> <bR> <div> First, the church is comprised of all genuine believers in Jesus Christ, past, present and future.  The church as the Body of Christ is a spiritual entity and outward attendance or participation is not a pre-requisite to being a member of the church.  There is only one factor that constitutes each and every believer in Christ:  the life of Christ abiding in each one.  The Lord has offered His resurrection life to all who will receive it, whether they attend a so-called church or not.</div> <bR> <div> Second, Paul, the apostle, wrote to many local churches, specific groups of believers who were named simply by the city in which they lived.  What a wonderful practice:  all the believers who lived in a particular locality were considered the church in that locality.  Where has this practice gone?  How marvelous it would be if believers would drop their outward names and take the one name of Jesus Christ, the only distinguishing factor being geography, not doctrine, history, culture or practice. </div> <bR> <div> However, Paul also wrote to all the believers in Christ collectively.  For example, in Ephesians 1-2, Paul is mainly referring to the universal church.  When Paul delineated so many spiritual blessings, he was not confining himself to a local assembly, but all the believers in Christ.  He gained inspiration of the Holy Spirit to write such things due to the particular local assembly at Ephesus, but the promises were given to all believers.  He mentions Christ as the Head in 1:10.  He is the Head of the entire Body of Christ, not just those believers in Ephesus.  All believers are predestined as an inheritance (1:11), the Holy Spirit is the pledge of all of our inheritance (1:14).  God subjected all things under Christ's feet and gave Him to be Head over all things to the church (universally), which is His Body, the fullness of the One who fills all in all (1:22-23).  Sister, these things are written for all believers, not just a locality.</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" >The promises in Ephesians 2 that we are made alive in Christ, we are raised and seated together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus, that we are His masterpiece ... applies to and refers to all believers in Christ, not just those meeting in Ephesus.  This is abundantly clear in 2:20-21, when Paul writes that we are "</FONT><B>being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone; In whom all the building </B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#111111" FACE="Times New Roman" ><B>(universal church)</B></FONT><B>, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord; In whom you also </B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#111111" FACE="Times New Roman" ><B>(any local church)</B></FONT><B> are being built together into a dwelling place of God in spirit</B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" >."</FONT></div> <bR> <div> Once again in Ephesians 3:9-10 Paul includes the universal church, all the believers in Christ, when he speaks of the "economy of the mystery" which had been hidden throughout the ages, in order to now show the multifarious wisdom of God being made known in the church (universal).  This is universally spoken because it involved the "eternal purpose of God" (3:11) which surely is NOT confined to one small group of believers in a particular city.</div> <bR> <div> Third, sister, there is no such thing as an Old Testament church.  You mentioned 1 Corinthians 10:2 where it mentions Moses and baptism together.  The context there is again to all believers using an Old Testament "type" to explain a New Testament principle.  It has nothing to do with a so-called Old Testament church.  Just as Moses took the children of Israel through the Red Sea and that sea then fell on the Egyptians, so baptism in reality is a burying of our flesh and natural man in water to rise up in resurrection and live Christ.</div> <bR> <div> Lastly, the greek phrase "ekklesia" literally means, "out calling" and can also be translated as "called out ones."  This is an appropriate thought for the New Testament saints in Christ.  We are all "called out" of the world to live in resurrection. </div> </td> </tr></table></body>