ECCLESIOLOGY: THE THEOLOGY OF THE CHURCH, THE BODY OF CHRIST

“…Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.”   

—Ephesians 5:25  

Ecclesiology 

Ecclesiology is the theological study concerned with the nature, structure, and purpose of the Church within Christian doctrine and practice. In this article we will examine the Church, its role in the Christian faith and doctrine, and its very nature and structure. In later expositions we will discuss ecclesiastical traditions, such as the sacraments  (including baptism and the Eucharist), the liturgy, the homily, and prayers found in the fellowship of the saints (such as the invocation and benediction). 

The Church is not a building, nor is it an organization. "The Church" is the universal term for believers in Jesus Christ, or the practising body of Christians. The true God, the God of Christianity, does not dwell in a temple or a shrine; He does not rest in man-made statues or buildings. He instead has chosen to dwell in the work of His own hands, His people, and to every one who believes on Jesus Christ God sends His Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Triune God, to dwell in their hearts. Hence God resides in every one of the followers of Christ, and therefore we may call the believers in Jesus “the Church”. 

The Universal (Catholic) Church

The Church, despite its many peoples, nations, and sects, is one. The catholic church (in the sense of it being universal), as it is called, is not confined to one nation, as it was under the law, the Old Covenant for God’s people. It is not restricted, moreover, by wealth, social status, political status, or any other boundary man has made. All of the followers of Christ, Christians, are included in the catholic Church of God; and there is none that profess and live by the Christian religion that is excluded from it. The Church is “a holy congregation of true Christian believers, all expecting their salvation in Jesus Christ, being washed by His blood, sanctified and sealed by the Holy Ghost”1. Hence, if you have believed on Jesus Christ, you are included in the Church: “And ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular” (1 Corinthians 12:27).

Jesus Christ and the Church

In our study of ecclesiology, it is crucial to realize that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the very center and basis for the Church. The Church is His and His alone. 

Jesus Christ died (“gave Himself for”) the Church so that they could be united with Him for eternity in Heaven. He is the very reason the Church was established and remains in the present time. 

  Firstly, Jesus Christ is the Redeemer of the Church. It was He “who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity” (Titus 2:14)  and that He consequently might see those in heaven who believed on Him on earth. Jesus Christ purchased the Church,  “which he hath purchased with his own blood”, which once was a slave to the world, fear, and the law; and “washed us from our sins in his own blood” (Revelation 1:5), thereby redeeming us from “the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2). It was because of Christ’s redeeming work, that He purchased the Church and sanctified it with His blood, that He can call it His own. “He is the saviour of the body” of His Church (Ephesians 5:23). 

Secondly, the Foundation of the Church is Jesus Christ: “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:11). Jesus Christ, “himself being the chief corner stone” (Ephesians 2:20), is the base on which the Church was created. His death for the redemption of the Church, marked both its inception and the laying of its foundation. Hence, it is an impossible notion to separate the Lord Jesus from the Church, much as it is impossible to separate a building from its foundations; in addition, no man may try to lay a foundation other “than that is laid”. The Building, the Church, and its Foundation, Jesus Christ, are one and inseparable; no man may successfully remove the strong Foundation of Jesus Christ from the Church. As Jesus Christ is the Bedrock of the Church and Christianity, all teaching and doctrine revolves around Him, as it originates from the Gospel of Jesus.

Thirdly, Jesus is the Head of the Church, as stated in Colossians 1:18, “And he is the head of the body, the church”. Because Jesus laid the foundation of the Church (by His own death), He is the Foundation, the Rock upon which the Church may stand; in like manner, because Jesus Christ was given the authority to be the Ruler and King of His Church, He is the Head of the Church, as His Father “highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name” (Philippians 2:9). Indeed, God the Father, “hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church” (Ephesians 1:22). St. Paul plainly proclaims, “Christ is the head of the church” (Ephesians 5:23). Jesus Christ is the Head of the Body of Christians, the Church, “that in all things he might have the preeminence” (Colossians 1:18). Jesus Christ obtained authority over the Church as the Redeemer and consequent Foundation, and He now exercises that authority as the Head. In all things concerning the Ecclesia, Christ is of the highest authority, and there is no power equalling His. That is to say, “The church is subject unto Christ” (Ephesians 5:24). 

Fourthly, as Jesus is the Head, the Ruler, He has taken upon Himself the responsibility of protecting and preserving the Church; thus Jesus may be named the Keeper of the Church. To the best of His infinite ability, He protects it from the heresy and strife that the “gates of hell” may send against it. In addition, He nurtures the Church: He “nourisheth and cherisheth it” (Ephesians 5:29), providing us our “daily bread”, loving us, and making "intercession for us” to the Father (Romans 8:34). In John 10, Jesus Christ speaks as Himself as a Shepherd, the Church His Sheep, His Flock: “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine” (John 10:14). 1 Peter 2:25: “For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls”. In this imagery we find perhaps one of the deepest explanations of Christ’s role in the Church as Keeper. “He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young” (Isaiah 40:11). The Lord cares for His Church as gently and as thoroughly as a good shepherd would tend his flock, feeding them in the best of pastures and guarding them from predators. “I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord God. I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick” (Ezekiel 34:15-16). For a further explanation, see the section “Jesus’ Workings in the Church: ‘Water’ and the ‘Word’”. 

Thus because the Lord Jesus is the Founder and Carer for His Church, He is the center of it, and none may separate Him from it. 

The Eternality of the Church

The Church, as God has ordained, is eternal, unable to be destroyed. “This Church hath been from the beginning of the world and will be to the end thereof, which is evident from this, that Christ is an eternal king, which, without subjects He cannot be. And this holy Church is preserved or supported by God against the rage of the whole world; though she sometimes (for a while) appears very small, and in the eyes of men, to be reduced to nothing”2. As the Lord Jesus has said, “I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). Jesus reigns over His Church forever and ever, and none will dethrone Him from it, despite “the gates of hell” and its opposition of the people of God. 

The Church: The Body of Christ

The Church, the Ecclesia, is called the “Body of Christ”, and Jesus Christ is the “Head” of the Body; we are the Body of The Church, hence we are the Body of Christ. God the Father Himself “gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body” (Ephesians 1:22-23); we, the Body, “are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:22). Paul in the his epistles describes the Body of Christ as those who “heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, believed in him, and were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit” (Ephesians1:13). The Body of Christ, being a body, is one, a “whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part” and  “maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love” (Ephesians 4:16).

The Church: The Children of God

The people of the Church, the believers in Jesus Christ, are not only the Body of Christ but the Children of God: “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26). "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12). If you have received Christ as your Savior and Lord and believed on His cleansing blood, you have been given the power and the right to be a Child of God. Because Jesus Christ is God and the Son of God, we are therefore siblings with Him; the writer of Hebrews speaks of Jesus and the Church, “both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren” (Hebrews 2:11). Hence we are permitted by Jesus to call God His Father “our Father which art in heaven” (Matthew 6:9). Jesus is the “firstborn among many brethren” (Romans 8:29). However, note please that this does not mean you are a god (or goddess), nor some sort of deity; you are adopted into God’s family because of your believing on Jesus Christ: Jesus came “to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons” (Galatians 4:5), “having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will” (Ephesians 1:15). Jesus Christ is the firstborn, and the only original Son of God, however, when He redeemed us He gave us the right to be adopted into God’s family. “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God!” (1 John 3:1).  

Therefore, you are not children of the world and of the devil (see John 8:44), not “strangers” and “foreigners” to God and His people; but you are “fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God” (Ephesians 2:19). The House of God is His Church, where His children may partake in fellowship with Him.

We are also, then, brothers and sisters with other members of the Church of Christ, for we are all the Children of God—and that is why Paul in his epistles calls the churches he writes to “brethren” (see verses such as 1 Corinthians 1:10, the verse below). This is also why Christians call one another “Brother” or “Sister”. For instance, observe Mr. John Smith, who is a Christian, and called “Brother John” by other Christians; or Miss Annamariella Schwartskoff, in the Church, is referred to as “Sister Annamariella” or, perhaps, for ease of communication, “Sister Anna”.

Divisions in the Church

“I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1Corinthians 1:10). This was a command to the Church—that in the Church of Jesus Christ “there be no divisions among you”. Not only has the Church previously disobeyed this command, but they have had the audacity to give a name to these forbidden divisions! They are called denominations, created because of the differences of theology on topics and ecclesiastical practices, despite the Bible saying, “speak all the same thing” and “be perfectly joined together in the same mind and judgement”. Indeed, as per the Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in the year 2021, an estimated count tallies around 45,000 Christian denominations. Among these, we find the Anglicans, Assemblies of God, Baptists, Christian and Missionary Alliance, Christian Brethren, Community of Christ, Congregationalists, Disciples of Christ, Elim Pentecostal Churches, Evangelical Free, Hutterites, Lutherans, Mennonites, Methodists, Metropolitan Community Church, Moravians, Open Bible Churches, Pentecostal Holiness Churches, Plymouth Brethren, Presbyterians, the Reformed Church in America, and the United Church of Christ, to enumerate a few. Not only this, but these main-stream denominations are divided into further sects. Additionally, it is a recognized reality that certain denominations hold disdain for others, often regarding them as "inferior" or excluding them from the broader Christian community. While not all members partake in such things, there are some who exhibit such tendencies. (For an in-depth exploration on denominations and their relational dynamics, kindly refer to the section titled "One’s Duties as a Member of the Church").

Remember the words of Jesus: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth” (Luke 11:17). The Church does not do well with these abominations—denominations—and it is not what Christ intended. He wanted a united Church (do not confuse this with the denomination, “the United Church of Christ” and do not associate the twelve disciples of Jesus in the Gospels with the denomination “the Disciples of Christ)”; He prayed to His Heavenly Father, “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me” (John 17:20-21). We are to be one as Jesus Christ and His Father are One: I can assure you that there are no differences concerning theology of doctrine between God the Father and God the Son. 

Undoubtedly, the prospect of an undivided Church of Jesus Christ, free from denominational divisions, is possible. History attests that the early Church functioned in this manner,  having“all things common" (Acts 2:44) and a continuous unity of purpose,”continuing daily with one accord" (Acts 2:46). Similarly, in the tumultuous era of persecution during the 1970s and 80s, the Chinese underground church operated devoid of divisive denominations. As Scripture affirms, "With God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26). Therefore, adhering to God's directives, refrain from engaging in denominationalism. Embrace love and reverence toward all members of the Body of Christ, avoiding arbitrary dismissals of certain denominational beliefs. Instead, diligently assess them against the unfailing standards of God's Word. Aspire to preserve the unity of the Spirit within the bond of peace (refer to Ephesians 4:3). Echoing the exhortation of St. Paul to the Church, strive to "fulfill ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind" (Philippians 2:2).

Jesus’ Workings in the Church: “Water” and the “Word”

Because the Church is under His perfect care, Jesus has undertaken the duty of preserving it until His anticipated return, thereby extending His role as the "Saviour and Redeemer." It is crucial to understand that the Body of Christ, as well as the entirety of Christianity, shall not be utterly obliterated regardless of what Satan or the world might attempt to do to it. In readiness for His imminent coming, the Church must uphold a state of sanctity. Hence, Jesus, in His dedication to the Church, ensures that it remains “blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:23). Jesus will “sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:26-27). 

In this allegory, the "water" signifies the sanctifying work of the Holy Ghost, while the "word" represents the Bible. When one encounters individuals who claim to be Christians but do not permit the Holy Spirit to convict them of sin and cleanse their souls, but instead grieve the Holy Ghost (see, for example, 1 Thessalonians 5:19 and Ephesians 4:30), refrain from aligning with such individuals—do not join and become one of them. Likewise, if a congregation professing Christianity departs from the teachings of the Bible, which is the living Word of God, or repudiates the integrity and applicability of any portion of the Scriptures, their teachings ought to be considered null and void, for “all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). “Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them” (Deuteronomy 12:30). To further expound on this bit of doctrine, notice this scripture: “Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us” (2 Thessalonians 3:6). 

One’s Duties as a member of the Church  

First, to be a good, acceptable member of the Church of Jesus you must make every effort to obey God’s Word: to not covet, lie, steal, hate, gossip, or be resentful towards your brothers and sisters in Christ. “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32). We are to speak the truth in love to one another (see Ephesians 4:15), to love one another as we love ourselves (see Matthew 22:39), and to do unto another as you would have done to you (see Matthew 7:12). (This certainly is not an exhaustive list of all the commandments concerning society or church. To read all the commandments regarding what is becoming of one’s conduct you must read the whole Bible yourself).

Second, church attendance. “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25). You must find and begin going to what is called “a church”, i.e. a building used for Christian activities that regularly holds services on Sunday, or what St. Paul terms the, “assembly of ourselves together”; the church is a place of fellowship with the saints. A church may be called “Old Town Road United Methodist Church” or “First Anglican Church of Christianville” or even something as fanciful as “God’s Glorious Salvation Church”; (these are all fictional names and are purposefully not real institutions). The primary criterion for your choice of a church should be its adherence to the entirety of the Bible, regardless of its denominational affiliation, be it Anglican, Brethren, Baptist, or Presbyterian. The key consideration is that the church acknowledges the Bible as wholly true, relevant, and divinely inspired by God, adhering to biblical moral values, structure, and teachings. 

Do not forsake assembling with the Body of Christ for service to our Lord even for one Sunday; if the church you attend has daily or multiple services a week attend those as well, both the liturgy (worship) and the sermon. At all times long to worship the Lord Jesus Who saved your soul, and “as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:2).

(For clarity, let me explain that a church organization, eg., Evangelical Reformed Church of Metropolis, is a part of the Church of Jesus Christ, but not the only church. The Christian members of the various church institutions make up most of the Church, the Body of Christ; however, there are some followers of Jesus that do not attend a church’s services and worship God every Sunday in their home instead, but they are still to be considered part of the Church.) 

(Note: Amazing Life chooses to be as non-denominational as possible while maintaining standard moral Christian values and ethics. While we are of the Protestant, evangelical, conservative type we do not shun our non-Protestant brethren nor our liberal, less traditional friends; however, we believe in a traditional Bible interpretation and the absolute authority of the Word of God, as well as the traditional definition of moral righteousness and Christian living. Although the members of Amazing Life do agree that, in general, some denominations are more sound in beliefs or doctrine than others, we will not insist upon joining or abstaining from certain ones. We feel it is right, instead, to stress the importance of attending a church that conforms to the teachings of the Bible rigidly. 

Of course, if one denomination clearly was the most righteous and pleasing to the Lord  than all the others, it would be fitting and right to recommend all to attend that one. In fact, it would be unjust, upright, and a disservice to our Lord to, if we knew one denomination was the very best, the holiest, and rightest, to not amplify that one above all else. However, that is not the case: one, because there is too much variance inside denominations to allow us to make those distinctions; and two, because each denomination has its own distinct faults, for surely no denomination has reached the height of perfect doctrine. 

It would not be just to dogmatically label some denominations as “good” and others as “bad” (even the gargantuan list of denominations provided previously was listed alphabetically), for we understand that still inside denominations there is much disagreement and variation: what one Methodist congregation may believe may be completely opposite of what the other Methodist congregation on the other side of the street holds to. Sometimes an Anglican church could be more concordant with a Methodist church than another Anglican one. It all varies much too greatly to put such stiff distinctions of the righteousness of certain denominations. 

  In our eyes all the Church is one in Christ; we are all sinners and all have our faults in various areas. 

Also, do please remember that while we dislike the concept of denominations themselves we do not dislike the Christians inside those denominations.)

Remember as you go to church that church is not a time to socialize, make friends, or amuse yourself but a place of service to God. Worship (the liturgy, as we discuss in a later article) is not a time when the congregation gets to hear a bit of good music from the choir, but a time of praise and honour to God through music. The time of prayer is not a time for one to boast of their eloquent language or religious grandeur, but a time of thanksgiving, confession, and supplication to God, and to Him alone; one does not (or should not) pray for the purpose of any person hearing them but God. The homily or sermon (the time of preaching from the Holy Scripture) is not a time for entertainment or relaxation, but an occasion to pay strict attention and learn from God’s Word for your edification. 

The writer of Ecclesiastes says, “Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools” (Ecclesiastes 5:1). What are the sacrifices of fools? (For there are plentiful fools and wicked ones in church on Sunday.) Hypocrisy, a countenance saying otherwise than the heart, disrespect, deceitful lips, foolishness, strife, gossip, and a vile, dirty, bitter heart—but this list is not exhaustive, of course. Do not give the sacrifices of those who are unrighteous unto God, but present yourself to God in church as sainted, holding no transgressions in your heart, “lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting” (1 Timothy 2:8).

By doing these things, you bear the marks of a member of the Church as you “avoid sin, follow after righteousness, love the true God and their neighbor, neither turn aside to the right or left, and crucify the flesh with the works thereof.” Of course, as The Belgic Confession of Faith clarifies, “But this is not to be understood as if there did not remain in them great infirmities; but they fight against them through the Spirit all the days of their life, continually taking their refuge in the blood, death,  passion, and obedience of our Lord Jesus Christ, in whom they have remission of sins through faith in Him”3 . 

Conclusion 

In summation, our exploration of the Church as the Body of Christ, a divine entity that transcends denominational boundaries and unites believers under the lordship of Jesus Christ, reveals the universality of our faith. It is clear that every individual professing faith in Christ may rightfully claim their place in this spiritual body, a body that knows no division, no distinctions, and no discrimination; we “being many, are one body” (1 Corinthians 12:12). This unity is not based on human doctrines or ecclesial affiliations, but on a profound, unifying relationship with our Lord and Savior.

We must not lose sight of the foundational truth that undergirds the entire edifice of the Church as the Body of Christ. At its very core, the Church's existence is inseparable from its cornerstone, Jesus Christ, Who, as the Apostle Paul declares, is the "head of the body, the Church" (Colossians 1:18). It is upon Christ that the entire spiritual structure finds its stability and coherence, for He is the One Who laid the foundation with His teachings, His sacrifice, and His resurrection. The Church, in its various manifestations, stands firm and enduring due to the unwavering foundation of faith in Christ, who remains the Alpha and Omega of our communal existence (see, for example, Revelation 22:13). Our study underscores the enduring promise made by Christ Himself, the assurance that He will preserve His Church through His Spirit until His triumphant return (see Ephesians 4:3). In an era marked by religious diversity and theological differences, this pledge provides solace and unwavering hope. We stand on the precipice of eternity, aware that the Body of Christ, though diverse, is undeniably one.

The church's one foundation

Is Jesus Christ her Lord;

She is his new creation

By water and the Word.

From heaven he came and sought her

To be his holy bride;

With his own blood he bought her,

And for her life he died.

Elect from every nation,

Yet one o'er all the earth;

Her charter of salvation,

One Lord, one faith, one birth;

One holy name she blesses,

Partakes one holy food,

And to one hope she presses,

With every grace endued.

Mid toil and tribulation,

And tumult of her war,

She waits the consummation

Of peace forevermore;

Till, with the vision glorious,

Her longing eyes are blest,

And the great church victorious

Shall be the church at rest.

Though with a scornful wonder 

Men see her sore oppressed,

By schisms rent asunder, 

By heresies distressed, 

Yet saints their watch are keeping;

Their cry goes up—“How long?”

But soon the night of weeping 

Shall be the morn of song.

Yet she on earth hath union

With God the Three in One,

And mystic sweet communion

With those whose rest is won.

O happy ones and holy!

Lord, give us grace that we

Like them, the meek and lowly,

On high may dwell with thee.

1. The Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 27. 

2. The Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 27. 

3. The Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 29.