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"...Upon
this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not
prevail against it." Matt. 16:18.
Note:-
This is the first mention of the word church in the Bible.
Since it is something that the gates of hell should not prevail
against, it behooves us to know just what it is. The word CHURCH is
a translation of the Greek work ekklesia which is two Greek
words ek, meaning the point of origin - usually translated
FROM, or OUT OF - and the Greek work "Kaleo" meaning I CALL.
So a church is a CALLED OUT group. We find the word ekklesia
115 times in the New Testament, and it is translated church
or churches 112 times and it is translated assembly 3
times - Acts 19:32,39,41 (The ASSEMBLY was confused; in a lawful
ASSEMBLY; and, he dismissed the ASSEMBLY.)
We next
find this word in Matt. 18:17, "And if he shall neglect to hear
them, tell it unto the CHURCH: but if he neglect to hear the CHURCH,
let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican." We find it
no more until we read in Acts 2:47, "...And the Lord added to the
CHURCH daily such as should be saved." "Take heed therefore unto
yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath
made you overseers, to feed the CHURCH OF GOD, which he hath
purchased with his own blood." Acts 20:28. Let us read it
thus: "Feed the CALLED OUT GROUP OF GOD (church of God)."
We see
that the CHURCH was not a building or place of worship, but men and
women who were disciples of Jesus Christ. They had been CALLED OUT
of various things: sin, the religion of the Jews, Pharisees,
Sadducees, being fisherman, tax-collectors, and the like. They all
had been brought into something common. They had fellowship together
and with the Lord. "For where two or three are gathered together in
my name, there am I in the midst of them." Matthew 18:20. |
