The Baptist headlight., 1893-12-01

| NM "AoI - SHOWN a.
the spiritual invisible Church 0
Christ, made UP IF spiritual sub
Jects only. And the word thu,
used, may be conceded to be syn
onymous With the term, kingdom
which has reference to all the
spiritual subjects over whom
Christ reigns as king.
1t is not cut Of place here t.
call your attention to a few pas
sages Of scripture, in which the
word Church, is used hguratively:
HI Eph. II; RI, Paul, in speaking Of
the extent Of Christ's dominion
says: "and hath put all things un
der Ills feet, and gave him to be
the head over all things to the
Church, which is His body, the
fullness Of All, that flleth all in
All. 1t IS evident here, that the
term, church, is used in fgura-
tive sense, and is intended to in
clude II the aggregate. all of the
spiritual family Of God, over
whom H. presides as ruler, law
giver, pr, our Lord. Again, in
Eph. s; 23, Christ Is spoken of as
sustaining relationship toward
Ills Church, similar to that of the
relation existing between husband
and wife: "For the husband is the
head Of the wife, even as Christ
is the head Of the Church, and He
is the Savior Of the body?" 1t
must be clear to any sane mind
that the word Church, here, refers
to all the saved as one BODY; for
otherwise, it would be accusing
Christ as tolerating polygamy,
having plurality Of living wives.
LII Heb. n; 23, We are said to
have "come unto the general as
and Church Of the first
born, which are written in heaven"
This passage Of Scripture needs
no comment, it clearly indicates
that reference to the aggregate of
the spiritual family Of God is i'm
piled.
let me here remark, that fail
ure to distinguish between the
fgurative and literal meaning Of
the term church, has given rise to
many very grave blunders. with
reference to its Use and applica-
ton. Let US now turn our atten-
ton for moment, to the literal
meaning Of the word church, as
found in the New Testament.
The word rendered church, in
our English Bible, is ekkkesia in
The original Greek, and means an
assembly, Or congregation The
word ekklfSla was derived from the
word ekkale0, which signifies to
3all out from, Or to call together,
and implies an assembly lawfully
called out and organized for the
Of transacting important
business. Hence, the literal mean
ne Of the word church, when used
oy Christ, could signify nothing
more than a lawful assembly, con
;isting of the citizens Of His king
lom, called out and organized |
for religious purposes.
Having, therefore, for their work |
he administration and enforcing
IF the ordinances of his kingdom,
into the end Of the world. Hence,
when Christ said To Peter, upon
his rock | Will build my church,
nd the gates Of he'll Shall not pre-
tail against it, lie uses the word
ii literal sense, and had direct
eference To the complete organl-
alton Of His first local church,
Of the twelve disciples
whom he had called cut from the
world and whom he selected from
mong the subjects Of his king
ION, To be the constituent mem
,ers Of his local Church in Jeru-
alem, which church was to be a
model for tie organization Of all
-isible local churches until the
nd of time. Hence. after Christ's
scension To heaven, this organiza-
ion IL spoken Of as 1.-THE church
II jerusalem.
But What Was this first church
Y jerusalem. of which Christ, and
Ut Peter, was the founder? 1t
sas a local assembly Of Baptized
believers, voluntarily associated
ogether i'll the faith and fellow
hip Of the Gospel, and meeting