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The Church
The church is the community of believers who
confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. In continuity with the people of God
in Old Testament times, we are called out from the world; and we join together
for worship, for fellowship, for instruction in the Word, for the celebration of
the Lord's Supper, for service to all mankind, and for the worldwide
proclamation of the gospel. The church derives its authority from Christ, who is
the incarnate Word, and from the Scriptures, which are the written Word. The
church is God's family; adopted by Him as children, its members live on the
basis of the new covenant. The church is the body of Christ, a community of
faith of which Christ Himself is the Head. The church is the bride for whom
Christ died that He might sanctify and cleanse her. At His return in triumph, He
will present her to Himself a glorious church, the faithful of all the ages, the
purchase of His blood, not having spot or wrinkle, but holy and without blemish.
(Gen. 12:3; Acts 7:38; Eph. 4:11-15; 3:8-11; Matt. 28:19, 20; 16:13-20; 18:18;
Eph. 2:19-22; 1:22, 23; 5:23-27; Col. 1:17, 18.) |
