What is the difference between a temple and a cathedral and a church, what is the meaning of these words. What is the Church in the Light of New Testament Teachings What is the Church Definition Briefly

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God is difficult to understand, but it is even more difficult to understand the Church. The Church is the mystery of Christ.

With the birth of Jesus Christ, a new era began, which is called "our era." With the New Testament, the Church came into existence and the New Age began.

At times Old Testament The church was not proclaimed by God, and it was a mystery (Eph. 3:9). Neither Moses, nor David, nor Solomon matured it. It was revealed by God only to the apostles and prophets in their spirit, and before that it was unknown. Thanks to the records of their revelations, the inspired, literally inspired by the Holy Spirit books of the New Testament appeared, so that we would know the wisdom of God, including the mystery regarding the Church. Spiritual growth - growth in God required at all times great efforts, courage, sacrifice, and made Christians strong, and the church effective.

Definition of the Church

God's building: 1 Corinthians 3:9
- God's field: 1 Corinthians 3:9
- Temple of the Holy Spirit: 1 Corinthians 6:19
- Church of God: 2 Corinthians 1:1
- pure virgin: 2 Corinthians 11:2
- Jerusalem above: Gal.4:26
- God's Israel: Gal.6:16
- Body of Christ: Eph.1:22,23
- holy temple: Eph.2:21
- glorious Church, beloved of Christ: Eph.5:25-28
- bride of the Lamb: Rev 21:9,10

"Church" (Greek ekklesia) - a meeting of those called. AT Ancient Greece ekklesia is the name of the people's assembly. In the Bible, this word means as called together, and when it refers to people who were called to come together. Greek translation In the Old Testament, the word ekklesia was used to translate the Hebrew word Kahal, which means community, assembly.

Chosen generation: 1 Peter 2:9
- royal priesthood: 1 Peter 2:9
- holy people: 1 Peter 2:9
- people taken as inheritance: 1 Peter 2:9
- God's flock: 1 Peter 5:2

The Christian Church is a collection of called God's people called out of the world (Rom.12:1-2) to live with God and participate in Christian fellowship (Heb.10:24-25, Acts 2:42-45). This New Testament institution began its existence on the day of Pentecost and will complete it at the second coming of Christ.

Two aspects of the church

There is only one God in the whole universe and there is only one Church of God in it (Matthew 16:18; 1 Cor. 10:32; Eph. 4:6; Eph. 5:25; Col. 1:18).

universal God's Church expressed in many places on earth by the local churches and is made up of them. In Matthew 16:18 the universal Church is revealed, and in Matthew 18:17 we see the local church. Universal Church is a gathering of those who have accepted Christ as their personal Savior. The Church is a community of people who enjoy the good of salvation in Jesus Christ (Acts 2:47): "We who are being saved," writes Paul (1 Corinthians 1:18). Even if you have just converted to Christ today, you are already becoming a member of this Church.

Local church - as a local group of believers:

In Jerusalem: Acts 8:1
- in Caesarea: Acts 18:22
- in Antioch: Acts 13:1
- in Ephesus: Acts 20:17
- in Kenchrei: Rom.16:1
- in Corinth: 1 Corinthians 1:2
- in Laodicea: Col. 4:16
- in Thessalonica: 1 Thessalonians 1:1
- several in Galatia: Gal.1:2
- a few in Asia Minor: Rev. 2.3

The New Testament in Acts, in the Epistles and in Revelation, illustrates the churches of the assembled people by their location and names the churches according to the place, and not otherwise. Concerning other names of churches and their divisions, such as the church and plus someone's human name or otherwise, Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:11-13 condemningly says: "... it has become known to me ... that which you have they say: I am Pavlov; I am Apollos; I am Ceph; and I am Christ's. Was Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?"

Each local church is independent. The government of the church is not universal, but local. Without local churches it is impossible to participate in the universal Church and it is impossible to have a practical church life. local churches is the practical expression of the universal Church.

A local church is a gathering of a group of believers when they meet in some real place. This place can be a house, a special building, or another place. These people come together to study the Word of God, pray, break bread, serve (Acts 2:41-42) and grow in the Lord. The gathering of people is what the church is, not the walls and roof of some structure. The church is everywhere where "where two or three are gathered together in my (the Lord's) name" (Matthew 18:20).

Church dwelling place of God .

According to Scripture, in its final and main essence, the Church is a living organism (Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 1:24, Rom. 12:5; 1 Cor. 12:12-27), created by God (Matt. 16 :18), not an artificial formation in the form of a structure, an organization, or a Christian mission. Only the Triune God can give birth to the Church. The Church only expresses God, and therefore cannot be an object of worship as a Deity. Since Christ is all the members and He is in everyone, there must be no barriers in the Body - divisions and differences in order for the Body to function properly. “There is no more Jew or Gentile; there is no slave nor free; there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus,” says Paul to the Galatians 3:28. Satan's strategy against God is all division of the Body. There are many religious denominations with a claim to truth. They are all vicious , because divide the Body of Christ into many organizations. This is condemned by Scripture (1 Corinthians 1:11-13).

Purpose of the church

Jesus is never with other people in church. The purpose of the Church is evident from Acts 2:42-47 and is characterized by five main functions that are dictated by the Great Commission:

Evangelism: Bible study focuses on obedience to Christ in the work of evangelism,
- Apprenticeship: This is a lifelong journey. Evangelism begins the process, fellowship with other believers contributes, and service to others grows out of this,
- Fellowship of believers: God wants His children to associate with other believers and share their Christian experience,
- Service to others: Service is a natural result of discipleship in the process of Christian development, the discovery and use of spiritual gifts and abilities in order to serve others in the name of Jesus Christ,
- Worship of God: Worship is the result of knowing God and loving Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:23).

Characteristics of the New Testament Church :

Saved by the Blood of Christ: Acts 20:28; Ephesians 5:25-27
- Usually gathered in private houses: Romans 16:5; Col. 4:15; fm 2
- Performed divine services: Acts 20:7-11; 1 Corinthians 14:26-28; Heb.10:25
- Divided the sacraments: baptism: Acts 18:8; 1 Corinthians 12:13 and the Lord's Supper (breaking of bread): Acts 2:42; Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 11:23-33
- Was one: one body in Christ: Rom.12:5; Eph.4:13, one flock and one Shepherd: John 10:16
- Found joy in fellowship: Acts 2:42; 1 John 1:3-7
- Helped: Acts 4:32-37; 2 Corinthians 8:1-5
- Carried the Good News to others: Romans 1:8; 1 Thessalonians 1:8-10
- Grew up: Acts 4:4; Acts 5:14; Acts 16:5
- Organized: Acts 14:23; Phil 1:1; 1 Tim. 3:1-13; Tit.1:5-9
- Experienced difficulties: 1 Corinthians 1:11,12; 1 Corinthians 11:17-22; Gal.3:1-5
- Disciplined: Mt 18:15-17; 1 Corinthians 5:1-5; 2 Thess. 3:11-15; Tit.3:10,11
- Persecuted: Acts 8:1-3; Acts 17:5-9; 1 Thessalonians 2:14,15

Church members

The Church is the Body of the Lord Jesus Christ, and He is the Head of this living Body. The Church is God's family, made up of His children, who are sons of God and members of the Church. The members of the Body of Christ are all God's chosen people, baptized in one Spirit into one Body, redeemed by Christ and reborn by the Spirit, born into the Church, not joined to it. In the Body of Christ, there is an organic connection between the members of the Church and the Head.

Church members are called disciples of Christ (Matt. 28:19), brothers and sisters in the family of God (Rom. 8:29, 1 John 4:20-21).

The use of the names of brothers and sisters in a spiritual sense:

Christ is our brother: Rom.8:29; Heb.2:11
- we are brothers and sisters in Christ: Mt 12:50
- all Christians are brothers and sisters: Mt 23:8; 1 Corinthians 6:6; Flm 16
- special references to sisters: Romans 16:1; Flm 2; James 2:15; 2 John 13

Responsibilities of Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

Care for needy brothers and sisters: James 2:15; 1 John 3:17
- forgive each other: Mt 5:23,24; Mt 18:15,21,22
- love one another: Rom.12:10; 1 Thessalonians 4:9,10; Heb.13:1; 1 Peter 1:22; 1 Peter 2:17; 1 John 4:20,21
- forget about social differences: Phm 15.16; Gal.3:28
- to instruct a lost brother or sister: 1 Corinthians 5:11; 2 Thess. 3:6,14,15
- do not judge one another: Romans 14:10,13; 1 Corinthians 6:5-7; James 4:11
- do not lead one another into temptation: 1 Corinthians 8:9-13

Attitude of brothers and sisters towards Jesus (Matthew 13:55):

Wanted to see Jesus: Mt 12:46,47
- advised Jesus: John 7:3
- did not believe in Jesus: John 7:5
- later became disciples of Jesus: Acts 1:14
- went on missionary journeys: 1Cor.9:5
- Jacob became head of the church: Acts 15:13-21; Gal.2:9

Priesthood in the Church

Old Testament requirements for priests and their main duties (including Levites):

Belong to the tribe of Levi: Ex. 29:9,44; Ezra.2:61,62 and strictly follow God's ordinances: Lev.10:1-7
- do not shave: Lev.21:5,6 and follow special rules regarding marriage: Lev.21:7-9,13-15
- an outsider who entered the priesthood was punished: Numbers 18:7; 1 Sam. 13:8-14; 2 Chronicles 26:16-21
- showed the needs of the people to God: Heb.5:1-3 and performed cleansing from sin: Lev.16:1-22
- they sprinkled the blood of the victims: Lev.1:5,11; Lev.17:11 and made sacrifices on the altar: Lev.6:8,9
- kept the fire on the altar: Lev.6:13 and smoked fragrant incense on the altar: Ex.30:7-9; Luke 1:5-9
- kept the sanctuary: Numbers 3:38 and were responsible for the treasures: 1 Chronicles 26:20
- followed the service in the temple: 1 Chronicles 23:4
- carried the ark: Num.4:15
- led festive processions with songs: Nehemiah 12:27-43
- blessed people: Numbers 6:23-27 and prayed for people: Lev.16:20,21; Ride 9:5-15
- diagnosed with leprosy: Lev.13:1-8
- taught the law: Nehemiah 8:7,8; Mal.2:7 and judged according to the law: 1 Chr.23:4

Christ once and for all abolished (performed) Old Testament priesthood (Heb. 8:1-6; Heb. 9:26,28; Heb. 10:12; 1 John 2:2; Heb. 9:12; Rom. 3:24-28; 2 Cor. 5:18,19; Rom.8:34; Heb.7:25; 1 John 2:1)

Priesthood in the New Testament Church for all believers in Jesus Christ:

Called the holy priesthood: 1 Peter 2:5,9; Rev 1:6
- have access to God through Christ: John 14:6; Romans 5:2; Ephesians 2:18
- can confess sins directly to God: Mt 6:12; Luke 18:13; Acts 2:37,38; Acts 17:30
- their lives should become spiritual sacrifices: Rom.12:1; Heb.13:15,16; 1 Peter 2:5

Church as God

The Lord Jesus Christ is the King and Lord of heaven, earth and man. "And he appointed him above all things, the head of the church, which is his body, the fullness of him that fills all in all" (Eph. 1:22-23). This teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ as the Head of the Church is extremely important. Just as the members of our body and the head make up one living organism, so all believers with Christ also form one spiritual organism. The Church is born of the Triune God by her life, and as a corporate manifestation with believers in Christ, contains the nature of God, Christ and the Holy Spirit. But the church is not God, it only expresses God, and therefore cannot be an object of worship as a Deity. The Church is a living organism, where Christ is the Head of the Body, and each of the members has an organic connection with Him with a proper union among themselves in the Spirit. Therefore, the church cannot be an organization.

Church as a living organism

"God is spirit" (John 4:24). Just as no one has seen God, so we cannot see the church. The Church is a spiritual substance, which we can see only with the heart in the Body of Christ and the merged spirit. So, we see that the church of the New Testament time is not a religion, not a man-made structure and an earthly religious organization, but an assembly of those called together — as a living organism of the Body of Christ and the creation of the Triune God (Matt. 16:18).

Everything in earthly material life - buildings, organizations, etc. - is perishable, destroyed and transient. But the Church will live forever. She cannot die because her Head, Jesus Christ, lives forever. Its members - believers in Christ, were granted immortal life. Jesus said that He would build His Church and the gates of hell would not prevail against it (Mat. 16:18).

Although all believers are part of the church and gather in a material environment, the church does not include the material environment and does not express the sinful flesh of the believers. It is naive to expect this to be recognized by the leaders of traditional religions, since recognition would lead to the collapse of power, the well-being and vanity of the religious elite - a corrupt religious estate, as well as the entire material component of their corporation. All religions are man-made. Banking, political and religious elites are copulated with the world. The world is a system of slavery, where a person is a slave of the system of organizing society vertically and horizontally. Religions do not save from slavery. No president or other high-ranking puppet rules the world. The world is ruled by money and power. Prince of Peace Satan. With faith, repentance and baptism, the Lord Saves a person and accepts him into His family. Therefore, God is not a religion or a religious doctrine. The truth is only in God and His Word, and not in any of the religions and their corporations - organizations.

Church and State

The Church is not connected with any form of government in the world, for her sphere of action is the inner spiritual world person. The Church puts people in the face of eternity, looks at all the problems and questions of man in their direct relation to God. Jesus Christ came to earth not to resolve momentary political, financial, economic and legal problems, but to accomplish and establish an incomparably greater - the establishment of the Kingdom of God.

The state is a temporary and transient substance, it is one of the institutions of society, with the help of which society protects and develops itself. The purpose of the state is a political order, to provide fair and equal conditions for all its citizens. Therefore, as long as the freedom of an individual citizen does not interfere with the freedom of other citizens, the state cannot restrict his freedom. The activity of the state extends to the daily, earthly life of each person and ensures his temporary interests: protection from attacks on property or a person, equality before the law, freedom of conscience, opinion and other types of freedoms. Ensuring freedom of conscience and religion, the state thereby recognizes the right of a citizen to choose his life ideals. The state must be a defender of the conscience, rights and equality of all its citizens, and not of any one worldview or religion, including preventing its imposition.

More than two thousand years ago, Christ for the first time in history showed the possibility of delimiting the State and the Church. Christ uttered the words: “Caesar should be given what is in his charge, and God should be given what is God”, “... therefore, give Caesar’s to Caesar, and God's God"Matt. 22:21. These words indicate the existence of two important spheres with which every person comes into contact. In the image of Caesar, Jesus represents the State as a social institution and an apparatus of government in the world. "God's", according to Jesus, belongs to another sphere human being and is represented on earth by the Church of Christ, consisting of saved people.

Christians live simultaneously in two spheres, being members of the Church and citizens of the state, and they do not always manage to find the correct distinction between these spheres - to maintain a state of duality and live in balance between these two spheres of being. Failing that, Christians inevitably go to some extreme; either they reject the State and imagine that, being on earth, they will be able to live exclusively according to the laws of the Kingdom of Heaven, or, on the contrary, they will be so subject to the earthly state laws that they will ignore the requirements of Christ and transfer the effect of the laws of God only into eternity. Both are not connected with the Holy Scriptures.

The church is not just a temple (building). Much more is invested in this deep meaning. The Church, in the Christian sense, is understood as people united by a single hierarchy (clergy, apostolic succession), common sacraments (in seven of them) in a single Head - the Lord Jesus Christ. It turns out that the Church is a society of believers, a living "organism". The founder of the Church is Christ Himself. This is how he told the apostles about its creation, and mentioned the impossibility even of hell to overcome this society of believers. That is, any Christian participating in church life is a member of this society and, accordingly, of the Church.

What is the Church

The Church of Christ can be divided into several "types". In particular, the Church on earth and heaven. The first is understood to mean all Christians living on earth. This Church is called “militant” in theology, to the extent that Christian people are warriors on earth. They struggle with their passions and vices, and sometimes with the very manifestations of demonic power. The second type of Church (heavenly) is otherwise called "triumphant". It includes all holy people who have already crossed the threshold of eternity, as well as all those who have been honored to achieve paradise and unity with God after their death. They already triumph in eternal glory with God and are in his fellowship and love.

In addition, Christian theology can also refer to the “triumphant” Church all the heavenly angelic hosts.

Few words are used by Christians as often as the word "church". Unfortunately, there are few people who put into this word the same meaning as the Bible, and apply it. biblical meaning on practice. Given the importance of properly understanding what God's Word says about the church, we will dedicate this article to a detailed discussion of this topic.

1. Church: definition

A quick glance at what most people understand by "church" will show that the vast majority use the word either to refer to a building where various religious ceremonies are held, or as part of the name of various denominations. However, this use of the word "church" does not fit the definition given in God's Word. Thus, it is necessary to consider its significance more carefully.

1.1 The word "ekklesia" and its general meaning

The word "church" is a translation of the Greek word "ekklesia" which means "called, called together". As E.U. Bullinger, this word is used to mean "any assembly, but especially the assembly of citizens, or elected citizens." In the New Testament, it is used 115 times, where in 3 cases it is translated as "assembly", and in the remaining 112 - as "church". Having considered those 3 cases where this word means "meeting", we will see that it refers not only to Christian meetings. For example, Acts 19 says this about those who opposed Paul in Ephesus:

Acts 19:32, 35, 39, 40
“Meanwhile, some shouted one thing, and others another, for the assembly [Greek. “ekklesia”] was disorderly, and most of those gathered did not know why they had gathered ... The guardian of order, having calmed the people, said [to the assembly]: ... “And if you are looking for something else, then this will be decided in a legitimate assembly [Greek. "ekklesia"]. Having said this, he dismissed the assembly [Gr. "ekklesia"]".

It is clear from this passage that the word "ekklesia" was used to refer to a non-Christian, and in our case even an anti-Christian congregation. The Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament, also confirms the meaning of the word ekklesia as "assembly." There, the word is used 71 times and in all cases corresponds to the Hebrew word "qahal", which means "meeting, gathering, in the sense of action; gathering, cathedral; an assembly in a broader sense, as a multitude of people, armies, peoples, the wicked, the righteous, etc.”

From this we can conclude that the general meaning of the word translated "church" in our Bible is "assembly." The word was not used exclusively to refer to Christian meetings, or the buildings in which those meetings were held. On the contrary, it was a general concept used to refer to any gathering.

1.2 The word "ekklesia": its meaning in the Word of God

We have considered the general meaning of the word ekklesia, and now it is time to find out what it means in God's Word, and especially in that part of the Word that speaks of the age of grace (that is, in Acts and Epistles) in which we live. There, although the word again means an assembly, it refers to a special assembly, which includes only those who are born again, that is, all those who have confessed Jesus Lord with their lips and believed in their hearts that God raised Him from the dead (Romans 10:9 ). Another concept used in the Bible to refer to believers in Christ throughout the world is the "body" or "body of Christ." Evidence that the words "church," "body," and "body of Christ" are equivalent terms for the community of Christians as a whole can be found in various passages in God's Word. And, starting at 1 Corinthians 12:27, we read:

1 Corinthians 12:27
"AND YOU are the body of Christ, and separately - members.

And in Colossians 1:18 written:
“And He [Jesus Christ] is the head of the body of the Church…”

Also, Ephesians 1:22-23 says:
“And [God] put all things under His [Christ] feet, and set Him above all things, the head Church, which is His [Christ's] Body…»

WE, all believers together, make up the Body of Christ. The Bible does not say that one body is gathered in one place and another body in another. And the Bible doesn't call one denomination one body and another another. It only says that " you are the Body of Christ", "church ". And the word "you" refers to me, to you, and to every born-again believer. The Word of God makes no distinction at all based on denomination, race, social status, location, or other factors. Galatians 3:26-28 says:

Galatians 3:26-28
"For You are ALL sons of God by faith in Christ Jesus; All of you who were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is no longer a Jew, nor a Gentile; there is no slave nor free; there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus».

We are all, without any distinction, children of God by faith in Jesus Christ, and all, again without any distinction, are members of the body of Christ.

The Church or Body is only one, not several, and this is also clear from other passages in Scripture. In Romans 12:4-5 we read:

Romans 12:4-5
“For just as we have many members in one body, but not all the members have the same work, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and one by one members of another.”

also in 1 Corinthians 12:12-13 says:
“For as the body is one, but has many members, and all the members of one body, though many, are one body, so is Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body, Jews or Greeks, slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

1 Corinthians 12:20
"But now the members are many, but the body is one."

Ephesians 2:16
“[in order…] in one body to reconcile both [Jews and Gentiles] with God by means of the cross, having killed the enmity on it.”

Ephesians 4:4
"One body and one spirit, just as you were called to one hope of your calling."

And finally, Colossians 3:15
“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which you were called in one body, and be friendly.”

From these passages it is obvious that the church, the body of Christ, is a single community that includes all the born again, that is, those who confessed Jesus Lord with their mouths and believed in their hearts that God raised Him from the dead. Unfortunately, what is very clear in God's Word is ignored by many Christians, at least as evidenced by the existence of a large number of denominations. Indeed, many of us, instead of considering all believers as members of the one Body of Christ and all other Christians as brothers and sisters in one body, call ourselves members of a particular denomination, which is also considered the body or the Church with a capital letter, and all Christians who do not belong to this denomination are regarded as strangers or even enemies. Fortunately, God's Word does not share this position. And, as we see, for God we (all Christians) are not strangers and not enemies to each other, even if we have different views on many issues. If we agree that Jesus is Lord and that God raised Him from the dead, we are all children of God, brothers, members of one body, and, as Romans 12:5 says, members of one another. Isn't it wonderful? And it's really a pity that the devil managed to hide this wonderful truth, making us think that the body is limited to a denomination, an organization, or a congregation. But this is not the body, but only parts of the body, which consists of thousands of other assemblies and millions of Christians, even if their views agree only that Jesus is Lord, and God raised Him from the dead. Therefore, instead of denominational strife and hatred, we must put into our hearts the truth that we are one body and act accordingly, loving and serving other Christians who are one body with us. Otherwise, we are doomed to be at enmity with each other, thereby only causing harm to the body.

2. Church: its head

Having made sure that the church, by definition of the Bible, is one and includes all those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and His resurrection, let's move on to the question of who is the head or leader in the church. Again, the Bible's answer to this extremely important question is very clear. Ephesians 5:23 says:

Ephesians 5:23
« Christ Head of the Church».

Here are more passages confirming that the Lord Jesus is the ruler and head of the church:

Ephesians 1:22
“…and [God] put all things under His [Jesus] feet, and made Him above all things, the head of the Church».

Colossians 1:18
“And He [Jesus] is the head of the body of the Church».

From all these passages we see that God has made the head of the church and EVERYTHING connected with it, the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the head, and the church is His Body. Just as in the physical body the head governs everything, so in the church Christ, being the head of all, leads the church and governs it. He and He alone is its leader and only boss. Thus, in contrast to the various hierarchies that can be seen in many denominations and organizations, the hierarchy of the church as established by God is as follows: God is the head of Christ first (1 Corinthians 11:3). Then Christ, the head of the church, and then all of us who believe in Jesus Christ and his resurrection, who make up the body of Christ, the church. From this we draw the following conclusion: there is not "many churches with a large number of mortal leaders", but "ONE church with ONE immortal head - the Lord Jesus Christ."

3. Church: its members

We have already seen that the only condition necessary to become a member of the church is to be born again or saved, which happens, I repeat, when we confess with our mouths Jesus as Lord and believe in our hearts that God has raised Him from the dead (Romans 10:9). We also became convinced that the head and head of the church is the Lord Jesus Christ. Next, with the foregoing in mind, we will take a closer look at the role of the members of the body of Christ.

3.1: Different needs and different roles in the church

It is no coincidence that God presents the church as a body. Although in the previous part we already considered Christ as the head of the church, 1 Corinthians 12 expands on this metaphor in more detail. Beginning in verse 12 we read:

1 Corinthians 12:12-14
"For as the body is one ( physical body- approx. author), but has many members, and all the members of one body, though many, are one body, so also Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body (church - author's note), Jews or Greeks, slaves or free, and we are all made to drink by one Spirit. The body is not of one member, but of many».

Four times in this passage we are told that the body is one, which again confirms what we have already seen, that is, that there is only one body to which all Christians belong. However, it says something else: The body is not of one member, but of many". Verses 15-20 will help us better understand what the Lord wants us to say. In them we read:

1 Corinthians 12:15-20
“If the leg says: I do not belong to the body, because I am not the hand, then does it really not belong to the body? And if the ear says: I do not belong to the body, because I am not the eye, then does it really not belong to the body? If the whole body is eyes, then where is hearing? If everything is hearing, then where is the sense of smell? But God arranged the members, each in the composition of the body, as He pleased. And if all were one member, then where would the body be? But now there are many members, but the body is one».

In this passage, Paul makes an inspired comparison between the physical body and the church, the Body of Christ. And his conclusion is that, just as the physical body consists of many members, each of which performs a certain function necessary for the body, so in the Body of Christ, in the church, there are many members, each of which the Lord disposed so, as he pleased to perform an action necessary for the Body, which may differ from those functions performed by other members of the body. To better explain this principle to us, Paul asks us to imagine what it would be like if everything were an eye. It is clear that in such a hypothetical case, a person could neither smell, nor move, nor bend - would have nothing but sight. And therefore, than having a body consisting only of eyes, it is much better if the body has various functions that meet its needs. In this way all the members of the body will be involved and all the needs of the body will be best served. As 1 Corinthians 12:19 says, “ And if everyone were one member(that is, if all members performed the same role - author's note), where would the body be? To apply this principle to the body of Christ, instead of having all members fill the same role, it is much better to distribute responsibilities among the members of the body so that everyone is fully involved and all the needs of the body are met. That is exactly what happens. Romans 12:4-5 says:

Romans 12:4-5
"For, as in one body we have many members, but not all members have the same thing, so we many, we are one body in Christ.”

As this passage shows, there is a division of duties in the Body of Christ, and each member has a role in the body that may be different from that of another. But who determines our role in the Body of Christ? 1 Corinthians 12:18 gives us the answer. It says there: But God arranged the members, each in the composition of the body, as He pleased". Thus, it is God who determines our role in the Body.

Having seen that there are many responsibilities in the Body of Christ, and not all members of the Body perform the same responsibilities, let's move on to the next aspects. Below in 1 Corinthians 12 we read:

1 Corinthians 12:21-25
“The eye cannot tell the hand: I don’t need you; or also head to feet: I don't need you. On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be the weakest are much more needed, and which seem to us less noble in the body, we make more care for those; and our ugly ones are more plausibly covered, but our decent ones have no need of it. But God measured the body, inspiring greater care for the less perfect, so that there would be no division in the body, and all members would equally care for each other.

There is not one member in the Body of Christ that does not need other members, and there is not one that is not needed in the Body of Christ. This passage tells us that God designed the Body in such a way that its members would be dependent on one another.

Returning to duties in the Body: 1 Corinthians 12:28-30 says:

1 Corinthians 12:28-30
« And God placed others in the Church(in the body - author's note), firstly, Apostles, secondly, prophets, thirdly, teachers; further, gave to others miraculous powers, also gifts of healings, help, management, different languages. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all miracle workers? Does everyone have gifts of healing? Does everyone speak in tongues? Are all interpreters?

In this passage, God's Word lists to us the duties that exist in the Body of Christ, and which, as already mentioned, are distributed among the members of the body, as he pleased. The following roles are listed in the passage above: apostles, prophets, teachers, miracle workers, having gifts of healing, speaking in tongues, interpreters of tongues. Ephesians 4:7-8, 11 talks about this in more detail. We read:

Ephesians 4:7-8, 11
“To each of us has been given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Therefore, it is said: having ascended on high, he took captive captivity and gave gifts to people ... And He [Christ] appointed some Apostles, others prophets, others Evangelists, others shepherds and teachers.

Also in Romans 12:4-8 it says:
“For just as we have many members in one body, but not all the members have the same work, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and one by one members of another. And just as, according to the grace given to us, we have various gifts, if you have prophecy, prophesy according to the measure of faith; if you have service, stay in service; whether a teacher, - in teaching; whether the exhorter, exhort; whether you are a distributor, distribute in simplicity; if you are a leader, lead with diligence; philanthropist, do good with cordiality.

As we can see from these passages, there are many different functions in the Body. God Himself distributes them among the members in such a way as to best satisfy all the needs of the Body. Thus, there are teachers to teach, evangelists to preach the gospel, shepherds to shepherd the church, and so on. Like our physical body, the Body of Christ is self-sufficient because God has given each member a specific function to meet any need.

4. A close look at 1 Corinthians 12:28-30

Based on the foregoing, the reader may think that a person can benefit the Body by playing only the role that God has appointed him. In other words, one might think that a teacher cannot fulfill the duties of a pastor, or that no one can speak in tongues, or interpret, or prophesy, unless the Lord has assigned him such a role in the Body. 1 Corinthians 12:28-30 is often used to support this view. It says:

1 Corinthians 12:28-30
“And God appointed others in the Church, firstly, apostles, secondly, prophets, thirdly, teachers; further, he gave miraculous powers to others, also gifts of healings, help, management, different languages. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all miracle workers? Does everyone have gifts of healing? Does everyone speak in tongues? Are all interpreters?

Many interpret the question marks in this passage to mean that not all Christians can speak in tongues, interpret tongues, prophesy, teach, or heal, but only those who are assigned this duty in the Body. However, such a conclusion can only be drawn by ignoring the context of the passage, as well as other passages on the same topic. Let's take other languages ​​as an example. 1 Corinthians 12:8-12 highlights this gift as one of the nine manifestations of the Spirit, and 1 Corinthians 14:5 clearly states that God desires all to speak in tongues. 1 Corinthians 14:5 says:

1 Corinthians 14:5
"I wish you all spoke in tongues."

The word "desire" in this passage is in the present tense. The Greek uses the verb "thelo" which means "to desire, to love, to delight, to enjoy". The verb is in the present tense, and this indicates that God expresses his desire and preference for the present tense. So God wants and desires you to speak in tongues now. “I want you all to speak in tongues,” says the Lord. And this is not a hypothetical desire, this is what God wants now, in the present tense, from all of us.

Returning to our subject, it is necessary to answer a simple question: is it possible that God wants us all to speak in tongues, if speaking in tongues were not available to everyone? Of course not . So, if God wants us ALL to speak in tongues, that means we can ALL speak in tongues. That's what God's Word says, and nothing else is implied here. By the way, without exception, all Christians can not only speak in tongues, but also prophesy and interpret tongues. In verse 5 we are told:

1 Corinthians 14:5
“I wish (Greek “thelo” - “I want” - author's note) that you all speak in tongues; but it is better that you (everyone - author's note) prophesy; for he who prophesies is more excellent than he who speaks in tongues, unless he also speaks, so that the church may receive edification.”

Since God asks us not only to speak in tongues, but also to prophesy and explain (the latter two gifts are used by us in the church to edify the Body of Christ), this means that we can not only speak in tongues, but also prophesy and explain.

So, with all that said, what do the questions in 1 Corinthians 12:28-30 mean? The answer must be sought in the context of the passage. And as we have seen, the context (1 Corinthians 12:12-30) is not about manifestations of the spirit, but about purpose, about special duties that a believer can perform in the church. In our case, ALL Christians can and should speak in tongues, interpret, prophesy, and seek to manifest all nine gifts of the Spirit listed in 1 Corinthians 12:7-10. However not everyone is given service or some special role in the body associated with speaking in tongues, teaching, prophecy or explanation, etc. To better understand this point, let's imagine that someone is appointed by God to be a teacher in the church, and another is appointed to minister through other tongues. Both of them can both teach and speak in tongues, but for service in the Body, the first will bring more benefit through teaching, and the second through other tongues. As we have already seen, we all belong to the same Body, but we are all different members.

In conclusion, the following should be said: all Christians can do anything. However, in the Body, God has placed some in one service and others in another. If someone is now wondering what his role is in the body, then I will answer: turn to God and ask what He wants from you. It doesn't matter what this ministry is called, because I can be appointed in the Body as an evangelist and not do it. On the other hand, if I give myself to God, He will surely lead me to what, from His point of view, I should do in the Body. I may not even know what my role is called, but that's not important. It is important to put myself at the disposal of God so that He can use me, a member of the Body, as He sees fit. Thus, we must turn to God and ask Him to show us why He needs us in the Body. His job is to show us how He wants to use us in the Body and lead us in that direction. Our business is to put ourselves at His disposal, to do whatever He says, and to act when He wants to.

Notes

For example, "Roman Catholic Church", "Greek Orthodox Church", "Anglican Church", etc.

See Young's concordance to the Bible, p.59.

See Wilson's Old Testament Word Studies (Kregel Publications, Grand Rapids, Michigan, p. 92).

Apart from three occurrences in the gospels and seven occurrences in Revelation, the majority of the word "ekklesia" occurs in the Acts and epistles.

In addition to being used in a broad sense, the word "church" is also used in a narrow sense, meaning a gathering of born-again believers in a particular locality. So in Romans 16:3-5 and 1 Corinthians 4:15 we are told about the church in the house of Priscilla and Aquila, that is, about the meeting of believers that took place in their house. Also Colossians 4:15 refers to the church in Nymphan's house. There are other passages where local assemblies of believers are called churches: Romans 16:1, 1 Corinthians 1:2, 1 Thessalonians 1:1, and Galatians 1:2. The meaning of the word church (a local assembly of believers or the body of Christ throughout the world) in a given passage is determined from the context.

Characteristically, although the word "church" also occurs in the plural when used in a narrow sense (see footnote 5 and Galatians 1:21), the word "body" is never used in the plural and always means the one universal Body of Christ, Universal Church.

1 Corinthians 11:3 also says that Christ also has a head, God.

We look at 1 Corinthians 12:28-30 in more detail in the fourth section of the article. Also note that an apostle is a role in the Body of Christ, not a title for the twelve biblical apostles. And just as there are teachers and evangelists today, so there can be apostles.

According to 1 Corinthians 12:8-12, these include: the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, faith, gifts of healing, miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, tongues, interpretation of tongues.

See Greek Bible Dictionary Online.

Unfortunately, many translations, especially in English, misrepresent the meaning of the passage, translating it as: "I wish you all spoke in tongues." However, Greek does not use the subjunctive ("lalein" - speak). (See also explanations in the Online Bible). God is not expressing a hypothetical desire here, but what He wants us to do NOW.

Otherwise, 1 John 1:5 would not tell us that "God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all." Is it possible to call the Light of the one who, desiring certain actions from us, does not give us the opportunity to perform them? .

CHURCH

CHURCH

(from the Greek. kyriakon - the house of the Lord)

In the course of history, the Christian church has experienced divisions, the result of which has become - many churches within the framework of a common religion. The Nestorians and (the so-called pre-Chalcedonian churches) fell away from the eastern (Byzantine) church; in 1054 the eastern and western (Roman) churches were finally separated. During the Reformation of the 16th century. separated from Rome Protestant churches, which marked the beginning of the process of formation of many different Protestant denominations. As a result, we can talk about three main types of churches: Eastern Orthodox - national, in practice state, churches, united by a single dogma and communion in the sacraments; Roman Catholic - the world church, subject to the jurisdiction of the Pope; Protestant - the church as a congregation of believers in Christ belonging to a particular confessional tradition(It should be noted that there are also state, national churches, ideologically dating back to the Reformation).

In the era of confessionalism, the churches turned out to be maximally alienated from each other, which was expressed by differences in doctrine, worship and organization, and the result was mutual accusations of “anti-churchness” and religious wars. In the modern era, when the church has gradually lost its influence in society due to secularization, it is limited to satisfying the religious needs of individuals, as well as protecting Christian values. An indirect result of this was the emergence in the 20th century. world ecumenical movement (see. Ecumenism), which is the rapprochement of various Christian churches and their reunification before the non-religious world. A number of theologians and church leaders propose to harmonize Christian faith with modern science and culture and adapt church practice to changed historical conditions (see Religious Modernism). In turn, conservative church circles oppose, on the one hand, ecumenism, defending their confessional, and on the other hand, they call for a return to such a social structure in which the church will again play the role of a determining force in the field of worldview and morality (see Fundamentalism).

A. I. Kyrlezhev

New Philosophical Encyclopedia: In 4 vols. M.: Thought. Edited by V. S. Stepin. 2001 .

Synonyms:

See what "CHURCH" is in other dictionaries:

Husband. church, southern, western, novg. place, building for Christian worship, temple, God's temple. Our church is different from prayer house the consecration of the throne, which is replaced in a marching, portable church with an antimension. The church is not in logs, but in ... ... Dictionary Dalia

- (church region), churches, pl. churches, churches, churches (churches simple.), wives. 1. The building in which worship takes place. Stone church. wooden church. Five-domed church. Tent church. Take the church to the club. 2. Christian ... ... Explanatory Dictionary of Ushakov

Church- The church, seen somewhere in the distance, portends disappointment in the events expected for a long time. If in a dream you entered a church immersed in darkness, you have foggy prospects ahead. Looks like you've been long enough... Big universal dream book

There is no salvation outside the church. Augustine the Blessed The church is more of a hospital for sinners than a museum of saints. Abigail Van Beuren The Church, by binding, grants freedom. Stefan Napersky Church is a place where gentlemen who have never been in heaven, ... ... Consolidated encyclopedia of aphorisms

Cm … Synonym dictionary

Church, temple - a building intended for worship. Sometimes a part of a civil building used for worship can also be called a temple. If the temple is two-story (with an altar on each floor), then it is customary to talk about floors: the upper temple, ... ... Catholic Encyclopedia

Hospitality

Christian church(from Greek. Κυριακόν , "belonging to the Lord" or "ekklesia keriakon" - "Church of the Lord") - a religious community of Christians united by a common faith in Jesus Christ as God and Savior, who is the founder of the Church and its Head. In ecclesiology, the Church refers to the community of Christians, past and present, who constitute the mystical Body of Christ, of which Christ is the head. In religious studies, the Church is understood as a community of Christians united on the basis of a common dogma, as a separate community, or as a worldwide association of Christian communities.

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Etymology

From the word "Ἐκκλησία" also comes the name of ecclesiology - a section of Christian theology that illuminates issues related to the church.

Use of the term

Secondly, it is a church, like a gathering of Christians in one locality. In this sense, it is close to modern concepts of a Christian community or parish. However, there is a difference: there is no mention in the New Testament that even in large cities there would be more than one such church. In modern Christianity, this is quite acceptable. It was the use of the concept of “church”, as a local Christian community, that over time was associated with the premises where meetings of Christians of some kind were organized. locality or locality (see Church   (structure)).

Thirdly, it is a home or small church - a gathering of Christians in one family, including relatives, neighbors and slaves (if any).

In connection with the confessional division of the Church, the meaning of the church as a Christian denomination was added to the New Testament meanings of the word (for example, Orthodox Church, Catholic Church, Lutheran Church, etc.)

In addition, the word “church” is used to refer to national religious organizations within Christian denominations (for example, the Russian Orthodox Church, the Syrian Catholic Church, the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church, etc.) (see Local Church)

The term “church” is sometimes used as a self-designation, including by organizations whose affiliation with Christianity is disputed, for example, the Church Jesus Christ Latter day Saints, the Unification Church, etc., and clearly anti-Christian organizations, for example, the Church Satan.

Universal Church (Church of Christ)

The existence of the Church of Christ as a certain noumenal principle is not universal evidence; therefore the Christian is required to believe in it. The Niceno-Tsaregradsky Symbol of Faith speaks directly about this: "I believe in the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church" recognized in historic churches and most Protestant denominations.

It cannot be assumed that in our time the Church of Christ does not reside anywhere else, on the contrary, one should believe that it is the goal towards which all Churches and Church Communities should strive. In fact, the elements of this already organized church exist, united in fullness in the Catholic Church and, without this fullness, in other communities. Therefore, although we believe that these Churches and communities separated from us suffer from some shortcomings, nevertheless they are clothed with significance and weight in the mystery of salvation. For the Spirit of Christ does not refuse to use them as means of salvation, the power of which comes from that fullness of grace and truth, which is entrusted to the Catholic Church.

Borders of the Church in Orthodoxy

According to Orthodox catechism Metropolitan Filaret  (Drozdov), “The Church is a community of people established by God, united by the Orthodox faith, the Law of God, the hierarchy and the Sacraments” . The question of the boundaries of the Universal Church is currently being hotly debated in Orthodoxy. [ ] According to the most common and mainstream point of view, it is believed that the Ecumenical Church coincides with the boundaries of world Orthodoxy, and those outside its canonical boundaries can belong to it “invisibly” (this is the fundamental difference between Orthodox and Catholic ecumenism, which speaks of the invisible membership of the visible Church (Orthodox or Catholic, respectively), from Protestant ecumenical concepts - "theory of branches" and "invisible church").

According to the "Basic principles of attitude towards heterodoxy of the Russian Orthodox Church",

1.15. The Orthodox Church, through the mouths of the Holy Fathers, asserts that salvation can only be found in the Church of Christ. But at the same time, communities that fell away from unity with Orthodoxy were never seen as completely devoid of the grace of God. The rupture of church communion inevitably leads to damage to the grace-filled life, but not always to its complete disappearance in the separated communities. It is precisely with this that the practice of accepting into the Orthodox Church those who come from heterodox communities is connected, not only through the Sacrament of Baptism. Despite the rupture of unity, a certain incomplete communion remains, which serves as a guarantee of the possibility of returning to unity in the Church, to catholic fullness and unity. 1.16. The ecclesiastical position of those who have separated cannot be unambiguously defined. In a divided Christian world there are some signs that unite him: this is the Word of God, faith in Christ as God and Savior who came in the flesh (1 John 1, 1-2; 4, 2, 9), and sincere piety. 1.17. The existence of various rites (through Baptism, through Chrismation, through Repentance) shows that the Orthodox Church approaches heterodox confessions differently. The criterion is the degree of preservation of the faith and structure of the Church and the norms of the spiritual Christian life. But, establishing various rites, the Orthodox Church does not pass judgment on the degree of preservation or damage of the grace-filled life in heterodoxy, considering this a mystery of Providence and judgment of God.

At the same time, the presence in non-Orthodox confessions, which have retained the formal canonical structure of apostolic succession, a real priesthood, and hence the grace of other sacraments, is debatable. The doctrine of the existence of apostolic succession outside the Orthodox Church is based on the doctrine of the reality of heretical baptism in the name of the Trinity, performed with the aim of making a person a part of the Church (4 canon, section "On Baptism", 7th session, 19 Ecumenical Council- Council of Trent); and also on the documents of the Council of Ferrara-Florence, bull of Pope Eugene November 8-22, 1439, on the indelibility of the priesthood. For the first time, the doctrine of the indelibility of the priesthood was formulated in Orthodoxy in Ukraine in the 17th century, in the great catechism of Lavrentiy Zizaniy Tustanovsky, then Peter Mohyla in his breviary sets out the doctrine of the presence of apostolic succession outside Orthodoxy. AT modern times in Russia this point of view was defended by Patr. Sergius (Stragorodsky) and prot. Sergius Bulgakov. According to this view, which is consistent with modern official teaching catholic church Not only individual non-Orthodox Christians, by virtue of their faith and piety, but also Church structures that preserve an intact succession of ordinations due to the validity of their sacraments, invisibly participate in the Church. However, the above official position of the Russian Orthodox Church leaves this question open, referring to the "mystery of Providence and the judgment of God."

Absence in Orthodox Church a single body of teaching makes possible coexistence in Orthodox theology polar points of view on the boundaries of the Church - from the extremely ecumenistic to the extremely integrist.

Borders of the Church in Protestantism

Therefore, the main “strengthening bonds” of the Church (cf. Eph.) in the view of Protestants are not the canonicity of the sacraments, but the awareness of faith in Christ and the readiness to follow Him. Thus, the Church is a collection of Christ and all His disciples, living and dead, regardless of whether there is a canonical or Eucharistic communion. Such an idea causes for some evangelical denominations a fundamental rejection of child baptism (in their opinion, babies, due to their age, are not able to have faith), and also motivates the refusal to limit the Church of Christ to confessional frameworks. Thus, according to the doctrine of Evangelical Christians-Baptists, the Church is a community “People redeemed by the blood of Christ from every kindred, tongue, people and nation that are in heaven and on earth”.

In some Protestant denominations, the Church is sometimes referred to as the "invisible". This is due to the belief that God sees the Church differently than man. “The true boundaries of the Church are unknown to us, only God knows which of those who have been baptized and consider themselves members of the Church (to its various congregations) are reborn  (born again) and therefore belong to the Church as a spiritual community”, says the article "The Church" in the New Geneva Study Bible. It is also emphasized there (with reference to the words of Jesus Christ, for example, Matt., Matt., Matt.) that in a church organization visible to a person there will always be people (including church hierarchs) who consider themselves Christians, but in the eyes of God not being such.