Grace IBC
We, the Church: The Attributes
What are the attributes that are found in Scripture of the true church?
Locations & Times
Grace IBC
Xaverianenstraat 1, 8200 Brugge, Belgium
Sunday 10:15 AM
What is the church?
- Are a few believers in someone’s home a church?
- If a few believers get together and pray every week, is it a church?
- Because a church creates a VZW, is it a church?
- Because a church is registered with the government, is it a church?
- Are a few believers in someone’s home a church?
- If a few believers get together and pray every week, is it a church?
- Because a church creates a VZW, is it a church?
- Because a church is registered with the government, is it a church?
What do they find in this unity in Christ?
- They were made one
- They were one body
- Members of God’s house
- Built together for purpose
- They have things that are common between them
- They were made one
- They were one body
- Members of God’s house
- Built together for purpose
- They have things that are common between them
Our bond as a church is that we have the common experience that we have been taken from the kingdom of darkness and set in the kingdom of light.
The Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed
The unity of the church reflects to the world that God is one
- Back to Ephesians 2:14, “For he is our peace, who made both groups one”
- The church is one because of the unity that is found in Christ
- Back to Ephesians 2:14, “For he is our peace, who made both groups one”
- The church is one because of the unity that is found in Christ
The church is God’s instrument to reveal Himself to the world
If we want to reach our city and world with the gospel well, the gospel must first be visible inside the body of Christ
If we want to reach our city and world with the gospel well, the gospel must first be visible inside the body of Christ
Because of the presence of the Holy Spirit in believers (the church), the church is holy.
The holiness of the church is what also shows to the outside world that we are separate, distinct, set apart for God’s purposes.
There are two distinctions of church: universal (of all time and all churches) and local church
- This is expressed as the invisible and visible church
- The universal church is invisible because while it exists, the world can’t yet see or recognize it
The universal church is all true churches from the very beginning of the church to the end of time for humanity on this earth
The church is universal because Jesus is the head of the church (collectively) for all time
- This is expressed as the invisible and visible church
- The universal church is invisible because while it exists, the world can’t yet see or recognize it
The universal church is all true churches from the very beginning of the church to the end of time for humanity on this earth
The church is universal because Jesus is the head of the church (collectively) for all time
Meaning
- Used in general context (non-church)
- Assemblies for a specific task
- Example: ekklesia used in Acts to describe rioters gathered against Paul
- Ekklesia as a church: the people of God who have been saved by his grace and incorporated as the community of faith
- We gather around our commonality and mission in Christ, to glorify Him
“Thus, the church is the koinonia or 'fellowship' of people who have accepted and entered into the reign of God.”
The church is universal because it belongs to Christ and Christ alone
- Used in general context (non-church)
- Assemblies for a specific task
- Example: ekklesia used in Acts to describe rioters gathered against Paul
- Ekklesia as a church: the people of God who have been saved by his grace and incorporated as the community of faith
- We gather around our commonality and mission in Christ, to glorify Him
“Thus, the church is the koinonia or 'fellowship' of people who have accepted and entered into the reign of God.”
The church is universal because it belongs to Christ and Christ alone
As a church, the Bible is central for everything
- It is our complete authority for everything we are and do
- It helps us to understand the fundamentals of who we are as a church and what we are to do
The church is:
- One
- Holy
- Universal
- Apostolic
My hope and prayer for this series is that we
- Grow in our knowledge of God and His design for His church
- Become more like the biblical descriptions of the church
- Become healthier as a church and become the church God has designed us to be
- Would grow in our spiritual maturity
- Glorify God better
- It is our complete authority for everything we are and do
- It helps us to understand the fundamentals of who we are as a church and what we are to do
The church is:
- One
- Holy
- Universal
- Apostolic
My hope and prayer for this series is that we
- Grow in our knowledge of God and His design for His church
- Become more like the biblical descriptions of the church
- Become healthier as a church and become the church God has designed us to be
- Would grow in our spiritual maturity
- Glorify God better