The Use Of The Word “Church”

by Micky Galloway

It would seem during the time of the pandemic of COVID-19, it is necessary to revisit the word “church” and see how it is used in the Bible. “When Jesus came into the parts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Who do men say that the Son of man is? … And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God … And I also say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:13-18). What was the church which the Lord was promising to build? How is the word used in the Bible?

The word “church” is not inherently a religious word. “Church” is an English word, but it is used to translate the Greek word ekklesia. The Greek word simply means to “call out” or to “summon forth.” According to the Englishman’s Greek Concordance (PC Study Bible), the word ekklesia is used 114 times in the New Testament. It is derived from the Greek preposition ek meaning “out” or “out from,” plus the Greek verb kaleo which means “to call” or “to summon.” Therefore, Thayer’s Greek Lexicon says that the term means “the called out.” Thayer also says that the word means, “a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place: an assembly.” The word is used to describe an unlawful assembly in the city of Ephesus. A man named Demetrius stirred up a mob against Paul because his business of making silver shrines was being jeopardized by Paul’s preaching. “Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly (ekklesia) was in confusion; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together” (Acts 19:26). The word is also used to describe a lawful assembly arranged to settle civil disputes. The town clerk, trying to calm the angry mob in Ephesus, stated that if any of these men had a matter against Paul and his fellow-workers, they should take it up in the proper “lawful assembly” (KJV) (verse 39). When the town clerk had finished speaking, “he dismissed the (unlawful mg) assembly (ekklesia)” (Acts 19:41).

The Church Universal. The word ekklesia was used by the Lord to refer to those who have been called out of one relationship into another. This expression “the called out,” designates the relationship of “people” to the world and to God. They are called out of the world into the fellowship of His Son. Jesus said to the apostles, “If ye were of the world, the world would love its own: but because ye are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you” (John 15:19). As Jesus prayed for the apostles He said, “They are not of the world even as I am not of the world” (John 17:16). Christians are called out of the world by the gospel (II Thessalonians 2:14) into “the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord” (I Corinthians 1:9). It is in this sense that Christians form a class to themselves, differing from everything else. They are in the world, but not of the world (cf. Romans 12:1-2). They must keep themselves unspotted from the world (James 1:27). “Come ye out from among them and be ye separate …” (II Corinthians 6:17-7:1). They have been translated out of darkness into the kingdom of Christ (Colossians 1:13). It is in this sense that the church is “God’s called out.” They belong to the Lord. The church then is “people” called by the gospel for the purpose of glorifying God (cf. I Peter 2:9). It is in this sense that the church is spoken of in the New Testament in general terms without reference to a particular location (Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 1:22-23; etc.). In such passages, the reference is to the saints, disciples, or people of God in general. When a person obeys the gospel of Christ, the Lord adds that person to His church (Acts 2:47). In this sense, it includes all the saved of all the earth. It has no earthly organization. It has no earthly structure or arrangement by which it can function. There is absolutely no legislative body or governing council with earthly headquarters. Christ is the only head of His body, the church (Ephesians 5:23) and He has only one (Ephesians 4:4).

The Local Church. Not only is the word “church” used in the universal sense, but it is also used in a local or congregational sense. It is in this sense that we read phrases like; “the church in …” and “the church of …” and “the brethren that are in …” (cf. Acts 9:26; 11:26; 18:1-3; 28:16; Romans 16:1; I Corinthians 1:2; II Corinthians 1:1; Galatians 1:2; Ephesians 1:1; Philippians 1:1, Colossians 1:2; I Thessalonians 1:1; II Thessalonians 1:1; I Peter 5:13; Revelation 1:20; 2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7, 14). The local church then is people working together in a given locality, engaging in specific activities and with functions assigned to them. It is in this sense that the church is organized, “And when they had appointed for them elders in every church” (Acts 14:23). In this sense the local church works, maintains discipline, and controls its own fellowship (I Corinthians 5:1ff; Romans 16:17-18; II Thessalonians 3:6-7; Titus 3:10). It is in this sense that a treasury is maintained (I Corinthians 16:1-3). It is “joined” by mutual agreement on the part of those involved, in harmony with the Scriptures (cf. Acts 9:26-28). While the local church exists all the time (assembled or not), not every act of the individual members is an act of the local church.

The Church Assembled. The word “church” is also used to identify an assembly of saints. “For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that divisions exist among you; and I partly believe it” (I Corinthians 11:18). “When therefore ye assemble yourselves together (into one place, KJV), it is not possible to eat the Lord's supper …” (I Corinthians 11:20). “Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, wait one for another. If any man is hungry, let him eat at home; that your coming together be not unto judgment. And the rest will I set in order whensoever I come” (I Corinthians 11:33-34).

“When ye come together.” “Sunerchomai I Corinthians 11:17 ff. is theologically important. Here the word is a technical term for the coming together of the Christian congregation, especially to administer the Lord’s Supper. Paul attacks scandals in Christian gatherings, e.g., divisions, the lack of order and discipline at the Lord’s Supper. In I Corinthians 14:23, 26 Paul takes up again the question of Christian gatherings and in his directions on spiritual gifts speaks of the task, position and legitimacy of speaking with tongues” (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament). Sunerchomai It is frequently used of “coming together,” especially of the “gathering” of a local church, I Corinthians 11:17-18, 20, 33-34; 14:23, 26 (W.E. Vine). NOTE: VIRTUAL does not mean ACTUAL.

“If therefore the whole church be assembled together [sunerchomai] (into one place, KJV) and all speak with tongues, and there come in men unlearned or unbelieving, will they not say that ye are mad? But if all prophesy, and there come in one unbelieving or unlearned, he is reproved by all, he is judged by all; the secrets of his heart are made manifest; and so he will fall down on his face and worship God, declaring that God is among you indeed” (I Corinthians 14:23-25).

“What is it then, brethren? When ye come together [sunerchomai], each one hath a psalm, hath a teaching, hath a revelation, hath a tongue, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying. If any man speaketh in a tongue, (let it be) by two, or at the most three, and (that) in turn; and let one interpret: but if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church [ekklesia]” (I Corinthians 14:26-28).

“Let the women keep silence in the churches [ekklesia]: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but let them be in subjection, as also saith the law. And if they would learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home: for it is shameful for a woman to speak in the church [ekklesia]” (I Corinthians 14:34-35).

Where Two or Three Gathered Together (Matthew 18:20). During this coronavirus pandemic some cite this passage as proof that when we are unable to assemble, families or small gatherings of brethren are authorized to conduct worship services, including observance of the Lord’s Supper, apart from a local church assembly. Perhaps unwittingly, this reflects an undue elevation of the Lord’s Supper to a near sacramental status as the most essential part of worship. Let me suggest that two or three Christians acting together DOES NOT constitute the local church assembly.

Let us consider the context of Matthew 18:18-20, “Verily I say unto you, what things soever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and what things soever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father who is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

Matthew 18:18 is a restatement of that which was stated to the apostle Peter in Matthew 16:19. Binding and loosing authority was not given only to Peter, but to all of the apostles. The tense of the verbs used in this passage indicate that the apostles could only confirm what has already been decided in heaven. Heaven does not have to confirm pronouncements of anyone, but much rather the apostles were authorized to speak only the will of the Father (cf. Matthew 10:40; Luke 10:16; Galatians 1:6-9; II John 9).

In a broad context, going all the way back to Matthew 18:7 and continuing through Matthew 18:35, Jesus is teaching about the seriousness of sin and the need to do everything possible to prevent it (verses 7-10), the need to seek those entrapped by it (verses 12-18), and the need for forgiveness (verses 21-35). In the more immediate context of verses 15-20, Jesus is addressing our personal responsibility to address a brother who has sinned and our efforts to restore him (cf. Galatians 6:1). Resolve sin and offenses at the lowest level and with the fewest number of people knowing (verse 15). “And if thy brother sin against thee, go, show him his fault between thee and him alone: if he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.” Verse 16, “But if he hear (thee) not, take with thee one or two more, that at the mouth of two witnesses or three every word may be established.” The gathering of one or two more is not about persuasion by numbers and force, but through the establishment and confirmation of fact and truth. Verse 17, “And if he refuse to hear them, tell it unto the church (footnoted congregation in ASV): and if he refuse to hear the church also, let him be unto thee as the Gentile and the publican.” Here is a clear distinction between two or three and the church as a whole. Two or three do not act as agents for the church nor do they constitute the assembly of the church.

Matthew 18:20 is not intended to define what the church is. The application is that Christ is present with His people when they are acting “in my name,” i.e. by His authority revealed by His New Testament apostles and prophets. Let us therefore, respect what God has revealed regarding the conditions for the forgiveness of sins.