Reference: Church
American
The Greek word translated church signifies generally an assembly, either common or religious; and it is sometimes so translated, as in Ac 19:32,39. In the New Testament it usually means a congregation of religious worshippers, either Jewish, as Ac 7:38, or Christians, as Mt 16:18; 1Co 6:4. The latter sense is the more common one; and it is thus used in a twofold manner, denoting,
1. The universal Christian church: either the invisible church, consisting of those whose names are written in heaven, whom God knows, but whom we cannot infallibly know, Heb 12:23; or the visible church, made up of the professed followers of Christ on earth, Col 1:24; 1Ti 3:5,15.
2. A particular church or body of professing believers, who meet and worship together in one place; as the churches of Rome, Corinth, Ephesus, Philippi, etc., to which Paul addressed epistles.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And I, yes I, tell you, your name from now on is to be Peter, Rock, and on a massive rock like this I will build my church, and the powers of the underworld shall never overthrow it.
This is the one who in the congregation in the desert went between the angel, who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and our forefathers, who also received, to be handed down to you, utterances that still live.
So they kept on shouting, some one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and the majority of them did not know why they had met.
But if you require anything beyond this, it must be settled in the regular assembly.
I am now glad to be suffering for you, and in my own person I am filling in what is lacking in Christ's sufferings for His body, that is, the church.
He saved us, not for upright deeds that we had done, but in accordance with His mercy, through the bath of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,
All who are with me wish to be remembered to you. Remember me to all who love me as Christians. Spiritual blessing be with you all.
to the festal gathering and assembly of God's firstborn sons enrolled as citizens in heaven, to a Judge who is the God of all, to the spirits of upright men who have attained perfection,
Easton
Derived probably from the Greek kuriakon (i.e., "the Lord's house"), which was used by ancient authors for the place of worship.
In the New Testament it is the translation of the Greek word ecclesia, which is synonymous with the Hebrew kahal of the Old Testament, both words meaning simply an assembly, the character of which can only be known from the connection in which the word is found. There is no clear instance of its being used for a place of meeting or of worship, although in post-apostolic times it early received this meaning. Nor is this word ever used to denote the inhabitants of a country united in the same profession, as when we say the "Church of England," the "Church of Scotland," etc.
We find the word ecclesia used in the following senses in the New Testament: (1.) It is translated "assembly" in the ordinary classical sense (Ac 19:32,39,41).
(2.) It denotes the whole body of the redeemed, all those whom the Father has given to Christ, the invisible catholic church (Eph 5:23,25,27,29; Heb 12:23).
(3.) A few Christians associated together in observing the ordinances of the gospel are an ecclesia (Ro 16:5; Col 4:15).
(4.) All the Christians in a particular city, whether they assembled together in one place or in several places for religious worship, were an ecclesia. Thus all the disciples in Antioch, forming several congregations, were one church (Ac 13:1); so also we read of the "church of God at Corinth" (1Co 1:2), "the church at Jerusalem" (Ac 8:1), "the church of Ephesus" (Re 2:1), etc.
(5.) The whole body of professing Christians throughout the world (1Co 15:9; Ga 1:13; Mt 16:18) are the church of Christ.
The church visible "consists of all those throughout the world that profess the true religion, together with their children." It is called "visible" because its members are known and its assemblies are public. Here there is a mixture of "wheat and chaff," of saints and sinners. "God has commanded his people to organize themselves into distinct visible ecclesiastical communities, with constitutions, laws, and officers, badges, ordinances, and discipline, for the great purpose of giving visibility to his kingdom, of making known the gospel of that kingdom, and of gathering in all its elect subjects. Each one of these distinct organized communities which is faithful to the great King is an integral part of the visible church, and all together constitute the catholic or universal visible church." A credible profession of the true religion constitutes a person a member of this church. This is "the kingdom of heaven," whose character and progress are set forth in the parables recorded in Mt 13.
The children of all who thus profess the true religion are members of the visible church along with their parents. Children are included in every covenant God ever made with man. They go along with their parents (Ge 9:9-17; 12:1-3; 17:7; Ex 20:5; De 29:10-13). Peter, on the day of Pentecost, at the beginning of the New Testament dispensation, announces the same great principle. "The promise [just as to Abraham and his seed the promises were made] is unto you, and to your children" (Ac 2:38-39). The children of believing parents are "holy", i.e., are "saints", a title which designates the members of the Christian church (1Co 7:14). (See Baptism, Christian.)
The church invisible "consists of the whole number of the elect that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one under Christ, the head thereof." This is a pure society, the church in which Christ dwells. It is the body of Christ. it is called "invisible" because the greater part of those who constitute it are already in heaven or are yet unborn, and also because its members still on earth cannot certainly be distinguished. The qualifications of membership in it are internal and are hidden. It is unseen except by Him who "searches the heart." "The Lord knoweth them that are his" (2Ti 2:19).
The church to which the attributes, prerogatives, and promises appertaining to Christ's kingdom belong, is a spiritual body consisting of all true believers, i.e., the church invisible.
(1.) Its unity. God has ever had only one church on earth. We sometimes speak of the Old Testament Church and of the New Testament church, but they are one and the same. The Old Testament church was not to be changed but enlarged (Isa 49:13-23; 60:1-14). When the Jews are at length restored, they will not enter a new church, but will be grafted again into "their own olive tree" (Ro 11:18-24; comp. Eph 2:11-22). The apostles did not set up a new organization. Under their ministry disciples were "added" to the "church" already existing (Ac 2:47).
(2.) Its universality. It is the "catholic" church; not confined to any particular country or outward organization, but comprehending all believers throughout the whole world.
(3.) Its perpetuity. It will continue through all ages to the end of the world. It can never be destroyed. It is an "everlasting kindgdom."
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And I, yes I, tell you, your name from now on is to be Peter, Rock, and on a massive rock like this I will build my church, and the powers of the underworld shall never overthrow it.
Peter said to them, "You must repent -- and, as an expression of it, let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ -- that you may have your sins forgiven; and then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, for the promise belongs to you and your children, as well as to all those who are far away whom the Lord our God may call to Him."
constantly praising God and always having the favor of all the people. And every day the Lord continued to add to them the people who were being saved.
Saul heartily approved of his being put to death. So on that day a severe persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all of them, except the apostles, were scattered over Judea and Samaria.
Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who is called Niger, Lucius the Cyrenian, Manaen who was an intimate friend of the governor, and Saul.
So they kept on shouting, some one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and the majority of them did not know why they had met.
But if you require anything beyond this, it must be settled in the regular assembly.
you must not be boasting against the natural branches. And if you do, just consider, you do not support the root, but the root supports you. Then you will say, "Branches have been broken off for us to be grafted in." read more. Very well, but it was for lack of faith that they were broken off, and it is through your faith that you now stand where you are. Stop your haughty thinking, rather continue to be reverent, for if God did not spare the natural branches, certainly He will not spare you. So take a look at the goodness and the severity of God; severity to those who have fallen, but goodness to you, on condition that you continue to live by His goodness; otherwise, you too will be pruned away. And they too, if they do not continue to live by their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is amply able to graft them in. For if you were cut off from an olive wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted on to a fine olive stock, how much easier will it be for the natural branches to be grafted on to their own olive stock?
Remember me to the church too, that meets at their house. Remember me to my dear Epaenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia.
to the church of God at Corinth, to those who are consecrated by union with Christ Jesus, and called to be God's people, in fellowship with those who anywhere call upon the name of Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:
For the unbelieving husband is consecrated by union with his wife and the unbelieving wife by union with her Christian husband, for otherwise your children would be unblessed, but in this way they are consecrated.
For I belong to the lowest rank of the apostles, and am not fit to bear the title apostle, because I once persecuted the church of God.
You have heard, indeed, of my former conduct as an adherent of the Jewish religion, how I kept on furiously persecuting the church of God, and tried to destroy it,
So remember that you were once heathen in a physical sense, called the uncircumcised by those who call themselves the circumcised -- though only in a physical sense, by human hands. At that time you were without any connection with Christ; you were aliens to the commonwealth of Israel, strangers to the sacred compacts made by God's promise, with no hope, and no God in the world. read more. But now through your union with Christ Jesus you who were once far away have through the blood of Christ been brought near. For He Himself is our peace, He is the one who has made us both into one body and has broken down the barrier that kept us apart; through His human nature He has put a stop to the hostility between us, namely, the law with its commands and decrees, in order to create one new humanity out of the two parties and so make peace through union with Himself, and in one body to reconcile them both to God with His cross after He had killed the hostility through it. When He came, He brought the good news of peace for you who were far away and for you who were near; for it is by Him through one Spirit that both of us now have an introduction to the Father. So you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but you are fellow-citizens of God's people and members of His family; for you are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself the cornerstone. In union with Him the whole building is harmoniously fitted together and continues to grow into a temple, sacred through its union with the Lord, and you yourselves, in union with Him, in fellowship with one another, are being built up into a dwelling for God through the Spirit.
for a husband is the head of his wife, just as Christ is the Head of the church, His body, and Saviour of it.
You married men must love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her,
that He might present the church to Himself as a splendid bride without a blot or wrinkle or anything like it, but to be consecrated and faultless.
for no one ever hates his own physical person, but he feeds and fosters it, just as Christ does the church;
Remember me to the brothers in Laodicea and to Nympha and the church that meets at her house.
But God's foundation stands unshaken, with these inscriptions: "The Lord knows the people who belong to Him" and "Everyone who bears the name of the Lord must abstain from evil."
to the festal gathering and assembly of God's firstborn sons enrolled as citizens in heaven, to a Judge who is the God of all, to the spirits of upright men who have attained perfection,
"To the messenger of the church in Ephesus write: 'The One who is holding the seven stars in His right hand and is walking among the golden lampstands speaks as follows:
Fausets
From the Greek kuriakee, "house of the Lord," a word which passed to the Gothic tongue; the Goths being the first of the northern hordes converted to Christianity, adopted the word from the Greek Christians of Constantinople, and so it came to us Anglo-Saxons (Trench, Study of Words). But Lipsius, from circus, from whence kirk, a circle, because the oldest temples, as the Druid ones, were circular in form. Ekkleesia in the New Testament never means the building or house of assembly, because church buildings were built long AFTER the apostolic age. It means an organized body, whose unity does not depend on its being met together in one place; not an assemblage of atoms, but members in their several places united to the One Head, Christ, and forming one organic living whole (1 Corinthians 12). The bride of Christ (Eph 5:25-32; 1:22), the body of which He is the Head.
The household of Christ and of God (Mt 10:25; Eph 2:19). The temple of the Holy Spirit, made up of living stones (Eph 2:22; 1Co 3:16; 1Pe 2:5). Ekkleesia is used of one or more particular Christian associations, even one small enough to worship together in one house (Ro 16:5). Also of "the whole church" (Ro 16:23; 1Co 12:28). Ekkleesia occurs twice only in Matthew (Mt 16:18; 18:17), elsewhere called "the kingdom of the heavens" by Matthew, "the kingdom of God" by Mark, Luke and John. Also called Christ's "flock," never to be plucked out of His hand (Joh 10:28), "branches" in Him "the true Vine." Founded on the Rock, "the Christ the Son of the living God," the only Foundation (Mt 16:16,18; 1Co 3:11).
Constituted as Christ's mystical body on Pentecost; thenceforth expanding in the successive stages traced in ACTS. Described in a beautiful summary (Ac 2:41,47). (On its apostasy (See BABYLON .) Professing Christendom numbers now probably 80 million of Greek churches, 90 million of Teutonic or Protestant churches, and 170 million of Roman Catholic churches. The Church of England's definition of the church is truly scriptural (Article xix): "a congregation of faithful men in the which the pure word of God is preached, and the sacraments be duly ministered according to Christ's ordinance in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same." The church that shall reign with Christ is made up of those written in heaven, in the Lamb's book of life, the spirits of just, men made perfect (Heb 12:22-23; Re 21:27).
The faultless perfection and the glorious promises in Scripture assigned to the church (election, adoption, spiritual priesthood, sure guidance by the Spirit into all truth, eternal salvation) belong not to all of the visible church, but to those alone of it who are in living union with Christ (Eph 5:23-27; Heb 12:22-23). The claim for the visible church of what belongs to the invisible, in spite of Christ's warning parable of the tares and wheat (Mt 13:24-30,36-43), has led to some of Rome's deadliest errors. On the other hand, the attempt to sever the tares from the wheat prematurely has led to many schisms, which have invariably failed in the attempt and only generated fresh separations. We must wait until Christ's manifestation for the manifestation of the sons of God (Ro 8:19; Col 3:4).
The true universal church is restricted to "them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours" (1Co 1:2). They are visible in so far as their light of good works so shines before men that their Father in heaven is glorified (Mt 5:16). They are invisible insofar that it is God alone who can infallibly see who among professors are animated by a living, loving faith, and who are not. A visible community, consisting of various members and aggregations of members, was founded by Christ Himself, as needed for the extension and continuation of Christianity to all lands and all ages. The ministry of the word and the two sacraments, baptism, and the supper of the Lord, (both in part derived from existing Jewish rites, Mt 26:26-28; 1Co 5:7-8).
Baptism, the Lord's Supper were appointed as the church's distinctive ordinances (Mt 28:19-20, Greek text): "make disciples of all nations, baptizing them ... Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and (only on condition of your doing so) I am with you always," etc. (See BAPTISM; LORD'S SUPPER.) The professing church that neglects the precept forfeits the promise, which is fatal to Rome's claims. No detailed church government is explicitly commanded by Jesus in the New Testament. The Old Testament ministry of high priest, priests, and Levites necessarily ended with the destruction of the one and only temple appointed by God. That the Christian ministry is not sacerdotal, as the Old Testament ministry, is proved by the title hiereus, the Greek of the Latin sacerdos, never once being used of Christian ministers.
When used at all as to the Christian church it is used of the whole body of Christians; since not merely ministers, as the Aaronic priests, but all equally, have near access to the heavenly holy place, through the torn veil of Christ's flesh (Heb 10:19-22; 13:15-16; 1Pe 2:19; Re 1:6). All alike offer "spiritual sacrifices." For a minister to pretend to offer a literal sacrifice in the Lord's supper, or to have the sacerdotal priesthood (which pertains to Christ alone), would be the sin which Moses charged on Korah: "Seemeth it but a small thing unto you that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation to bring you near to Himself, ... to stand before the congregation to minister to them; and seek ye the priesthood also?" The temple then not being the model to the Christian church, the synagogue alone remained to be copied.
In the absence of the temple during the captivity the people assembled together on sabbaths and other days to be instructed by the prophet (Eze 14:1; 20:1; 33:31). In Ne 8:1-8 a specimen is given of such a service, which the synagogues afterward continued, and which consisted in Scripture reading, with explanation, prayers, and thanksgivings. The synagogue officers consisted of a "ruler of the synagogue," the "legate of the church" (sheliach tsibbur), corresponding to the angel of the church (Revelation 1-3), a college of elders or presbyters, and subordinate ministers (chazzan), answering to our deacons, to take care of the sacred books. Episcopacy was adopted in apostolic times as the most expedient government, most resembling Jewish usages, and so causing the least stumbling-block to Jewish prejudices (Ac 4:8; 24:1).
James, the brother of our Lord, after the martyrdom of James, the son of Zebedee and the flight of Peter (Ac 12:17), alone remained behind in Jerusalem, the recognized head there. His Jewish tendencies made him the least unpopular to the Jews, and so adapted him for the presidency there without the title (Ac 15:13-19; 21:18; Ga 2:2,9,12). This was the first specimen of apostolic local episcopacy without the name. The presbyters of the synagogue were called also (See BISHOPS, or overseers. "Those now called 'bishops' were originally 'apostles.' But those who ruled the church after the apostles' death had not the testimony of miracles, and were in many respects inferior, therefore they thought it unbecoming to assume the name of apostles; but dividing the names, they left to 'presbyters' that name, and themselves were called 'bishops'" (Ambrose, in Bingham Ecclesiastes Ant., 2:11; and Amularius, De Officiis, 2:13.)
The steps were apostle; then vicar apostolic or apostolic delegate, as Timothy in Ephesus and Titus in Crete, temporarily (1Ti 1:3; 2Ti 4:21; Tit 3:12; 1:5), then angel, then bishop in the present sense. Episcopacy gives more of centralized unity, but when made an absolute law it tends to spiritual despotism. The visible church, while avoiding needless alterations, has power under God to modify her polity as shall tend most to edification (Mt 18:18; 1Co 12:28-30; 14:26; Eph 4:11-16). The Holy Spirit first unites souls individually to the Father in Christ, then with one another as "the communion of saints." Then followed the government and ministry, which are not specifie
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Let your light shine before people in such a way that they may see your good deeds, and praise your Father in heaven.
Let your light shine before people in such a way that they may see your good deeds, and praise your Father in heaven.
The pupil should be satisfied to become like his teacher, and the slave should be satisfied to become like his master. If men have called the Head of the house Beelzebub, how much worse names will they heap upon the members of His family!
The pupil should be satisfied to become like his teacher, and the slave should be satisfied to become like his master. If men have called the Head of the house Beelzebub, how much worse names will they heap upon the members of His family!
He told them another story, as follows: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed seed in his field.
He told them another story, as follows: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed seed in his field. But while the world was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed wild wheat seed in the midst of the good seed, and went away.
But while the world was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed wild wheat seed in the midst of the good seed, and went away. And when the wheat plants grew up and yielded their ripened grain, the wild wheat plants appeared too.
And when the wheat plants grew up and yielded their ripened grain, the wild wheat plants appeared too. And the farmer's slaves came up to him and said, 'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Then where did the wild wheat plants come from?'
And the farmer's slaves came up to him and said, 'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Then where did the wild wheat plants come from?' He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' Then they said to him, 'Do you want us, then, to go and gather them?'
He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' Then they said to him, 'Do you want us, then, to go and gather them?' And he said, 'No, never, for while you are gathering the wild wheat plants you might root up the good ones with them.
And he said, 'No, never, for while you are gathering the wild wheat plants you might root up the good ones with them. Let them both grow together until harvest time, and at the harvest time I will order the reapers, "Gather first the wild wheat plants and tie them into bundles to be burned up, but get the wheat into my barn."'"
Let them both grow together until harvest time, and at the harvest time I will order the reapers, "Gather first the wild wheat plants and tie them into bundles to be burned up, but get the wheat into my barn."'"
Then He left the crowds and went into His house. And His disciples came up to Him and said, "Explain to us the story of the wild wheat in the field."
Then He left the crowds and went into His house. And His disciples came up to Him and said, "Explain to us the story of the wild wheat in the field." And He answered: "The sower of the good seed is the Son of Man;
And He answered: "The sower of the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world; the good seed are the members of the kingdom; the wild wheat seed are the followers of the wicked one.
the field is the world; the good seed are the members of the kingdom; the wild wheat seed are the followers of the wicked one. The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the close of the age, the reapers are angels.
The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the close of the age, the reapers are angels. Just as the wild wheat plants are gathered and burned up, so it will be at the close of the age.
Just as the wild wheat plants are gathered and burned up, so it will be at the close of the age. The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all those who cause wrongdoing, and the wrongdoers,
The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all those who cause wrongdoing, and the wrongdoers, and will throw them into the furnace of torturing punishment; there they will wail and grind their teeth.
and will throw them into the furnace of torturing punishment; there they will wail and grind their teeth. Then the upright will shine out like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let him who has ears listen!
Then the upright will shine out like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let him who has ears listen!
And I, yes I, tell you, your name from now on is to be Peter, Rock, and on a massive rock like this I will build my church, and the powers of the underworld shall never overthrow it.
And I, yes I, tell you, your name from now on is to be Peter, Rock, and on a massive rock like this I will build my church, and the powers of the underworld shall never overthrow it.
And I, yes I, tell you, your name from now on is to be Peter, Rock, and on a massive rock like this I will build my church, and the powers of the underworld shall never overthrow it.
And I, yes I, tell you, your name from now on is to be Peter, Rock, and on a massive rock like this I will build my church, and the powers of the underworld shall never overthrow it.
And if he refuses to listen to the church, treat him as a heathen and as a tax-collector.
And if he refuses to listen to the church, treat him as a heathen and as a tax-collector.
And if he refuses to listen to the church, treat him as a heathen and as a tax-collector.
And if he refuses to listen to the church, treat him as a heathen and as a tax-collector. I solemnly say to you, whatever you forbid on earth must be already forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth must be already permitted in heaven.
I solemnly say to you, whatever you forbid on earth must be already forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth must be already permitted in heaven.
While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf and blessed it; then He broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take this and eat it; this is my body."
While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf and blessed it; then He broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take this and eat it; this is my body." He also took the cup of wine and gave thanks; then He gave it to them, saying, "All of you drink some of it,
He also took the cup of wine and gave thanks; then He gave it to them, saying, "All of you drink some of it, for this is my blood which ratifies the covenant, the blood which is to be poured out for many for the forgiveness of their sins.
for this is my blood which ratifies the covenant, the blood which is to be poured out for many for the forgiveness of their sins.
Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptize them into the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptize them into the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to practice all the commands that I have given you. And I myself will surely be with you all the days, down to the very close of an age."
and teach them to practice all the commands that I have given you. And I myself will surely be with you all the days, down to the very close of an age."
and I give to them eternal life, and they shall never get lost, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand.
and I give to them eternal life, and they shall never get lost, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand.
And now I am no longer to be in the world, but they are to stay on in the world, while I am going to be with you. Holy Father, keep them by the power which you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are.
And now I am no longer to be in the world, but they are to stay on in the world, while I am going to be with you. Holy Father, keep them by the power which you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are.
I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil in it.
I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil in it.
So they accepted his message and were baptized, and about three thousand persons united with them on that day.
So they accepted his message and were baptized, and about three thousand persons united with them on that day.
constantly praising God and always having the favor of all the people. And every day the Lord continued to add to them the people who were being saved.
constantly praising God and always having the favor of all the people. And every day the Lord continued to add to them the people who were being saved.
Then Peter, because he was filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Leaders and elders of the people,
Then Peter, because he was filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Leaders and elders of the people,
With his hand he motioned to them to be quiet, and then he told them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He added, "Tell all these things to James and the brothers." Then he left them and went somewhere else.
With his hand he motioned to them to be quiet, and then he told them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He added, "Tell all these things to James and the brothers." Then he left them and went somewhere else.
When they finished, James responded as follows: "Brothers, listen to me. Symeon has told how God at first graciously visited the heathen to take from among them a people to bear His name.
Symeon has told how God at first graciously visited the heathen to take from among them a people to bear His name. The words of the prophets are in accord with this, as it is written:
The words of the prophets are in accord with this, as it is written: 'After this I will return and rebuild David's fallen dwelling; I will rebuild its ruins and set it up again,
'After this I will return and rebuild David's fallen dwelling; I will rebuild its ruins and set it up again, So that the rest of mankind may earnestly seek the Lord, Yes, all the heathen who are called by my name, says the Lord,
So that the rest of mankind may earnestly seek the Lord, Yes, all the heathen who are called by my name, says the Lord, who has been making this known from ages past.'
who has been making this known from ages past.' So I give it as my opinion, we ought not to put difficulties in the way of the heathen who turn to God,
So I give it as my opinion, we ought not to put difficulties in the way of the heathen who turn to God,
But Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, became a believer in the Lord, and so did all his family, and from time to time many of the Corinthians heard, believed, and were baptized.
But Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, became a believer in the Lord, and so did all his family, and from time to time many of the Corinthians heard, believed, and were baptized.
On the next day we went with Paul to see James, and all the elders of the church came too.
On the next day we went with Paul to see James, and all the elders of the church came too.
Five days later, the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and a prosecuting attorney, Tertullus, and through him they presented their case against Paul before the governor.
Five days later, the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and a prosecuting attorney, Tertullus, and through him they presented their case against Paul before the governor.
For all nature is expectantly waiting for the unveiling of the sons of God.
For all nature is expectantly waiting for the unveiling of the sons of God.
Remember me to the church too, that meets at their house. Remember me to my dear Epaenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia.
Remember me to the church too, that meets at their house. Remember me to my dear Epaenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia.
Gaius, my host, and host of the whole church here, wishes to be remembered to you. Erastus, the treasurer of the city, wishes to be remembered to you, and so does our brother Quartus.
Gaius, my host, and host of the whole church here, wishes to be remembered to you. Erastus, the treasurer of the city, wishes to be remembered to you, and so does our brother Quartus.
to the church of God at Corinth, to those who are consecrated by union with Christ Jesus, and called to be God's people, in fellowship with those who anywhere call upon the name of Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:
to the church of God at Corinth, to those who are consecrated by union with Christ Jesus, and called to be God's people, in fellowship with those who anywhere call upon the name of Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:
for when you met I too met with you in spirit by the power of our Lord Jesus --
for when you met I too met with you in spirit by the power of our Lord Jesus --
On the first day of every week each of you must put aside and store up something in proportion as he is prospered, so that no contributions need be made when I come back.
On the first day of every week each of you must put aside and store up something in proportion as he is prospered, so that no contributions need be made when I come back.
I went up under the guidance of a divine revelation. Now I laid before them the good news that I was in the habit of preaching among the heathen, but first I did so privately before the leaders, for fear that my course might be or might have been to no purpose.
I went up under the guidance of a divine revelation. Now I laid before them the good news that I was in the habit of preaching among the heathen, but first I did so privately before the leaders, for fear that my course might be or might have been to no purpose.
and because they recognized the favor God had shown me, James, Cephas, and John, the so-called pillar apostles, gave Barnabas and me the right hand of fellowship, with the understanding that we should go to the heathen and they to the Jews.
and because they recognized the favor God had shown me, James, Cephas, and John, the so-called pillar apostles, gave Barnabas and me the right hand of fellowship, with the understanding that we should go to the heathen and they to the Jews.
For before the coming of certain people from James, he was in the habit of eating with heathen Christians, but after they came, he began to draw back and hold aloof from them, because he was afraid of the circumcision party.
For before the coming of certain people from James, he was in the habit of eating with heathen Christians, but after they came, he began to draw back and hold aloof from them, because he was afraid of the circumcision party.
And so He has put all things under His feet and made Him the supreme Head of the church,
And so He has put all things under His feet and made Him the supreme Head of the church,
So you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but you are fellow-citizens of God's people and members of His family;
So you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but you are fellow-citizens of God's people and members of His family;
and you yourselves, in union with Him, in fellowship with one another, are being built up into a dwelling for God through the Spirit.
and you yourselves, in union with Him, in fellowship with one another, are being built up into a dwelling for God through the Spirit.
continuing with eager earnestness to maintain the unity of the Spirit through the tie of peace.
continuing with eager earnestness to maintain the unity of the Spirit through the tie of peace. There is but one body and one Spirit, just as there is but one hope resulting from the call you have received;
There is but one body and one Spirit, just as there is but one hope resulting from the call you have received; there is but one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
there is but one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over us all, who pervades us all, and who is within us all.
one God and Father of all, who is over us all, who pervades us all, and who is within us all.
And He has given some men to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, some to be pastors and teachers,
And He has given some men to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, some to be pastors and teachers, for the immediate equipment of God's people for the work of service, for the ultimate building up of the body of Christ,
for the immediate equipment of God's people for the work of service, for the ultimate building up of the body of Christ, until we all attain to unity in faith and to perfect knowledge of the Son of God, namely, to a mature manhood and to a perfect measure of Christ's moral stature;
until we all attain to unity in faith and to perfect knowledge of the Son of God, namely, to a mature manhood and to a perfect measure of Christ's moral stature; so that we may not be babies any longer, or like sailors tossed about and driven around by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men through their cunning in inventing new methods of error.
so that we may not be babies any longer, or like sailors tossed about and driven around by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men through their cunning in inventing new methods of error. But, on the other hand, we shall go on holding to the truth and in love growing up into perfect union with Him, that is, Christ Himself who is the Head.
But, on the other hand, we shall go on holding to the truth and in love growing up into perfect union with Him, that is, Christ Himself who is the Head.
But, on the other hand, we shall go on holding to the truth and in love growing up into perfect union with Him, that is, Christ Himself who is the Head.
But, on the other hand, we shall go on holding to the truth and in love growing up into perfect union with Him, that is, Christ Himself who is the Head. For it is under His direction that the whole body is perfectly adjusted and united by every joint that furnishes its supplies; and by the proper functioning of each particular part there is brought about the growing of the body for its building up in love.
For it is under His direction that the whole body is perfectly adjusted and united by every joint that furnishes its supplies; and by the proper functioning of each particular part there is brought about the growing of the body for its building up in love.
For it is under His direction that the whole body is perfectly adjusted and united by every joint that furnishes its supplies; and by the proper functioning of each particular part there is brought about the growing of the body for its building up in love.
For it is under His direction that the whole body is perfectly adjusted and united by every joint that furnishes its supplies; and by the proper functioning of each particular part there is brought about the growing of the body for its building up in love.
for a husband is the head of his wife, just as Christ is the Head of the church, His body, and Saviour of it.
for a husband is the head of his wife, just as Christ is the Head of the church, His body, and Saviour of it. Just as the church is subject to Christ, so the married women in everything must be subject to their husbands.
Just as the church is subject to Christ, so the married women in everything must be subject to their husbands. You married men must love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her,
You married men must love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her,
You married men must love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her,
You married men must love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her, to consecrate her, after cleansing her through His word, as pictured in the water bath,
to consecrate her, after cleansing her through His word, as pictured in the water bath,
to consecrate her, after cleansing her through His word, as pictured in the water bath,
to consecrate her, after cleansing her through His word, as pictured in the water bath, that He might present the church to Himself as a splendid bride without a blot or wrinkle or anything like it, but to be consecrated and faultless.
that He might present the church to Himself as a splendid bride without a blot or wrinkle or anything like it, but to be consecrated and faultless.
that He might present the church to Himself as a splendid bride without a blot or wrinkle or anything like it, but to be consecrated and faultless.
that He might present the church to Himself as a splendid bride without a blot or wrinkle or anything like it, but to be consecrated and faultless. This is the way married men ought to love their wives, as they do their own bodies. The married man who loves his wife is really loving himself,
This is the way married men ought to love their wives, as they do their own bodies. The married man who loves his wife is really loving himself, for no one ever hates his own physical person, but he feeds and fosters it, just as Christ does the church;
for no one ever hates his own physical person, but he feeds and fosters it, just as Christ does the church; because we are parts of His body.
because we are parts of His body. Therefore, a man must leave his father and mother and so perfectly unite himself to his wife that the two shall be one.
Therefore, a man must leave his father and mother and so perfectly unite himself to his wife that the two shall be one. This is a great secret; I mean this about Christ and the church.
This is a great secret; I mean this about Christ and the church.
When Christ, who is our life, appears, you too will appear to be glorified in fellowship with Him.
When Christ, who is our life, appears, you too will appear to be glorified in fellowship with Him.
In this new relation there is no Greek and Jew, no circumcised and uncircumcised, no barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is everything and in us all.
In this new relation there is no Greek and Jew, no circumcised and uncircumcised, no barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is everything and in us all.
Let the message of Christ continue to live in you in all its wealth of wisdom; keep on teaching it to one another and training one another in it with thankfulness, in your hearts singing praise to God with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.
Let the message of Christ continue to live in you in all its wealth of wisdom; keep on teaching it to one another and training one another in it with thankfulness, in your hearts singing praise to God with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.
As I begged you to do when I was on my way to Macedonia, I still beg you to stay on in Ephesus to warn certain teachers
As I begged you to do when I was on my way to Macedonia, I still beg you to stay on in Ephesus to warn certain teachers
I left you in Crete for this express purpose, to set in order the things that are lacking, and to appoint elders in each town, as I directed you --
I left you in Crete for this express purpose, to set in order the things that are lacking, and to appoint elders in each town, as I directed you --
When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there.
When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there.
Since then, my brothers, we have free access to the real sanctuary through the blood of Jesus,
Since then, my brothers, we have free access to the real sanctuary through the blood of Jesus, the new and living way which He opened for us, through the curtain, that is, His physical nature,
the new and living way which He opened for us, through the curtain, that is, His physical nature, and since in Him we have a Great Priest over the house of God,
and since in Him we have a Great Priest over the house of God, let us continue to draw near to God with sincere hearts and perfect faith; with our hearts cleansed from the sense of sin, and our bodies bathed in clean water;
let us continue to draw near to God with sincere hearts and perfect faith; with our hearts cleansed from the sense of sin, and our bodies bathed in clean water;
But you have come to Mount Zion, even to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless hosts of angels,
But you have come to Mount Zion, even to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless hosts of angels,
But you have come to Mount Zion, even to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless hosts of angels,
But you have come to Mount Zion, even to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless hosts of angels, to the festal gathering and assembly of God's firstborn sons enrolled as citizens in heaven, to a Judge who is the God of all, to the spirits of upright men who have attained perfection,
to the festal gathering and assembly of God's firstborn sons enrolled as citizens in heaven, to a Judge who is the God of all, to the spirits of upright men who have attained perfection,
to the festal gathering and assembly of God's firstborn sons enrolled as citizens in heaven, to a Judge who is the God of all, to the spirits of upright men who have attained perfection,
to the festal gathering and assembly of God's firstborn sons enrolled as citizens in heaven, to a Judge who is the God of all, to the spirits of upright men who have attained perfection,
So then, through Christ, let us always offer God the sacrifice of praise; that is, the speech of lips that glorify the name of God.
So then, through Christ, let us always offer God the sacrifice of praise; that is, the speech of lips that glorify the name of God. And stop neglecting to do good and to be generous, for God is highly pleased with just such sacrifices as these.
And stop neglecting to do good and to be generous, for God is highly pleased with just such sacrifices as these.
For if a man with a gold ring, dressed in fine clothes, comes to your meeting, and at the same time a poor man clad in dirty clothes,
For if a man with a gold ring, dressed in fine clothes, comes to your meeting, and at the same time a poor man clad in dirty clothes,
and has made us a kingdom of priests for His God and Father: to Him be glory forever. Amen.
and has made us a kingdom of priests for His God and Father: to Him be glory forever. Amen.
"I know your pressing trouble and poverty, but still you are rich; I know how you are abused by those who claim to be Jews although they are not, but are only a synagogue of Satan.
"I know your pressing trouble and poverty, but still you are rich; I know how you are abused by those who claim to be Jews although they are not, but are only a synagogue of Satan.
Nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who practices abominable living and lying, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life.
Nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who practices abominable living and lying, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life.
Hastings
1. The word ecclesia, which in its Christian application is usually tr 'church,' was applied in ordinary Greek usage to the duly constituted gathering of the citizens in a self-governing city, and it is so used of the Ephesian assembly in Ac 19:39. It was adopted in the Septuagint to tr a Heb. word, q
See Verses Found in Dictionary
I am baptizing you in water to picture your repentance. But He that is coming after me is stronger than I am, and I am not fit to carry His shoes. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire;
From that time Jesus continued to preach and say, "Repent! For the kingdom of heaven is near."
while the heirs of the kingdom will be turned out into the darkness outside, where they will be weeping and grinding their teeth."
and nobody is worthy of me who does not take up his cross and follow me.
but it takes no real root in him, and he lasts only a little while, and just as soon as suffering and persecution come for the truth's sake, he at once yields and falls.
He told them another story, as follows: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed seed in his field.
It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it is grown it is the largest of plants; yea, it grows into a tree, so that the wild birds come and roost in its branches."
"The kingdom of heaven is like a pot of gold which was buried in a field, which a man found and buried again; and for joy over it he went and sold all he had and bought that field. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a gem-dealer who was looking for beautiful pearls.
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was let down into the sea, and gathered fish of every kind,
When Jesus reached the district of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" They answered, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." read more. He said to them, "Who do you yourselves say that I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Then Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonah, for it is not man that made this known to you, but my Father in heaven. And I, yes I, tell you, your name from now on is to be Peter, Rock, and on a massive rock like this I will build my church, and the powers of the underworld shall never overthrow it.
And I, yes I, tell you, your name from now on is to be Peter, Rock, and on a massive rock like this I will build my church, and the powers of the underworld shall never overthrow it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you forbid on earth must be what is already forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth must be what is already permitted in heaven."
I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you forbid on earth must be what is already forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth must be what is already permitted in heaven." Then He admonished the disciples not to tell anyone that He was the Christ.
And if he refuses to listen to the church, treat him as a heathen and as a tax-collector.
Jesus said to them: "I solemnly say to you, in the new order of life, when the Son of Man shall take His seat on His glorious throne, you too, who have followed me, will sit on twelve thrones, and judge the twelve tribes of Israel.
And the crowds that went in front of Him and followed Him shouted: "Welcome the Son of David! Blessed be He who comes in the name of the Lord; Welcome Him from on high!"
While He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came up to Him by themselves, and said, "Tell us when this is to take place, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age."
"So when you see the destructive desecration, mentioned by the prophet Daniel, standing in the Holy Place" -- let the reader take notice --
"When the Son of Man comes in His splendor, and all the angels with Him, He will take His seat on His splendid throne,
Then the King will say to those at His right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, take possession of the kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world.
Jesus answered him, "Yes, I am. But I tell you, you will all soon see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Almighty, and coming on the clouds of the sky."
Now after John was arrested, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God: "The time is ripe and the kingdom of God is near; repent and believe in the good news."
But if I by the finger of God am driving the demons out, then the kingdom of God has come to you.
Stop being afraid, my little flock, for your Father has gladly chosen to give you the kingdom.
Now, when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them, "The kingdom of God is not coming with visible display, and so people will not say, 'Look! Here it is,' nor, 'There it is,' for the kingdom of God is within you."
and so people will not say, 'Look! Here it is,' nor, 'There it is,' for the kingdom of God is within you."
Then Jesus said to them, "I most solemnly say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you do not have life in you.
"for John baptized people in water, but in a few days you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit."
At that time Peter got up among the brothers (there were about a hundred and twenty present) and said,
to take a share in this service as an apostle, from which Judas fell away to go to his own place."
And they saw tongues like flames of fire separating and resting on their heads, one to each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in foreign languages as the Spirit granted them to utter divine things.
And they devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to fellowship with one another, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Day after day they regularly attended the temple; they practiced breaking their bread together in their homes, and eating their food with glad and simple hearts, constantly praising God and always having the favor of all the people. And every day the Lord continued to add to them the people who were being saved.
Now there was but one heart and soul in the vast number of those who had become believers, and not one of them claimed that anything that he had was his own, but they shared everything that they had as common property.
So a strange awe seized the whole church and everybody who heard it.
In those days, as the number of the disciples was increasing, complaint was made by the Greek-speaking Jews against the native Jews that their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food.
But members of the synagogue known as that of the Libyans, Cyreneans, and Alexandrians, and men from Cilicia and Asia, got to debating with Stephen,
This is the one who in the congregation in the desert went between the angel, who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and our forefathers, who also received, to be handed down to you, utterances that still live.
This is the one who in the congregation in the desert went between the angel, who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and our forefathers, who also received, to be handed down to you, utterances that still live.
Saul heartily approved of his being put to death. So on that day a severe persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all of them, except the apostles, were scattered over Judea and Samaria.
Saul heartily approved of his being put to death. So on that day a severe persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all of them, except the apostles, were scattered over Judea and Samaria.
Saul heartily approved of his being put to death. So on that day a severe persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all of them, except the apostles, were scattered over Judea and Samaria.
Saul heartily approved of his being put to death. So on that day a severe persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all of them, except the apostles, were scattered over Judea and Samaria.
But Saul continued to harass the church, and by going from house to house and dragging off men and women he continued to put them into prison.
When the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted God's message, they sent Peter and John there.
When the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted God's message, they sent Peter and John there.
Now Saul, as he was still breathing threats of murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest
So the church all over Judea, Galilee, and Samaria enjoyed peace, and as it continued to be built up spiritually and to live in reverence for the Lord, it continued to increase in numbers through the encouragement that the Holy Spirit gave.
So the church all over Judea, Galilee, and Samaria enjoyed peace, and as it continued to be built up spiritually and to live in reverence for the Lord, it continued to increase in numbers through the encouragement that the Holy Spirit gave.
With his hand he motioned to them to be quiet, and then he told them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He added, "Tell all these things to James and the brothers." Then he left them and went somewhere else.
Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who is called Niger, Lucius the Cyrenian, Manaen who was an intimate friend of the governor, and Saul.
They helped them select elders in each church, and after praying and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
So, as a dire disturbance and a serious discussion had been created between Paul and Barnabas and them, they decided that Paul and Barnabas and some others from their number should go up to Jerusalem to confer with the apostles and elders about this question.
Then the apostles and elders in cooperation with the whole church passed a resolution to select and send some men of their number with Paul and Barnabas to Antioch. These were Judas, who was called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers. They sent this letter by them: "The apostles and elders as brothers send greeting to the brothers from among the heathen in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia. read more. As we have heard that some of our number have disturbed you by their teaching, by continuing to unsettle your minds, we have passed a unanimous resolution to select and send messengers to you with our beloved brothers Barnabas and Paul, who have risked their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. So we send Judas and Silas to you, to bring you the same message by word of mouth. For the Holy Spirit and we have decided not to lay upon you any burden but these essential requirements, that you abstain from everything that is offered to idols, from tasting blood, from the meat of animals that have been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves free from these things, you will prosper. Good-by."
He journeyed on through Syria and Cilicia and continued to strengthen the churches.
But if you require anything beyond this, it must be settled in the regular assembly.
From Miletus he sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church.
From Miletus he sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church.
Take care of yourselves and of the whole flock, of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, so as to continue to be shepherds of the church of God, which He bought with His own blood.
Take care of yourselves and of the whole flock, of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, so as to continue to be shepherds of the church of God, which He bought with His own blood.
Take care of yourselves and of the whole flock, of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, so as to continue to be shepherds of the church of God, which He bought with His own blood.
Take care of yourselves and of the whole flock, of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, so as to continue to be shepherds of the church of God, which He bought with His own blood.
On the next day we went with Paul to see James, and all the elders of the church came too.
After several years' absence I came to bring contributions of charity for my nation, and to offer sacrifices.
So here is the comparison: As through one man sin came into the world, and death as the consequence of sin, and death spread to all men; because all men sinned. Certainly sin was in the world before the law was given, but it is not charged to men's account where there is no law. read more. And yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the way Adam had, against a positive command. For Adam was a figure of Him who was to come. But God's free gift is not at all to be compared with the offense. For if by one man's offense the whole race of men have died, to a much greater degree God's favor and His gift imparted by His favor through the one man Jesus Christ, has overflowed for the whole race of men. And the gift is not fit all to be compared with the results of that one man's sin. For that sentence resulted from the offense of one man, and it meant condemnation, but the free gift resulted from the offenses of many, and it meant right standing. For if by one man's offense death reigned through that one, to a much greater degree will those who continue to receive the overflow of His unmerited favor and His gift of right standing with Himself, reign in real life through One, Jesus Christ. So, as through one offense there resulted condemnation for all men, just so through one act of uprightness there resulted right standing involving life for all men. For just as by that man's disobedience the whole race of men were constituted sinners, so by this One's obedience the whole race of men may be brought into right standing with God. Then law crept in to multiply the offense. Though sin has multiplied, yet God's favor has surpassed it and overflowed, so that just as sin had reigned by death, so His favor too might reign in right standing with God which issues in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Or, do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into union with Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? So through baptism we have been buried with Him in death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the Father's glorious power, so we too should live an entirely new life.
Remember me to the church too, that meets at their house. Remember me to my dear Epaenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia.
Greet one another with a consecrated kiss. All the churches of Christ wish to be remembered to you.
to the church of God at Corinth, to those who are consecrated by union with Christ Jesus, and called to be God's people, in fellowship with those who anywhere call upon the name of Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:
Are you not conscious that you are God's temple, and that the Spirit of God has His permanent home in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is sacred to Him, and you are that temple.
You must clean out the old yeast, that you may be a fresh lump, as you are to be free from the old yeast. For our Passover Lamb, Christ, has already been sacrificed. So let us keep our feast, not with old yeast nor with the yeast of vice and wickedness, but with the bread of purity and truth without the yeast.
Is not the consecrated cup which we consecrate a sign of our sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the loaf which we break a sign of our sharing in the body of Christ? Because there is only one loaf, so we, though many, are only one body, for we all partake of one loaf. read more. Look at the Israelites in their practices. Are not those who eat the sacrifices in spiritual fellowship with the altar?
So when you hold your meetings, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper, for each of you is in a rush to eat his own supper, and one goes hungry while another gets drunk. read more. It is not that you have no houses to eat and drink in, is it? Or, are you trying to show your contempt for the church of God and trying to humiliate those who have no houses? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? No, I cannot praise you for this.
It is not that you have no houses to eat and drink in, is it? Or, are you trying to show your contempt for the church of God and trying to humiliate those who have no houses? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? No, I cannot praise you for this. For the account that I passed on to you I myself received from the Lord Himself, that the Lord Jesus on the night He was betrayed took a loaf of bread read more. and gave thanks for it and broke it and said, "This is my body which is given for you. Do this in memory of me." In the same way, after supper, He took the cup of wine, saying, "This cup is the new covenant ratified by my blood. Whenever you drink it, do so in memory of me." For every time you eat this bread and drink from this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes again. So whoever eats the bread and drinks from the Lord's cup in an unworthy way is guilty of sinning against the Lord's body and blood. A man, then, must examine himself, and only in this way should he eat any of the bread and drink from the cup. For whoever eats and drinks without recognizing His body, eats and drinks a judgment on himself. This is why many of you are sick and feeble, and a considerable number are falling asleep. But if we properly saw ourselves, we would not bring down upon us this judgment. But since we do bring down upon us this judgment, we are being disciplined by the Lord, so that finally we may not be condemned along with the world. So, my brothers, when you meet to eat, wait for one another. If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, so that your meetings may not bring on you judgment. I will settle in detail the matters that remain, when I come.
To one, wise speech is given by the Spirit; to another, by the same Spirit, intelligent speech is given; to another, through union with the same Spirit, faith; to another, by one and the same Spirit, power to cure the sick; read more. to another, power for working wonders; to another, prophetic insight; to another, the power to discriminate between the true Spirit and false spirits; to another, various ecstatic utterances; and to another, the power to explain them. But the one and same Spirit accomplishes all these achievements, and apportions power to each of us as He chooses.
So you are Christ's body, and individually parts of it. And God has placed people in the church, first as apostles, second as prophets, third as teachers, then wonder-workers; then people with power to cure the sick, helpers, managers, ecstatic speakers.
For I belong to the lowest rank of the apostles, and am not fit to bear the title apostle, because I once persecuted the church of God.
and because they recognized the favor God had shown me, James, Cephas, and John, the so-called pillar apostles, gave Barnabas and me the right hand of fellowship, with the understanding that we should go to the heathen and they to the Jews.
For before the coming of certain people from James, he was in the habit of eating with heathen Christians, but after they came, he began to draw back and hold aloof from them, because he was afraid of the circumcision party.
For all of you who have been baptized into union with Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no room for Jew or Greek, no room for slave or freeman, no room for male or female, for you are all one through union with Christ Jesus.
Now peace and mercy be on all who walk by this rule; that is, on the true Israel of God.
so that, at the coming of the climax of the ages, everything in heaven and on earth should be unified through Christ, in union with whom we were made God's portion, since we had been foreordained in accordance with the purpose of Him who in everything carries out the plan of His will,
who is the first installment of our inheritance, so that we may finally come into full possession of the prize of redemption, and praise His glory for it.
And so He has put all things under His feet and made Him the supreme Head of the church, which is His body, that is being filled by Him who fills everything everywhere.
which is His body, that is being filled by Him who fills everything everywhere.
At that time you were without any connection with Christ; you were aliens to the commonwealth of Israel, strangers to the sacred compacts made by God's promise, with no hope, and no God in the world.
At that time you were without any connection with Christ; you were aliens to the commonwealth of Israel, strangers to the sacred compacts made by God's promise, with no hope, and no God in the world. But now through your union with Christ Jesus you who were once far away have through the blood of Christ been brought near.
But now through your union with Christ Jesus you who were once far away have through the blood of Christ been brought near.
But now through your union with Christ Jesus you who were once far away have through the blood of Christ been brought near. For He Himself is our peace, He is the one who has made us both into one body and has broken down the barrier that kept us apart; read more. through His human nature He has put a stop to the hostility between us, namely, the law with its commands and decrees, in order to create one new humanity out of the two parties and so make peace through union with Himself, and in one body to reconcile them both to God with His cross after He had killed the hostility through it.
for it is by Him through one Spirit that both of us now have an introduction to the Father.
for it is by Him through one Spirit that both of us now have an introduction to the Father.
for it is by Him through one Spirit that both of us now have an introduction to the Father.
for it is by Him through one Spirit that both of us now have an introduction to the Father. So you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but you are fellow-citizens of God's people and members of His family;
and how by revelation the secret was made known to me, as I have briefly written before. By reading this you will be able to understand my insight into the secret about the Christ -- read more. which in the earlier ages, so different from the present, was not made known to mankind as fully as now, but through the Spirit it has been revealed to His Holy apostles and prophets -- that the heathen through union with Christ Jesus are fellow-heirs with the Jews, are members with them of the same body, and sharers with them of the promise through the good news, for which I was called to serve in accordance with the gift of God's unmerited favor which was bestowed on me by the exercise of His power-- yes, on me, the very least of all His people, this unmerited favor was bestowed -- that I might preach as good news to the heathen the boundless riches of Christ, and to make clear how is to be carried out the trusteeship of this secret which has for ages been hidden away in God, the Creator of all things, so that the many phases of God's wisdom may now through the church be made known to the rulers and authorities in heaven, in accordance with the eternal purpose which God executed in the gift of Christ Jesus our Lord.
continuing with eager earnestness to maintain the unity of the Spirit through the tie of peace.
And He has given some men to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, some to be pastors and teachers,
And He has given some men to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, some to be pastors and teachers, for the immediate equipment of God's people for the work of service, for the ultimate building up of the body of Christ,
for the immediate equipment of God's people for the work of service, for the ultimate building up of the body of Christ,
for the immediate equipment of God's people for the work of service, for the ultimate building up of the body of Christ, until we all attain to unity in faith and to perfect knowledge of the Son of God, namely, to a mature manhood and to a perfect measure of Christ's moral stature;
For it is under His direction that the whole body is perfectly adjusted and united by every joint that furnishes its supplies; and by the proper functioning of each particular part there is brought about the growing of the body for its building up in love.
You married men must love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her,
You married men must love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her,
You married men must love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her,
You married men must love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her,
that He might present the church to Himself as a splendid bride without a blot or wrinkle or anything like it, but to be consecrated and faultless.
Yes, He is the Head of the church as His body. For He is the beginning, the first-born among the dead, so that He alone should stand first in everything.
and that through Him He might reconcile to Himself all things on earth or in heaven, making this peace through the blood He shed On His cross. So you, who were once estranged from Him, and hostile in disposition as shown by your wrongdoings, He has now reconciled read more. by His death in His human body, so as to present you consecrated, faultless, and blameless in His presence,
I am now glad to be suffering for you, and in my own person I am filling in what is lacking in Christ's sufferings for His body, that is, the church.
Remember me to the brothers in Laodicea and to Nympha and the church that meets at her house. When this letter has been read to you, have it read to the church at Laodicea too, and see to it that you too read the one that is coming from Laodicea.
When this letter has been read to you, have it read to the church at Laodicea too, and see to it that you too read the one that is coming from Laodicea.
Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy to the Thessalonian church in union with God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: spiritual blessing and peace be to you.
Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy to the Thessalonian church in union with God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: spiritual blessing and peace be to you.
Undoubtedly the mystery of our religion is a great wonder: "He was made visible in human form; He was vindicated by the Spirit; He was seen by angels; He was proclaimed among the heathen; He was trusted in throughout the world; He was taken up to glory."
who gave Himself for us to ransom us from all iniquity and purify for Himself a people to be His very own, zealous of good works.
who gave Himself for us to ransom us from all iniquity and purify for Himself a people to be His very own, zealous of good works.
when He says: "I will announce your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise";
For by that one sacrifice He has made perfect for all time those who are consecrated to Him.
and since in Him we have a Great Priest over the house of God, let us continue to draw near to God with sincere hearts and perfect faith; with our hearts cleansed from the sense of sin, and our bodies bathed in clean water;
let us continue to draw near to God with sincere hearts and perfect faith; with our hearts cleansed from the sense of sin, and our bodies bathed in clean water;
to the festal gathering and assembly of God's firstborn sons enrolled as citizens in heaven, to a Judge who is the God of all, to the spirits of upright men who have attained perfection, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood which speaks a better message than even Abel's did.
We Christians have an altar at which the ministers of the Jewish tent of worship have no right to eat. For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is taken into the sanctuary by the priest as a sin-offering, are burned outside the camp. read more. So Jesus, too, in order to purify the people by His own blood, suffered outside the gate. Let us, therefore, go to Him outside the camp, enduring the reproach that He endured; for we have no permanent city here, but we are searching for that city which is to be ours. So then, through Christ, let us always offer God the sacrifice of praise; that is, the speech of lips that glorify the name of God. And stop neglecting to do good and to be generous, for God is highly pleased with just such sacrifices as these.
For if a man with a gold ring, dressed in fine clothes, comes to your meeting, and at the same time a poor man clad in dirty clothes,
But someone may say, "You have faith, and I have good deeds. Show me your faith without any good deeds, but I will show you mine by my good deeds."
and keep on building yourselves up, as living stones, into a spiritual house for a consecrated priesthood, to offer up, through Jesus Christ, spiritual sacrifices that will be acceptable to God.
But you are the chosen race, the royal priesthood, the consecrated nation, the people to be His very own, to proclaim the perfections of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.
But you are the chosen race, the royal priesthood, the consecrated nation, the people to be His very own, to proclaim the perfections of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.
Your sister-church in Babylon, chosen along with you, and Mark my son, wish to be remembered to you.
"To the messenger of the church in Ephesus write: 'The One who is holding the seven stars in His right hand and is walking among the golden lampstands speaks as follows:
Morish
This English word is said to be derived from the Greek ???????? , which signifies 'pertaining to the Lord,' and is commonly used both for an association of professing Christians, and for the building in which they worship. It is the scriptural use of the word ????????, or 'assembly,' that is here under consideration.
The word is used in reference to Israel in the N.T. on one occasion in Ac 7:38, and to a Gentile throng in Ac 19:32,41. Its first occurrence in relation to Christianity is in Mt 16:18, where upon Peter's confession that Jesus was the Son of the living God, the Lord rejoins, "upon this rock I will build my assembly," etc. Historically this spiritual building, (for 'building' never refers to a material edifice) was begun after His death and resurrection, when the Holy Ghost descended at the day of Pentecost. In this aspect of the church there is no room for any failure
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And I, yes I, tell you, your name from now on is to be Peter, Rock, and on a massive rock like this I will build my church, and the powers of the underworld shall never overthrow it.
I most solemnly say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains a single grain. But if it does die, it yields a great harvest.
This is the one who in the congregation in the desert went between the angel, who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and our forefathers, who also received, to be handed down to you, utterances that still live.
So they kept on shouting, some one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and the majority of them did not know why they had met.
For by one Spirit all of us, Jews or Greeks, slaves or freemen, have been baptized into one body, and were all imbued with one Spirit.
And so He has put all things under His feet and made Him the supreme Head of the church, which is His body, that is being filled by Him who fills everything everywhere.
to show, throughout the coming ages, the boundless generosity of His unmerited favor shown us in His goodness to us through Christ Jesus.
For He has made us what we are, because He has created us through our union with Christ Jesus for doing good deeds which He beforehand planned for us to do.
and to make clear how is to be carried out the trusteeship of this secret which has for ages been hidden away in God, the Creator of all things, so that the many phases of God's wisdom may now through the church be made known to the rulers and authorities in heaven,
so that the many phases of God's wisdom may now through the church be made known to the rulers and authorities in heaven,
There is but one body and one Spirit, just as there is but one hope resulting from the call you have received;
to consecrate her, after cleansing her through His word, as pictured in the water bath, that He might present the church to Himself as a splendid bride without a blot or wrinkle or anything like it, but to be consecrated and faultless.
So as God's own chosen people, consecrated and dearly loved, you must once for all clothe yourselves with tenderheartedness, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience; you must keep on forbearing one another and freely forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; just as the Lord has freely forgiven you, so must you also do. read more. And over all these qualities put on love, which is the tie of perfection that binds us together. Let the peace that Christ can give keep on acting as umpire in your hearts, for you were called to this state as members of one body. And practice being thankful. Let the message of Christ continue to live in you in all its wealth of wisdom; keep on teaching it to one another and training one another in it with thankfulness, in your hearts singing praise to God with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. And whatever you say or do, let it all be done with reference to the Lord Jesus, and through Him continue to give thanks to God the Father.
For on the Lord's own authority we say that those of us who may be left behind and are still living when the Lord comes back, will have no advantage at all over those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself, at the summons sounded by the archangel's call and by God's trumpet, will come down from heaven, and first of all the dead in union with Christ will rise, read more. then those of us who are still living will be caught up along with them on clouds in the air to meet the Lord, and so we shall be with the Lord forever. So continue encouraging one another with this truth.
so that, if I am detained, you may know how people ought to conduct themselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.
In any great house there are not only gold and silver articles but also wooden utensils, some for honorable uses and some for lowly uses.
You must keep on fleeing from the evil impulses of youth, but ever strive for uprightness, faith, love, and peace, in association with those who call upon the Lord with pure hearts.
Keep on coming to Him, as to a living stone, rejected by men but chosen by God and precious in His sight, and keep on building yourselves up, as living stones, into a spiritual house for a consecrated priesthood, to offer up, through Jesus Christ, spiritual sacrifices that will be acceptable to God.
Smith
Church.
1. The derivation of the word is generally said to be from the Greek kuriakon (kuriakon) "belonging to the Lord." But the derivation has been too hastily assumed. It is probably connected with kirk, the Latin circus, circulus, the Greek kuklos (kuklos) because the congregations were gathered in circles.
2. Ecclesia (ekklesia) the Greek word for church, originally meant an assembly called out by the magistrate, or by legitimate authority. It was in this last sense that the word was adapted and applied by the writers of the New Testament to the Christian congregation. In the one Gospel of St. Matthew the church is spoken of no less than thirty-six times as "the kingdom." Other descriptions or titles are hardly found in the evangelists. It is Christ's household,
the salt and light of the world,
Christ's flock,
Mt 26:31; Joh 10:15
its members are the branches growing on Christ the Vine, John 15; but the general description of it, not metaphorical but direct, is that it is a kingdom,
From the Gospel then we learn that Christ was about to establish his heavenly kingdom on earth, which was to be the substitute for the Jewish Church and kingdom, now doomed to destruction
The day of Pentecost is the birthday of the Christian church. Before they had been individual followers Jesus; now they became his mystical body, animated by his spirit. On the evening of the day of Pentecost, the 3140 members of which the Church consisted were -- (1) Apostles; (2) previous Disciples; (3) Converts. In
we have indirectly exhibited the essential conditions of church communion. They are (1) Baptism, baptism implying on the part of the recipient repentance and faith; (2) Apostolic Doctrine; (3) Fellowship with the Apostles; (4) The Lord's Supper; (5) Public Worship. The real Church consists of all who belong to the Lord Jesus Christ as his disciples, and are one in love, in character, in hope, in Christ as the head of all, though as the body of Christ it consists of many parts.
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"You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its strength, what can make it salt again? It is good for nothing but to be thrown away and trodden under foot.
People do not light a lamp and put it under a peck-measure but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all that are in the house.
The pupil should be satisfied to become like his teacher, and the slave should be satisfied to become like his master. If men have called the Head of the house Beelzebub, how much worse names will they heap upon the members of His family!
I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you forbid on earth must be what is already forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth must be what is already permitted in heaven."
"This, I tell you, is why the kingdom will be taken away from you, and given to a people who will pay a fair rent for it.
Then Jesus said to them, "You will all stumble over me tonight, for the Scripture says, 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'
just as the Father knows me and I know the Father, and I am giving my own life for my sheep.
Watsons
CHURCH. The Greek word ????????, so rendered, denotes an assembly met about business, whether spiritual or temporal, Ac 19:32,39. It is understood also of the collective body of Christians, or all those over the face of the earth who profess to believe in Christ, and acknowledge him to be the Saviour of mankind; this is called the visible church. But, by the word church, we are more strictly to understand the whole body of God's true people, in every period of time: this is the invisible or spiritual church. The people of God on earth are called the church militant, and those in heaven the church triumphant. It has been remarked by Dr. John Owen, that sin having entered into the world, God was pleased to found his church (the catholic or universal church) in the promise of the Messiah given to Adam; that this promise contained in it something of the nature of a covenant, including the grace which God designed to show to sinners in the Messiah, and the obedience which he required from them; and that consequently, from its first promulgation, that promise became the sole foundation of the church and of the whole worship of God therein. Prior to the days of Abraham, this church, though scattered up and down the world, and subject to many changes in its worship through the addition of new revelations, was still but one and the same, because founded in the same covenant, and interested thereby in all the benefits or privileges that God had granted, or would at any time grant. In process of time, God was pleased to restrict his church, as far as visible acknowledgment went, in a great measure, to the seed of Abraham. With the latter he renewed his covenant, requiring that he should walk before him and be upright. He also constituted him the father of the faithful, or of all them that believe, and the "heir of the world." So that since the days of Abraham, the church has, in every age, been founded upon the covenant made with that patriarch, and on the work of redemption which was to be performed according to that covenant. Now wheresoever this covenant made with Abraham is, and with whomsoever it is established, with them is the church of God, and to them all the promises and privileges of the church really belong. Hence we may learn that at the coming of the Messiah, there was not one church taken away and another set up in its room; but the church continued the same, in those that were the children of Abraham, according to the faith. It is common with divines to speak of the Jewish and the Christian churches, as though they were two distinct and totally different things; but that is not a correct view of the matter. The Christian church is not another church, but the very same that was before the coming of Christ, having the same faith with it, and interested in the same covenant. Great alterations indeed were made in the outward state and condition of the church, by the coming of the Messiah. The carnal privilege of the Jews, in their separation from other nations to give birth to the Messiah, then failed, and with that also their claim on that account to be the children of Abraham. The ordinances of worship suited to that state of things then expired, and came to an end. New ordinances of worship were appointed, suitable to the new light and grace which were then bestowed upon the church. The Gentiles came into the faith of Abraham along with the Jews, being made joint partakers with them in his blessing. But none of these things, nor the whole collectively, did make such an alteration in the church, but that it was still one and the same. The olive tree was still the same, only some branches were broken off, and others grafted into it. The Jews fell, and the Gentiles came in their room. And this may enable us to determine the difference between the Jews and Christians relative to the Old Testament promises. They are all made to the church. No individual has any interest in them except by virtue of his membership with the church. The church is, and always was, one and the same. The Jewish plea, is, that the church is with them, because they are the children of Abraham according to the flesh. Christians reply, that their privilege on that ground was of another nature, and ended with the coming of the Messiah: that the church of God, unto whom all the promises belong, are only those who are heirs of the faith of Abraham, believing as he did, and are consequently interested in his covenant. These are Zion, Jerusalem, Israel, Jacob, the temple, or church of God.
2. By a particular church we understand an assembly of Christians united together, and meeting in one place, for the solemn worship of God. To this agrees the definition given by the compilers of the Thirty-nine Articles of the Church of England: "A congregation of faithful men, in which the true word of God is preached, and the sacraments duly administered according to Christ's ordinances, in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same," Ac 9:31; 20:17; Ga 1:2,22; 1Co 14:34; Col 4:15. The word is now also used to denote any particular denomination of Christians, distinguished by particular doctrines, ceremonies, &c, as the Romish church, the Greek church, the English church, &c.
3. On the subject of the church, opinions as opposite or varying as possible have been held, from that of the Papists, who contend for its visible unity throughout the world under a visible head, down to that of the Independents, who consider the universal church as composed of congregational churches, each perfect in itself, and entirely independent of every other. The first opinion is manifestly contradicted by the language of the Apostles, who, while they teach that there is but one church, composed of believers throughout the world, think it not at all inconsistent with this to speak of "the churches of Judea," "of Achaia," "the seven churches of Asia," "the church at Ephesus," &c. Among themselves the Apostles had no common head; but planted churches and gave directions for their government, in most cases without any apparent correspondence with each other. The Popish doctrine is certainly not found in their writings; and so far were they from making provision for the government of this one supposed church, by the appointment of one visible and exclusive head, that they provide for the future government of the respective churches raised up by them in a totally different manner, that is, by the ordination of ministers for each church, who are indifferently called bishops, and presbyters, and pastors. The only unity of which they speak is the unity of the whole church in Christ, the invisible head, by faith; and the unity produced by "fervent love toward each other." Nor has the Popish doctrine of the visible unity of the church any countenance from early antiquity. The best ecclesiastical historians have showed, that, through the greater part of the second century, the Christian churches were independent of each other. "Each Christian assembly," says Mosheim, "was a little state governed by its own laws, which were either enacted, or at least, approved, by the society. But in process of time, all the churches of a province were formed into one large ecclesiastical body, which, like confederate states, assembled at certain times in order to deliberate about the common interests of the whole." So far indeed this union of churches appears to have been a wise and useful arrangement, although afterward it was carried to an injurious extreme, until finally it gave birth to the assumptions of the bishop of Rome, as universal bishop; a claim, however, which, when most successful, was but partially submitted to, the eastern churches having, for the most part, always maintained their independence. To very large association of churches of any kind existed till toward the close of the second century, which sufficiently refutes the papal argument from antiquity. The independence of the early Christian churches does not, however, appear to have resembled that of the churches which, in modern times, are called Independent. During the lives of the Apostles and Evangelists they were certainly subject to their counsel and control,
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And they devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to fellowship with one another, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
So the church all over Judea, Galilee, and Samaria enjoyed peace, and as it continued to be built up spiritually and to live in reverence for the Lord, it continued to increase in numbers through the encouragement that the Holy Spirit gave.
So they kept on shouting, some one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and the majority of them did not know why they had met.
But if you require anything beyond this, it must be settled in the regular assembly.
From Miletus he sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church.
Then let us stop criticizing one another; instead, do this, determine to stop putting stumbling blocks or hindrances in your brother's way.
You must clean out the old yeast, that you may be a fresh lump, as you are to be free from the old yeast. For our Passover Lamb, Christ, has already been sacrificed.
Now what I really meant was for you to stop associating with any so-called brother, if he is sexually immoral, a greedy grasper, an idolater, a slanderer, a drunkard, or a swindler -- with such a person you must even stop eating.
Everything is permissible for people, but not everything is good for them. Everything is permissible for people, but not everything builds up their personality. No one should always be looking after his own welfare, but also that of his neighbor. read more. As a rule eat anything that is sold in the meat market without raising any question about it for conscience' sake, for the earth and everything that it contains belong to the Lord. If some unbelieving heathen invites you to his house, and you wish to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question for conscience' sake. But if someone says to you, "This meat has been offered as a heathen sacrifice," make it your rule not to eat it, for the sake of the man who warned you and for conscience' sake; I mean his conscience, not yours. Why then should my personal freedom be limited by another's conscience? If I give thanks and thus partake of food, why am I to be blamed for that for which I give thanks? So if you eat or drink or do anything else, do everything to honor God. Stop being stumbling blocks to Jews or Greeks or to the church of God, just as I myself am in the habit of pleasing everybody in everything, not aiming at my own welfare but at that of as many people as possible, in order that they may be saved.
For if anybody is in union with Christ, he is the work of a new creation; the old condition has passed away, a new condition has come.
Therefore: "'Come out of company with them, and separate from them,' the Lord has said, 'And stop touching what is unclean; then I will welcome you,
For in union with Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor lack of it counts for anything; but only faith that is spurred on to action by love.
Brothers, if anybody is caught in the very act of doing wrong, you who are spiritual, in the spirit of gentleness, must set him right; each of you continuing to think of yourself, for you may be tempted too.
Brothers, if anybody is caught in the very act of doing wrong, you who are spiritual, in the spirit of gentleness, must set him right; each of you continuing to think of yourself, for you may be tempted too. Practice bearing one another's burdens, and in this way carry out the law of Christ.
And He has given some men to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, some to be pastors and teachers,
Keep on praying in the Spirit, with every kind of prayer and entreaty, at every opportunity, be ever on the alert with perfect devotion and entreaty for all God's people,
Remember me to the brothers in Laodicea and to Nympha and the church that meets at her house.
Now we charge you, brothers, on the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, to hold yourselves aloof from any brother who is living as a shirker instead of following the teachings you received from us.
Let us continue so to consider one another as to stimulate one another to love and good deeds. Let us stop neglecting our meeting together, as some do, but let us continue to encourage one another, and all the more because you see that the great day is drawing near. read more. For if we go willfully sinning after we have received full knowledge of the truth, there is no sacrifice left to be offered for our sins, but only a terrifying prospect of judgment and that fiery indignation which is going to devour God's enemies.
You must not forget your former leaders, for it was they who brought you the message of God. Consider how they closed their lives; imitate their faith.
My brothers, what good is there in a man's saying that he has faith, if he has no good deeds to prove it? Such faith cannot save him, can it?
Just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without good deeds is dead.
because you have been born anew, not from a germ that perishes but from one that does not perish, by the word of the living and everlasting God.