My Problem with the Invisible Church

[Rick Otto]

As Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 2:19 "Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are His." The Bible clearly says that all Christians are a body of believers indwelt by the Spirit (1 Cor. 12:13). Romans 8:9 says, "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His." Spiritual Church is "invisible unity" which assumed to be imperfectly displayed, visibly: some denominations are less accepting of others, and the basic orthodoxy of some is questioned by most of the others. At the instant of our conversion, we become "eternal members" in the universal (catholic) church of Jesus Christ, based solely on His merit and grace.

The author of the book of Hebrews explain that "faith is the conviction of things not seen". A Christian is prepared to live out our life on the basis of faith regardless of sight, taste, feel and experience. I have not seen God, nor I have seen Christ nor I have seen or feel the Holy Spirit. Faith is believing there is another dimension to life other than those which can be touched, tasted, seen or felt. There is more to life than that. There is also the realm of the spirit, the invisible spiritual kingdom of God. Biblical faith is this: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1-2).

QFT!! sweet post, Jim.

 

[Citizen of the Kingdom]

Originally Posted by JimfromOhio

As Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 2:19 "Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are His." The Bible clearly says that all Christians are a body of believers indwelt by the Spirit (1 Cor. 12:13). Romans 8:9 says, "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His." Spiritual Church is "invisible unity" which assumed to be imperfectly displayed, visibly: some denominations are less accepting of others, and the basic orthodoxy of some is questioned by most of the others. At the instant of our conversion, we become "eternal members" in the universal (catholic) church of Jesus Christ, based solely on His merit and grace.

The author of the book of Hebrews explain that "faith is the conviction of things not seen". A Christian is prepared to live out our life on the basis of faith regardless of sight, taste, feel and experience. I have not seen God, nor I have seen Christ nor I have seen or feel the Holy Spirit. Faith is believing there is another dimension to life other than those which can be touched, tasted, seen or felt. There is more to life than that. There is also the realm of the spirit, the invisible spiritual kingdom of God. Biblical faith is this: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1-2).
​

QFT!! sweet post, Jim.

 

[tadoflamb]

But, but, but.........

Jesus told the early Church:

You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. (Matthew 5:14)

It's visible.

 

[sunlover1]

But, but, but.........

Jesus told the early Church:



It's visible.

So why can't i see you?

 

[ivebeenshown]

But, but, but.........

Jesus told the early Church:

It's visible.

Matthew 5
16Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Our light is Christ... preach the gospel. It's figurative. We walk not by sight but by faith.

 

[JimfromOhio]

But, but, but.........

Jesus told the early Church:



It's visible.

Through the Holy Spirit, His invisible church (Christians) might shine as a light in the world (Matt. 5:14). If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another (1 John 1:7).

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

Through the Holy Spirit, His invisible church (Christians) might shine as a light in the world (Matt. 5:14). If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another (1 John 1:7).

Even with Catholics

 

[Standing Up]

But, but, but.........

Jesus told the early Church:



It's visible.

Dude, you a ghost? If not ...

Hope that helps.

 

[Rick Otto]

Even with Catholics

Oh, stop!
He said "one with another".

 

[JimfromOhio]

Even with Catholics

I know many Catholics who are truly Christians. The life of a local visible church is made up of spiritual attitudes and spiritual motivations, spiritual graces that come from deep within the community. Its a reminder of this verse in Ephesians 4:4, "There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all." To me, I don't care which "Church" or "Tradition" claim the "rights" to be connected as part of "first Church" (i.e. Roman Catholic). The Greek word for church is ekklesia, which means "an assembly of called-out ones. " The church is made up of people called by God to be His children. We have become united with all other believers by faith in Christ, who said, "I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matt. 16:18). Jesus meant He would gather together a body of believers. He wasn't talking about organizations; He was talking about people. We who know and love Him are the living church that has been born into the family of God by the Holy Spirit.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

I guess that means it's boundaries are enlarged as we allow God more sovereignity over ourselves.

indeed .

 

[Gregory Thompson]

But, but, but.........

Jesus told the early Church:



It's visible.

Matthew 5:13-16 13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

The church is visible if you are visible through what Jesus does through you . if you are not visible through what God does through you, then the church is invisible because you are the church .

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

But, but, but.........

Jesus told the early Church:

You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. (Matthew 5:14)
It's visible.

Only thru the Faith of Jesus can that City be "un-hid" thru all the "smoke" ehehe

Matthew 21:21 Answering the Jesus said to them "verily I am saying to ye, if ever ye may be having Faith and no ye may be doubting, not only the of the fig-tree ye shall be doing, but even-ever to this, the Mountain, ye may saying 'be being lifted up! and be being cast! into the Sea' it shall be becoming"
[Galatian 4:24,25/Revelation 8:8]

Reve 8:8 And the second Messenger trumpets and as-like a Mountain, great to fire burning, was cast into the Sea and became the third of the Sea blood
[Matthew 21:21/Galatian 4:24, 25/Hebrew 12:18]

Reve 14:8 And another Messenger, second-one follows saying "She falls, She falls.....
[Jeremiah 51:8/Luke 19:44]

Reve 19:3 And a second-time they have declared "allelouia and the Smoke of Her is ascending into the Ages of the Ages".

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

It's invisible. I can't see it.

What about now?

 

[daydreamergurl15]

Church--body of believers.
The church is not invisible.

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

The church is invisible in the sense that it is not limited to one organisation. The visible church is the scaffolding that holds the invisible church. God has allowed a visible church only to present a testimony to the world - an opportunity for people to hear the Gospel, and a place where people can come and fellowship together.

The sinfulness and pride of man has corrupted the visible church and made it a vehicle for man's ambition to have power and control over others. A person who is a senior leader of a visible church, even at the top of the "pyramid" of authority, may be highly respected of men as a wonderful leader in the faith, but he may be nothing in the sight of God.

God will often bring along someone who is low and contemptable to provide spiritual teaching, and when these exalted leaders reject him then that will provide evidence at the Judgment that these great leaders are nothing but proud, self-exalted hypocrites who have no real relationship with God at all. I believe that church leaders need to examine themselves more deeply to ensure that they are in the faith and are not puffed up by their position in the church.

If there are a group of people who may have a problem with the invisible church, it would be these puffed up, self-appointed leaders, because not knowing who are really of God or not, they would find it very difficult to exercise power and control over them. If they did, these faithful ones who have their faith in Christ would walk out of their churches and join ones where Christ is exalted above any man.

 

[Anoetos]

Just pointing out, the expression "invisible church" was used during the Reformation to refer to those Christians who were truly born again as opposed to those who were mere "professors". Our Lord made a similar distinction when he spoke of the wheat and the tares.

There has never been anything like perfectly uniform agreement about what this means. For example, Lutherans have a VERY different idea than do Presbyterians and they both differ greatly from how Anabaptists understand it.

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

Just pointing out, the expression "invisible church" was used during the Reformation to refer to those Christians who were truly born again as opposed to those who were mere "professors". Our Lord made a similar distinction when he spoke of the wheat and the tares.

There has never been anything like perfectly uniform agreement about what this means. For example, Lutherans have a VERY different idea than do Presbyterians and they both differ greatly from how Anabaptists understand it.

Another words, pew warmers

The Plight of Pew Warmers - Food for Thought - All Creatures Guide to Kingdom Living - life, heaven, earth, peace, justice, Bible study, discussion, commentary, God, Christ, Christian, Jewish, Jesus, Holy Spirit, vegetarian, vegetarianism, vegan, veg

The Plight of Pew Warmers

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

It's invisible. I can't see it.

Can ya see yet?

 

[tadoflamb]

Can ya see yet?

No, it's invisible.