I have a Bible. I'm trying to figure out how YOU are using the words.
I'm using the words the way believers use them in the scriptures.
From the verses you've quoted, I'll guess that you use the word εκκλησία for meaning #3 in my list, namely, the collection of all Christians who have ever lived.
i use the word Church, as in Greek, but as used by Jesus in his teaching of what the church is and Paul and Peter etc. If you look up the word church in Greek, you will find a general meaning of a called out assembly.
"ἐκκλησία ekklēsía, ek-klay-see'-ah; from a compound of
G1537 and a derivative of
G2564; a calling out, i.e. (concretely) a popular meeting, especially a religious congregation (Jewish synagogue, or Christian community of members on earth or saints in heaven or both):—assembly, church." *Strongs)
You will not find the unbelieving Greek people of Paul's time understanding the body of Christ or the house of God made of living stones . But thats how the scripture define the church that Jesus is building. If you were to ask a Greek in those days "is the church "ekklēsía" the body of Christ?" they wouldn't know what you were talking about and say no. But according to scripture the church is the body of Christ. The same can be said for the word "temple", it has pagan origins and does not mean the body of believers as the temple of God. That is how it is used by Jesus Christ in scripture. Jesus also refers to the temple of His body. The word Temple however in Greek has pagan origins. So Jesus uses words that are redefined in a spiritual sense referring to the body of Christ. If you stick with the literal Greek word from that time no one would define the church as the body of Christ. But the called out assembly of believers called out of the dark world and into Christ and His kingdom will use it that way.
Does that help?
Do you have any word that you use to describe the congregation that gathers in your house?
"... the church which is in his house.” ( Colossians 4:15) Same Greek word "
ekklēsía"
and this "
ekklēsía", is the body of Christ
(though not in the Greek definition, but as we see spiritually interpreted by the Spirit of God through Paul who wrote scripture.)
"And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to thechurch, 23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all." ( Ephesians 1:22,23)
I understand that you disapprove of any building in which Christians worship that is not a private residence.
No I didn't say that. I object to calling a man made building a church, which fights against the true church and function of the church. i also object to a large castle-like structure unbiblically called a church", where there is one man at the front exalted above all and where all are (by the very structure of these places) forced to look at the back of someones head and where no body ministry can happen or edifying one another in Christ because of the Lecture type format and the man made By-Laws that don't allow freedom. And I object to these things according to scripture and the commandments of the Lord. What I am sharing about body ministry is the commandments of the Lord for the church.
Yes, there is the church as the whole body of Christ and there is also churches, referring to the church in different areas and there is the church which meets in their homes referring to that particular part of the church.
Still, some congregations do not have any members who are wealthy enough to own houses in which there is room for dozens of people to gather.
I never said all have to have the same ;Large homes. Believers can meet in many different size homes and places as long as body ministry in edification in Christ can happen and they can see each other and have a meal together with all gifts and ministries allowed to happen as Christ participates with them. I also believe I mentioned these things already and I even said two or more in a prison cell can gather in Christ.
Thus, larger, communally-owned buildings do exist, in which Christians gather and worship.
if they are too big for mutual edification or if there is seating facing the front on a altar with steps where the one man over all is exalted above all, then they are not good for the function of the church. At best they can be used for evangelism etc.
Would you be willing to use the term "Meeting House" to describe these communally-owned buildings? (This is the terminology used by the Religious Society of Friends and some other Christian groups.)
No, I don;t need to use such terms. Although the term is not the issue. Unless you call a man made building a church. The church meets in the house is fine. For example we might say the church meets at Johns home .
I am also not speaking of "communally-owned buildings". When you say "communally" are you speaking of believers all living in one place?
