LBCF Chapter 26 - Ang Iglesia (The Church) (Part 2) (25-Apr-2021)

Adult Sunday School
Date: 25-Apr-2021
Title: LBCF Chapter 26 - Ang Iglesia (The Church)
Youtube: LBCF Chapter 26 - Ang Iglesia (The Church) (Part 2) (25-Apr-2021)
Study Series: 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith

The catholic or universal church, which (with respect to the internal work of the Spirit and truth of grace) may be called invisible, consists of the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one, under Christ, the head thereof; and is the spouse, the body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all.

Soteriological (invisible) and Institutional (visible) church.

The Invisible church is catholic or universal (adjective) - It has nothing to do with a specific group
- Ekklesia in the NT predominantly refers to the local church
- In some places, we find that it refers to the universal church.
- Matthew 16:18 - referring to universal church: Context: Jerusalem church
- 1 Cor 12:28 - the church in general (Eph 1:22, 4:11, 5:23-25, Col 1:15-24, Heb 12:23
- It refutes baptist ecclesiastical distortion that teaches landmarkism (trail of blood) - denies the existence of universal church. Non-baptists are non-Christian.
- It is composed of all the elect throughout all the ages.
- There is only one way of salvation. The saints of OT believe in the Messiah proclaimed by types and shadows. The saints of NT and beyond believe in the apostolic proclamation of the gospel. Hebrews 11:39-40
- We will sit with the Patriarchs in unity. Matthew 8:11
- The church as a company of the truly saved.
- The church as an institution started in Christ.
- The OT were identified with Moses, the mediator of the OT, under YHWH's theocracy.
- We are indentified with Jesus, the mediator of the NT, who accomplished the work of redemption by shedding His blood on the cross.
- The NT is not like the OT (Jer 31, Heb 😎.

- The children of believers are not automatically members of the NT.
- The Confession also avoid sharp distinction (dispensationalism) and balances the continuity and discontinuity of the one plan of redemption.
- The invisible church are the saved.
- The visible church is the institution.

- We know the invisible church through the local church. Hence, we cannot dismiss the importance of the local church (Acts 8:1, 9:1,2,31).
- Let us NOT think that the universal church is separate from the local church.

- If you profess to know Christ but do not love the local church, you're profession is questionable. You're love for Christ is made visible by your love for the church.
- If you want to be a member of the local church but has no interest in Christ, your membership has no benefit to your soul.