Question: Are we the church (ekklesia), (literally: a "called out assembly", only when assembled, or everyday of our lives? "This word (ekklesia) was in common usage to refer to the town council of the Greek city-state. Each citizen had equal vote and full freedom of speech in this earliest form of democracy. See Acts 19:32. The word was also common in the Greek Old Testament (LXX, Septuagint) for the total "community" of Israel, whether they were actually assembled or not. In this context it acquired the special sense of "The People of God." In the New Testament ekklesia is used of the church in two different senses. There is the universal called out assembly, consisting of every child of God, as in Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 1:22, and Colossians 1:18. Most of the time, however, ekklesia is used of the local congregation." Source: Bible Study Textbook Series - Guidance From Galatians Copyright 1961 College Press Publishing Company.
Posted on: Wed, 03 Jul 2013 15:15:08 +0000
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