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The word for Church in the Greek is ekklesia. It means "called out ones" or "those set apart", and refers first to all those through History that the Lord has "set apart" for His purpose and work, whether they be Jew or Gentile. More specifically to those He has set apart by giving them an unction of the Holy Spirit or filling them with the Holy Spirit. It more generally refers to the "congregation" or "assembly" of those chosen believers. In the Greek Septuagint translation (300 B.C. to 175 B.C.), this is the same word used collectively for the "children of God" even before Christ (Messiah) was born.
The "Church" proper, i.e., the Spirit filled believers in Messiah, born of God's Spirit (John 3:3-8; Acts 2:38) begins formally in Acts 2 when the Spirit falls upon the 120 close disciples and they all go forth as a witness to the whole world. Not everyone today who names the name of Christ or makes a profession or gets baptized is a child of God (a member of "the Church"). We are saved by grace (His unmerited and undeserved favor - John 3:16) through faith (Pistis - trusting in, relying on, and cleaving to), and this is not of ourselves it is a gift of God (Romans 6:23; Acts 2:38). so the question is...do you believe in one God? You do well only the devils also believe and tremble. So rather, like Abraham to have a faith God counts as righteousness (because you will never do enough good works to earn His favor because you have sinned - Romans 3:23 - and the wages or payment due for sin is spiritual death)...so to have that faith is to believe God (not just in Him). Believe Him and take Him at His word...those who do are the Church whether Catholic, Pentacostal, Orthodox, etc., there are also people in all these denominations who do not believe God and reject His word...they are not saved and are not "the Church"!
So the Church was always there in one sense and formally there after the death, burial and resurrection of Christ...by grace, through faith...
I hope this helped...Amen
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∙ 14y ago
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What book of the Bible is the word church first mentioned?
Matthew. Chapter 16, verse 18.
Where in the Bible is the name Paul first mentioned?
Paul is first mentioned in the bible in the book of Acts.
In what book is love first mentioned in the Bible?
Love is mentioned in the first book of the Bible - Genesis.
What is the first name in the Bible?
The first book in the Bible was Exodus. The first Name mentioned in the Bible was Adam.
Who was the first grandparent mentioned in the bible?
Adam and Eve were the first humans according to the bible, so they would logically be the first grandparents mentioned there.
What book of the Bible is the word church first mentioned?
Matthew. Chapter 16, verse 18.
Where in the Bible is the name Paul first mentioned?
Paul is first mentioned in the bible in the book of Acts.
In what book is love first mentioned in the Bible?
Love is mentioned in the first book of the Bible - Genesis.
What is the first name in the Bible?
The first book in the Bible was Exodus. The first Name mentioned in the Bible was Adam.
Who was the first grandparent mentioned in the bible?
Adam and Eve were the first humans according to the bible, so they would logically be the first grandparents mentioned there.
What is the first was mentioned in the bible?
Adam
What was the first creature on the Ark in the holy bible?
It is not mentioned in the bible.
Where is Mary Magdalene mentioned in the Bible?
The first time she is mentioned in the Bible is in Luke 8:3.
How many members of church in Ephesus?
The exact number of people who belonged to the church in Ephesus is never mentioned in the Bible.
When is the Pharaoh first mentioned in the Bible?
It is in the book of Genesis, at the time of of Joseph, Pharaoh is first mentioned.
When is black first mentioned in the bible?
Leviticus
Who was the first warrior mentioned in the bible?
Lemech
