The church of Jesus

[Jim]

What does Jesus mean when he says "my church"?

“Let him be to you as a Gentile or a tax collector” (Matt. 18:17).

Did you read all the passages in the gospels that mention gentiles and tax collectors?

 

[Jim]

Now I’m thinking that one of the meanings of “my church” could be all the things that the followers of Jesus do together for Him. The rock could be seeing who He is, and hearing his word and doing it. Those might be inseparable. It might be impossible to really see who He is without wanting to do everything He says, and impossible to want to do everything He says without really seeing who He is.

What people do when they are following the best teachings of the rabbis, might be as much a part of the church of Jesus as what people do when they are following the best teachings of Christianity.

 

[Spirit of Light]

NOTE: This thread is in a non debate forum.

In the gospel story where Peter recognizes Jesus as the one that God said would be His son, Jesus says that He will build His church on that rock. I’m thinking now that His church might be the fellowship and collaboration of people when they are learning together to follow Him, encouraging and supporting each other in doing that. Not any single denomination of Christianity. Not only people who call themselves Christians. Anyone, anywhere, regardless of beliefs or affiliation, any time that they are learning together to follow Him, even if they don’t call Him Jesus, or think of Him as the Jesus in the gospel stories.

Honestly, I am no expert on this topic, but a thought comes to mind. May it be as simple as Church of Jesus is the teaching itself? That the Gospel of Jesus becomes the church of Jesus when people follow his teaching? So it is not a structure, but the community of followers that "create" the congregation of the gospel?

 

[Jim]

Honestly, I am no expert on this topic, but a thought comes to mind. May it be as simple as Church of Jesus is the teaching itself? That the Gospel of Jesus becomes the church of Jesus when people follow his teaching? So it is not a structure, but the community of followers that "create" the congregation of the gospel?

Yes, I that’s what I’m thinking. It’s all people everywhere when they are following His teaching because of the light they see in it, even if they don’t know where it came from.

 

[sooda]

Did you read all the passages in the gospels that mention gentiles and tax collectors?

Right .. People who won't listen should be treated like gentiles and tax collectors. That's particularly onerous since the taxes went to the Romans.

 

[Jim]

Right .. People who won't listen should be treated like gentiles and tax collectors. That's particularly onerous since the taxes went to the Romans.

No. I’m talking about all the other passages in the gospels that mention gentiles and tax collectors.

 

[sooda]

No. I’m talking about all the other passages in the gospels that mention gentiles and tax collectors.

You mean that Jesus ate with tax collectors and gentiles?

 

[Jim]

You mean that Jesus ate with tax collectors and gentiles?

That’s part of it.

 

[sooda]

That’s part of it.

Why don't you explain it to me?

 

[cataway]

Do you have any thoughts about what I said in the OP?

part of the problem is the word "church" .in the minds eye see's a building and not the people that are ''supposed'' to be inside the building . a more appropriate word would be congregation . at one time the two words were more or less interchangeable .welllll ,,,, not so much anymore.

there is a group of people know by some as the ''elect ''. it refers to those that have been scrutinized not by man but by the king of the kingdom to fill a position in that kingdom. They are that church/congregation . also called the bride of Christ.

please don't look for that congregation/church anywhere here on earth , the kingdom seat is in heaven .

 

[Jim]

Now I’m thinking of the church of Jesus as being what all people everywhere are doing whenever two or more of them are following the light of Jesus together, even if they don’t think of that light as coming from Him, and even if they don’t think of it as coming from a person called “God” or a place called “heaven.”

 

[Clear]

NOTE: This thread is in a non debate forum.

In the gospel story where Peter recognizes Jesus as the one that God said would be His son, Jesus says that He will build His church on that rock. I’m thinking now that His church might be the fellowship and collaboration of people when they are learning together to follow Him, encouraging and supporting each other in doing that. Not any single denomination of Christianity. Not only people who call themselves Christians. Anyone, anywhere, regardless of beliefs or affiliation, any time that they are learning together to follow Him, even if they don’t call Him Jesus, or think of Him as the Jesus in the gospel stories.

Hi Jim

As others have pointed out, I also, like your thinking.

For me, the ancient word "church" / εκκλησια in it's early context has taken on a deeper meaning as I consider the "Church" as part of an eternal plan of a loving God. The word most often used for “church” in the New Testament Greek is εκκλησια. It is a compound word made up of the work used for a “calling”, an “invitation”, a “naming” (distinguishing one thing from another thing), καλεω and the Greek word for “out”, εκ.. For example, the word was used also for an assembly of people. (e.g. a town meeting, or a town play)

I believe that this word, in its’ most broadest religious contextual sense is that it represents those individuals who have accepted the invitation God extends to all individuals toward faith and moral/social progression. In the narrower Christian context I believe it represents those who have accepted the more narrow invitation God, at some point, extends to all individuals toward faith in Jesus Christ and in the adoption and mastering of moral and social laws Jesus wants us to live. I do not think one needs to have a perfectly correct understanding of any doctrine in order to be part of those who are in the process of assembling and learning what it is that Jesus expects of them and then learning to do what Jesus expects of them. The Εκκλησια, is, as I view it, a part of an eternal “process” of planting and gathering “good fruit” who respond to the invitation towards moral/social “improvement”. I think this may have been what Origen meant when he defined evil as “the refusal to progress.” This is simply a base model for me and I am very willing and wanting to modify it as I find better data.

I hope your journey is good in this life

Clear
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