12. The Church

12. The Church

The church is the community of believers who confess Jesus Christ as

Lord and Saviour. In continuity with the people of God in Old Testament

times, we are called out from the world; and we join together for worship,

for fellowship, for instruction in the Word, for the celebration of the

Lord’s Supper, for service to humanity, and for the worldwide

proclamation of the gospel. The church derives its authority from Christ,

who is the incarnate Word revealed in the Scriptures. The church is God’s

family; adopted by Him as children, its members live on the basis of the

new covenant. The church is the body of Christ, a community of faith of

which Christ Himself is the Head. The church is the bride for whom Christ

died that He might sanctify and cleanse her. At His return in triumph, He

will present her to Himself a glorious church, the faithful of all the ages,

the purchase of His blood, not having spot or wrinkle, but holy and

without blemish. (Gen 12:1-3; Exod 19:3-7; Matt 16:13-20; 18:18; 28:19,

20; Acts 2:38-42; 7:38; 1 Cor 1:2; Eph 1:22, 23; 2:19-22; 3:8-11; 5:23-27;

Col 1:17, 18; 1 Peter 2:9.)