# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1953_S878
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

378 INTERSYNODICAL AND DOCTRINAL MATTERs -

“Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and:
translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son” (Col. 1:13
“Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except 4
be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the
dom of God” (John 3:5).

C. In the New Testament the name “Church” ( ekkleegig
given by Holy Scriptures to individual local congregations ¢
groups of congregations in a geographic area as well as to the
total of believers.

The term ekkleesia is at times translated as “church”;
times as “congregation” (Luther: “Gemeinde” and “Kirg
which may lead to misunderstandings, e. g., as if a local co
gation were not the “Church.” (See Kittel, Theol. Woert
zum N. T., for many examples of the use of ekkleesia.)

“Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them tha
sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all th;
every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord,.:
theirs and ours” (1 Cor. 1:2).

Compare also the following:

“The church which was at Jerusalem” (Acts 8:1).

“The churches of Galatia” (1 Cor. 16:1).

“The churches of Judea” (Gal. 1:22).

“Then had the churches (Nestle: church) rest throughot
Judea and Galilee and Samaria” (Acts 9:31).

“Christ is the Head of the Church” (Eph.5:25), and xt
other passages in Ephesians referring to the sum total o
believers. ;

A congregation using the means of grace is properly call
“church” by virtue of the believers in it, regardless of the fact |
some of the members may only be using the means of grace y W
they reject the Holy Spirit’s gift of faith.

D. Just as the Church has been called into being and is’
served through the means of grace, so it is to use these same ™
of grace to strengthen and extend God’s kingdom.

The following Scripture passages emphasize the fact
Church is built by the means of grace.

“Then they that gladly received His Word were baptized,
the same day there were added unto them about three tho
souls” (Acts 2:41),

“Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house,.
priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to (
Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5).

“And He gave some, Apostles; and some, prophets; and