Exposition

The principal questions in connection with the subject of the Church, are the following:
What is the Church?
How manifold is it?
What are the marks of the true Church?
Why is it called One, Holy, and Catholic?
In what does it differ from the State?
What is the cause of the difference between the Church and the rest of mankind?
Is there any salvation out of the Church?

I. What is the church?

The question, what is the Church, presupposes its existence, so that there is no necessity for us to inquire whether there be a church? We may, however, merely remark, that there always has been, and ever will be, a church, including a greater or less number of members, because Christ always has been, and always will be, king, head and priest of the church, as we shall show in our remarks upon the fourth division of this subject.

The term church signifies the same thing which the Athenians were wont to express by ekklhdia., from, ekkaleh to call forth, which meant among them an assembly of citizens called by the voice of a public crier, from the remaining crowd, as it were by name, and by the hundreds, for the purpose of hearing an oration, or the decision of the Senate in relation to any particular subject. The apostles, therefore, on account of this similarity borrowed the word ecdesia for their own purpose, in order that they might thereby express, in the most intelligent manner, the idea of the church. For the church is an assemblage of persons brought together, not by chance, nor in a disorderly manner, but called out of the kingdom of Satan by the voice of the Lord, and by the preaching of the gospel for the purpose of hearing, and embracing the word of God. The term ecdesia differs, therefore, from synagogue; for whilst the latter means any kind of an assembly, or gathering, however common, and irregularly brought together, ecdesia, on the other hand, denotes a congregation called together in a particular manner, and for a particular object, which is the character of the congregation of those who are called of God to a knowledge of the gospel. This congregation of those who are called of God, the Latins also expresa by the Greek word ecdesia. The German, Kirche, seems to be derived from the Greek kuriakh, which means the Lord’s house, or as it is expressed in the German, Gotteshaus.

The Catechism in answer to the Question under consideration, defines the church to be that assembly, or congregation of men, chosen of God from everlasting to eternal life, which the Son of God, from the beginning to the end of the world, gathers, defends and preserves to himself, by his Spirit and word, out of the whole human race, agreeing in true faith, and which he will at length glorify with eternal life and glory. Such is the definition of the true church of God of which the Creed properly speaks.