Answer. That 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, a church, chosen to everlasting life, agreeing in true faith; and that I am, and for ever shall remain, a living member thereof.
Exposition
The principal questions in connection with the subject of the Church, are the following:
I. What is the Church?
II. How mani-fold is it?
III. What are the marks of the true Church?
IV. Why is it called One, Holy, and Catholic?
V. In what does it differ from the State?
VI. What is the cause of the difference between the Church and the rest of mankind?
VII. 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 εκκλησια, from εκκσλειν 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 ecclesia 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 ecclesia differs, therefore, from synagogue; for whilst the latter means any kind of an assembly, or gathering, however common, and irregularly brought together, ecclesia, 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 express by the Greek word ecclesia. The German, Rirche, seems to be derived from the Greek κυζιακη, 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.
II. How Mani-Fold Is the Church?
The church is either true, or false. When we speak of the church, however, as false, we do not use the term in a proper, but in an improper sense; and mean by it every assembly which arrogates unto itself the name of the Christian Church, but which, instead of following it, rather persecutes it. The true church is either triumphant, which even now triumphs with the blessed angels in heaven, and which will at length obtain a complete triumph after the resurrection; or militant, which in this world fights under the banner of Christ against the devil, the flesh and the world. The church militant is either visible, or invisible. When spoken of as visible, it means an assembly of persons, who embrace and profess the entire and uncorrupted doctrine of the law and gospel, and who use the sacraments according to the appointment of Christ, and profess obedience to the teachings of God’s word. The visible church consists of many who are regenerated by the Holy Spirit through the word unto eternal life, and many also who are hypocrites and unregenerated, but who nevertheless consent to the doctrine, and conform to the external rites of the church. Or, the visible church may be defined to be the assembly of those who assent to the doctrine of God’s word, among whom there are, however, many dead members, or such as have not been regenerated. “Not every one that saith unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 7:21.) We may here also appropriately cite the parable of the wheat and tares, and that of the net, which gathered of every kind, the good and the bad. The invisible church consists of those who are chosen unto eternal life, who are also regenerated, and belong to the visible church. It lies concealed in the visible church, during the whole of the struggle, and conflict which is continually going on in this world between the kingdom of light and darkness. It is likewise called the church of the saints. Those who belong to this church never perish; neither are there any hypocrites in it; for it consists only of such as are chosen unto eternal life, of whom it is said: “No man shall pluck my sheep out of my hands.” “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his.” (John 10:28. 2 Tim. 2:19.) It is called invisible, not that the men who are in it are invisible, but because the faith and piety of those who belong to it can neither be seen, nor known, except by those who possess it; and also because we cannot with certainty distinguish the godly from those who are hypocrites in the visible church.