CHURCH - EKKLESIA - THE CALLED OUT
-Matt 16:18 - church - (Vines) - ekklesia - (from ek - out of, klesis - a calling) - 1. to the whole company
of the redeemed throughout the present era 2. to a company consisting of
professed believers
-In other words, this word "ekklesia" can be used to refer to the church as a whole or to a specific
congregation within the church.
-Passages in which we find the word "ekklesia"
-Eph 1:22, 5:23, I Cor 1:2, Gal 1:13, I Thess 1:1, II Thess 1:1, I Tim 3:5, Matt 18:17
-Let's first focus on the word "call" or "called".
-Rom 1:
-vs 1 - Paul's apostleship
-vs 6 - Christians
-vs 7 - "called to be saints"
-Rom 8: 28 - "called according to His purpose"
-purpose - (Vines) - prothesis - same as Eph 3:11
-Now notice vs 29-30 and compare to Eph 1.
-Rom 9: 21-24
-I Cor 1: 1-2
-Gal 5:13 - "called unto liberty" (James 1:25)
-Eph 4:1
-vocation - (Vines) - klesis - "see call"
-I Thess 2:12
-I Thess 4:7
-Now let's focus on the word "out".
-What are we called "out" of?
-I Pet 2:9
-I Pet 1:15
-II Cor 6: 17-18
-Rom 6:11
-Eph 4:1 - "walk worthy" - Since we are instructed to walk worthily, doesn't common sense
indicate that there is the possibility of walking unworthily?