Ecclesiology

The Book of Acts

• What is prerequisite to having a flourishing church community?
• Acts 2

Jesus' Words

• Matthew 16:18
• Matthew 18:17

The church family

• Family: Jesus' description of belonging (Mk. 10:29-30; Lk. 8:19-21)
• Brotherhood: Jesus calls followers to a fraternity (Mt. 23:8)

Its remarkable unity

• Gift of the Spirit
• Redeemed (Gal. 3:13)
• Adopted (Eph. 1:5)
• Grafted (Rom. 11:24) into the family of God - (Eph. 3:15)

Images and Metaphor

• The body (Col. 1:18)
• The bride (Eph. 5:22; Rev. 22:17)
• The Kingdom (Col. 1:13) City and Salt

Christ followers - alternative names

• "Christians" (Acts 11:26; 26:28; I Pet. 4:16)
• "saints" (Eph. 1:1; Phil. 1:1)
• "disciples" (Acts 11:26; 20:7)
• "brother" (Eph. 6:23; Col. 1:2)
• "children" (Rom. 8:16; Gal. 3:26)

Church Membership?

• Faith (Acts 8:37)
• Repentance (Acts 17:30)
• Confession (Rom. 10:10)
• Baptism (Acts 2:41)

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