Ecclesia

‘Ecclesia’ [ekklesia] is the ancient Greek word that was used in the First Century AD to describe a local gathering come together to transact the business of the realm.  The word is derived from the Greek word for ‘called’ with the prefix ‘ek’ [ex in English] which means ‘out of’.  Hence, these gatherings were not local town meetings that just anybody could participate in.  People were identified, ‘called out’ from among their peers, and called to gather for local public administration.

The early disciples of Jesus used this word to describe themselves [note describe, not name] because it very graphically fitted and suited their situation.  They were called ‘out of the world’; called to follow Christ; called to the fellowship of Christ; called to the Way of Christ; drawn together by the Holy Spirit to transact the business of the Kingdom of God according to the mission – and the commission – of Christ.  Everywhere a group of Jesus’ people met, they were a Kingdom ecclesia, so called not because they needed a name (to register for tax-free status or to own property!) but because it perfectly described them and what they took to be their raison dêtre (their reason for being) and the missio Dei (the mission of God).

The final part of 2 Corinthians 5:19 quoted above says, “And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.”  ‘He’ equals God.  Their reason for being and their mission was summed up by Paul in these words; then followed this: “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us” (2 Corinthians 5:20).

Apostle John wrote to the believers: “Do not love the world or anything in the world” (1 John 2:15).

Apostle Peter writes to “God’s elect, strangers in the world” and exhorts them as “strangers and aliens in the world”.

In His beautiful prayer before His trial and crucifixion, Jesus says, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.  If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you”.

In 2 Corinthians 6:14-18, Paul is quite clear and specific in what he is teaching his charges: “Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?  Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?  Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols?  For we are the temple of the Living God”.  Then quoting the Prophet Isaiah, “‘come out from their midst and be separate’, says the Lord” (NASB).

In From Eternity To Here (David C. Cook 2005), Frank Viola points out a wonderful truth related to this.  The Israelites were ‘called out’ ones too: called out of Egypt; called out of Babylon; called out of the wilderness.  Egypt speaks to us of the world; Babylon speaks to us of man-made religion; the wilderness speaks to us of the temptation to settle and ‘make camp’.  In all these respects, the people of God in this age are ‘called out’ as we see here, called unto Christ, and called into the mission and the mystery of God.

Hence, it is still true today: “and to Him shall be the gathering (some translations say obedience) of the peoples” (Genesis 49:10).

A second part of my vision for local congregations of believers is that we know and understand who we are, where we’ve come from and where we are going and then cooperate with God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – in creating and being a part of that glorious Divine Ecclesia the local ‘gathering/ obedience’ unto Him.

Cheers,

Kevin.