CHURCH-INVISIBLE
Contrast
between the Visible and Invisible Church
Visible: Invisible:
Membership:
Saved and lost Membership:
Saved only
Only
currently living people Both dead and living in Christ
Many local
churches Only one universal church
Differing
denominations No
single denomination
Part of the
body of Christ The entire body of Christ
Differing
types of government Christ
the only head
Ministering
the ordinances Ordinances
fulfilled
Charts of Christian Theology and Doctrine,
Zondervan, 1992, p. 116.
According to
Scripture, the invisible church includes everyone who has ever been
genuinely born again for every age of church history. This church will not meet
in a visible way until Christ returns. The visible church consists of
believers who are alive and meeting together right now.
Wayne Mack
To Be or Not To Be a Church Member, Calvary
Press, www.calvarypress.com,
2004, p. 19.
The visible
church may be distressingly and sorely fractured and fragmented into all
different kinds of denominations and groups, but the invisible church is the
true body of Christ. Everyone who is in Christ, and in whom Christ dwells, is a
member of this one universal church.
R.C. Sproul
The Purpose of God, An
Exposition of Ephesians, Christian Focus Publications, 1994, p. 99.
The invisible
church refers to those persons who are truly redeemed, truly regenerate and spiritually
united with Christ. The invisible church is distinguished from the visible
church because no man can read another person’s heart. We look on the outward
appearance, but God alone can read the heart.
R.C. Sproul
The Purpose of God, An
Exposition of Ephesians, Christian Focus Publications, 1994, p. 88.
The true
church is called “invisible.” This does not mean that true Christians are
invisible but that their “trueness” or genuineness is invisible to man. For
example, the true faith of the eleven apostles was not visible any more than
the false faith of Judas was visible (until the betrayal and suicide following
Christ’s rejection of him revealed it).
John H. Gerstner
Theology for Everyman, Moody, 1965, Chapter 9.
The invisible
church is:
1.
Infallible
(it knows its Master's voice and will not follow a stranger, John 10:5).
2.
Indestructible
(nothing shall separate it from "the love of God, which is in Christ
Jesus," Rom. 8:39; no one shall take it out of His hand, John 10:28).
3.
Indivisible
("that they may be one, as we are," John 17:11; "I am the vine,
ye are the branches," John 15:5).
4.
Invincible
("the gates [defensive weapons] of hell shall not prevail [or stand]
against it," Matt. 16: 18; "the meek shall inherit the earth,"
Ps. 37:11).
5.
Universal
("out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation," Rev.
5:9; "the field is the world," Matt. 13:38; "God so loved the
world," John 3:16).
John H. Gerstner
Theology for Everyman, Moody, 1965, Chapter 9.
[The] Church
is said to be invisible, because she is essentially spiritual and in her
spiritual essence cannot be discerned by the physical eye; and because it is
impossible to determine infallibly who do and who do not belong to her.
Louis Berkhof
Systematic Theology, by permission of
Banner of Truth, Carlisle, PA. 1998,
p. 565, 566.
It is
possible that some who belong to the invisible Church never become members of
the visible organization… On the other hand there may be unregenerate (people)
who, while professing Christ, have no true faith in Him…and these, as long as
they are in that condition, do not belong to the invisible Church.
Louis Berkhof
Systematic Theology, by permission of
Banner of Truth, Carlisle, PA. 1998,
p. 566.