Catechism Question 70
What is the Church?
The Church is the body, bride, and temple of Christ, the community of all true believers for all time.
Focus and Purpose of this Question
In the previous question, we saw that to be united to Christ by faith is also to be united to the Church. But what is the Church? This question answers that question.
It is important for all Christians to understand that the Christian life is never meant to be lived in isolation. As those who were created in the image of the Divine Community, the Holy Trinity, we were created for relationships, and as those re-created through Christ, we were redeemed for relationships within the community of faith.
In the next question, we will look at the local church, the place where we actually live out our Christian lives. For now, it is important to understand the nature of the one, holy, catholic (universal) Church.
Additional Questions:
What do we mean by the word ‘Church’?
Can you define the Church?
Scripture References:
Ephesians 1:22–23
And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
Ephesians 5:25–30
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church — 30 for we are members of his body.
1 Corinthians 12:12–13
The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body — whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free — and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
1 Corinthians 3:16
Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?
Ephesians 2:19–22
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
1 Peter 2:4–5
As you come to him, the living Stone — rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him — 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 4:3–6
Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit — just as you were called to one hope when you were called — 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
John 17:11, 20–23
I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name — the name you gave me — so that they may be one as we are one….20 My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23 I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
Romans 12:4–5
Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.
1 Peter 2:9–10
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
John 10:16
I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.
Revelation 21:1–4, 12,14
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”… 12 It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel… 14 The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
Questions for Further Discussion:
What is the Church?
What metaphors are commonly used to describe the Church? What is intended by these metaphors? What do we learn from them regarding the relationship of the Church to Christ?
Does Jesus have many bodies, or one body? Does He have many brides or one bride? Does He have many temples or one temple? What does this tell us about the unity of the Church?
If there is only one temple, one body, and one bride for Christ, then what does this tell us about our relationship to Old Testament saints? Are they part of the Church as well? How does John picture this in Revelation 21?
If there really is only one people of God, how should I view other Christians? How should I view believers from the past? How should I view other believers today?
Additional Information:
This question is based on questions 54 of the Heidelberg Catechism, and question 48 of the New City Catechism. Any resources you find on the Heidelberg or New City Catechisms will have a good discussion on this question.
For additional information, see the teachings “The Church – The Body of Christ” (September 6, 2020), “The Church – The Bride of Christ” (September 13, 2020), “The Church – The Temple of God” (September 20, 2020), and “The Church – The Communion of Saints” (September 27, 2020).
Suggested Worship Song:
(This song mentions many of these metaphors for the Church and includes the communion of saints.)
The church’s one foundation
Is Jesus Christ her Lord,
She is His new creation
By water and the Word.
From heaven He came and sought her
To be His holy bride;
With His own blood He bought her,
And for her life He died.
Elect from every nation,
Yet one over all the earth;
Her charter of salvation,
One Lord, one faith, one birth;
One holy Name she blesses,
Partakes one holy food,
And to one hope she presses,
With every grace endued.
Though with a scornful wonder
Men see her sore oppressed,
By schisms rent asunder,
By heresies distressed,
Yet saints their watch are keeping;
Their cry goes up, “How long?”
And soon the night of weeping
Shall be the morn of song.
The church shall never perish,
Her dear Lord to defend
To guide, sustain and cherish,
Is with her to the end
Though there be those that hate her,
And false sons in her pale
Against a foe or traitor,
She ever shall prevail
Mid toil and tribulation,
And tumult of her war,
She waits the consummation
Of peace forevermore;
‘Til, with the vision glorious,
Her longing eyes are blessed,
And the great church victorious
Shall be the church at rest.
Yet she on earth hath union
With God the Three in One,
And mystic sweet communion
With those whose rest is won.
O happy ones and holy!
Lord, give us grace that we
Like them, the meek and lowly,
On high may dwell with Thee.