WCF 25.1
Westminster Confession of Faith
25.1. Of the Church
The catholic or universal Church which is invisible, consists of the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one, under Christ the Head thereof; and is the spouse, the body, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all.
Proof texts
- Eph. 1:10, 22, 23 — [10] as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. [22] And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, [23] which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
- Eph. 5:23, 27, 32 — [23] For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. [27] so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. [32] This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.
- Col. 1:18 — [18] And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.
For discussion
- The Assembly cited Eph. 1:10, 22, 23 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
- 3 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?
- WLC Q62 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
- WLC Q63 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
Read alongside
WLC Q62 · WLC Q63 · WLC Q64 · HC Q54 · HC Q55 · HC Q83 · HC Q84 · HC Q85 · BC 7.1 · BC 7.4 · BC 7.5 · BC 7.6
Leader's notes
A Commentary on the Confession of Faith (A.A. Hodge): These Sections teach that there is also a catholic or universal visible Church, consisting of those of every nation who profess the true religion, together with their children. This proposition involves — (1.) The truth that the true Church, consisting of persons, a part of whom are always living, and, with more or less faithfulness, bringing forth visible fruits of holiness on the earth, of course is itself always in part, and with greater or less clearness, visible. The universal visible Church is therefore not a diiferent Church from that which has just been described as invisible. It is the same body, as its successive generations pass in their order and are imperfectly discriminated from the rest of mankind by…
An Exposition of the Confession of Faith (Robert Shaw): The Greek word Ecclesia, which we render Church, is derived from a word which signifies to call out, and denotes an assembly called out and convened for any particular purpose. In democratic states it was applied to the assemblies of the people, who were called out by a public herald, and gathered into a certain place, in order to deliberate together. To specify the various meanings which this word bears in the New Testament is at present unnecessary; it is sufficient for our purpose to remark, that the term is used to denote an assembly or society of men, called by the gospel out of the world which lieth in wickedness, into the faith and fellowship of Jesus Christ. But…