WCF 25.3

Westminster Confession of Faith

25.3. Of the Church

Unto this catholic visible Church Christ hath given the ministry, oracles, and ordinances of God, for the gathering and perfecting of the saints, in this life, to the end of the world: and doth by His own presence and Spirit, according to His promise, make them effectual thereunto.

Proof texts

1 Cor. 12:28 — [28] And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues.
Eph. 4:11, 12, 13 — [11] And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, [12] to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, [13] until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,
Matt. 28:19, 20 — [19] Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20] teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Isa. 59:21 — [21] “And as for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the LORD: “My Spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children's offspring,” says the LORD, “from this time forth and forevermore.”

For discussion

The Assembly cited 1 Cor. 12:28 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
4 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?
WLC Q63 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
WLC Q64 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?

Read alongside

WLC Q63 · WLC Q64 · BC 7.1 · HC Q54 · HC Q55 · BC 7.4 · BC 7.5 · BC 7.6 · HC Q83 · HC Q84 · HC Q85 · 1689 26.1 · SD 26.1 · IAR 7.1 · SC60 6.1 · SC60 6.2 · SC60 6.3 · SC60 6.4 · SC60 6.5 · SHC 6.1 · SHC 6.2

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…