In this study, we will seek
to understand the terminology, “Visible” and
“Invisible Church.” Are these terms
meaningless or essential to help understand
the local and universal aspects of the church?
As in previous studies, we will look at
definitions, scriptures, commentary evidence
and confessional support for the glorifying of
God in how we live.
“Shew me thy ways, O LORD;
teach me thy paths.” (Psalm 25:4)
Definition:
Visible church
“All those who profess faith
in Christ and give evidence of their faith
with their lives”;all those who
profess faith in Christ, submit to baptism,
and place themselves under the preaching and
authority of a local church, along with their
children. *
Invisible
church
“The
company of those who truly believe in Jesus
Christ and are the recipients of salvation,
both those who are currently alive and those
who have died.” *
The Visible Church from
Scripture:
“Unto the church of God which
is at Corinth, to them that are
sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be
saints, with all that in every place call upon
the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs
and ours.” (1 Corinthians 1:2)
Corinth is a visible city on
a map with a church that has a physical
location for worship.
The Invisible Church from
Scripture:
“Nevertheless the foundation
of God standeth sure, having this seal; The
Lord knoweth them that are his. And,
Let everyone that nameth the name of Christ
depart from iniquity.” (2 Timothy 2:19)
In contrast, 2 Timothy, God
speaks of believers that He knows in
distinction from a church membership in a
specific church like Corinth or Ephesus.
First, it is essential to
answer the question; what is the Church?
The word church in the New
Testament is the translation of the Greek word
ecclesia
and is synonymous with the Hebrew kahal
in the Old Testament. Kahal
is translated Ecclesia
in the Greek Septuagint version of the Old
Testament. Both words mean an assembly in
their most basic meaning and do not
necessarily have anything to do with public
worship. The context determines the meaning.
Ecclesia is used in the
following ways in the New Testament:
Ecclesia is translated
“assembly” in the primary way in Acts 19:32,
39, and 41. In this case, Demetrius and
fellow artisans assembled against Paul with
the town clerk pacifying the people and
keeping order.
It is the whole body of the
redeemed, or all those whom the Father has
given to Christ, the invisible catholic or
universal Church in Ephesians 5:23, 25, 27,
29 and Hebrews 12:23.
It can be used for a few
Christians associated together, in Romans
16:5 and Colossians 4:15.
It can be used for Christians
in a particular city, irrespective if they
are assembled in one place or several places
for worship, and are thus an ecclesia.
The disciples in Antioch, forming several
congregations, were one Church in Acts 13:1,
in addition, we see the “Church of God at
Corinth” 1 Corinthians 1:2, also the “Church
at Jerusalem” in Acts 8:1 and the “Church of
Ephesus” in Revelation 2:1.
Ecclesia can also be
used for the whole body of confessing
Christians throughout the world as seen in 1
Corinthians 15:9, Galatians 1:13, and
Matthew 16:18 are the Church of Christ. **
The value of the visible
invisible church distinction seen in the
next two passages:
“Let both grow together until
the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will
say to the reapers, Gather ye together first
the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn
them: but gather the wheat into my barn.”
(Matthew 13:30)
“They went out from us, but
they were not of us; for if they had been of
us, they would no doubt have continued with
us: but they went out, that they might be made
manifest that they were not all of us.” (1
John 2:19)
In the visible church, there
are fake believers and true believers. They
both (tares and wheat) grow together until the
end. The tares are part of the visible church.
The wheat is part of the visible church plus
the universal invisible church. Only God knows
the true membership roll making up the
invisible church. On a human level, we cannot
read the hearts of professors of faith. That
is why many are shocked when a seemingly
strong member of the church departs and goes
into unbelief as John explains in 1 John 2:19.
More evidence that Christ's
Church is both “visible” and “invisible:”
Chapter 25 Of the Church in
the Westminster
Confession explains how the Church
“visible” is comprised of all those throughout
the world that profess the true faith,
together with their children. The church is
called “visible” because its membership roll
identifies its members and its assemblies are
public in a physical location. In the visible
Church, there is a mixture of “wheat and
chaff,” or of saints and unconverted sinners.
God has commanded His people to organize
themselves into visible assemblies, with
constitutions, officers, ordinances governing
worship, and discipline for the purpose of
making known the gospel of His kingdom, and of
gathering in all of the elect from the
uttermost parts of the earth, Mark 13:27.
Each one of these organized
assemblies that pledges fidelity to Christ is
part of the visible Church, and together with
their children constitute the universal
visible Church. A credible profession of faith
involving membership vows is required for an
adult to be a member of the visible Church.
This Church is also called “the kingdom of
heaven,” whose characteristics can be seen in
the parables found in Matthew 13:24-52.
In comparison, the Church
“invisible” consists of the whole number of
the elect that have been, are, or shall be
gathered into one universal body under Christ,
the head thereof. The Church is the body of
Christ. It is called “invisible” because the
greater part of those who are members in it
are already in heaven or are yet unborn, and
because its members still on earth cannot with
certainly be distinguished this side of heaven
because of the mixture of “wheat and chaff.”
The Church is universal or
worldwide. Christ's Church is pictured as the
stone in Daniel 2:35. This stone becomes a
mountain and fills the whole earth. This
kingdom can never be destroyed and is Christ's
Church, Daniel 2:44. In the parable of the
mustard seed, we see the Church and how it
will become a great tree is seen in (Matthew
13:31-32). Christ's Church will advance in
History and the “Gates of Hell” shall never
prevail against Her, Matthew 16:17. **
The Distinction between the
Visible and Invisible Church by John Calvin
4. THE VISIBLE CHURCH AS
MOTHER OF BELIEVERS
But because it is now our
intention to discuss the visible church, let
us learn even from the simple title “mother”
[Footnote 10] how useful, indeed how
necessary, it is that we should know her. For
there is no other way to enter into life
unless this mother conceive us in her womb,
give us birth, nourish us at her breast, and
lastly, unless she keep us under her care and
guidance until, putting off mortal flesh, we
become like the angels [Matthew 22:30]. Our
weakness does not allow us to be dismissed
from her school until we have been pupils all
our lives. Furthermore, away from her bosom
one cannot hope for any forgiveness of sins or
any salvation, as Isaiah [Isaiah 37:32] and
Joel [Joel 2:32] testify. Ezekiel agrees with
them when he declares that those whom God
rejects from heavenly life will not be
enrolled among God’s people [Ezekiel 13:9]. On
the other hand, those who turn to the
cultivation of true godliness are said to
inscribe their names among the citizens of
Jerusalem [cf. Isaiah 56:5; Psalm 87:6]. For
this reason, it is said in another psalm:
“Remember me, O Jehovah, with favor toward thy
people; visit me with salvation: that I may
see the well-doing of thy chosen ones, that I
may rejoice in the joy of thy nation, that I
may be glad with thine inheritance” [Psalm
106:4-5 p.; cf. Psalm 105:4, Vg., etc.]. By
these words God’s fatherly favor and the
especial witness of spiritual life are limited
to his flock, so that it is always disastrous
to leave the church.
(The visible church: its
membership and the marks by which it is
recognized, 7-9)
7.
INVISIBLE AND VISIBLE CHURCH
“How we are to judge the
church visible, which falls within our
knowledge, is, I believe, already evident from
the above discussion. For we have said that
Holy Scripture speaks of the church in two
ways. Sometimes by the term “church” it means
that which is actually in God’s presence, into
which no persons are received but those who
are children of God by grace of adoption and
true members of Christ by sanctification of
the Holy Spirit. Then, indeed, the church
includes not only the saints presently living
on earth, but all the elect from the beginning
of the world. Often, however, the name
“church” designates the whole multitude of men
spread over the earth who profess to worship
one God and Christ. By baptism we are
initiated into faith in him; by partaking in
the Lord’s Supper we attest our unity in true
doctrine and love; in the Word of the Lord we
have agreement, and for the preaching of the
Word the ministry instituted by Christ is
preserved. In this church are mingled many
hypocrites who have nothing of Christ but the
name and outward appearance. There are very
many ambitious, greedy, envious persons, evil
speakers, and some of quite unclean life. Such
are tolerated for a time either because they
cannot be convicted by a competent tribunal or
because a vigorous discipline does not always
flourish as it ought. Just as we must believe,
therefore, that the former church, invisible
to us, [Footnote 14] is visible to the eyes of
God alone, so we are commanded to revere and
keep communion with the latter, which is
called “church” in respect to men.
8. THE LIMITATION OF OUR
JUDGMENT
Accordingly, the Lord by
certain marks and tokens has pointed out to us
what we should know about the church. As we
have cited above from Paul, to know who are
His is a prerogative belonging solely to God
[2 Timothy 2:19]. [Footnote 15] Steps were
indeed thus taken to restrain men’s undue
rashness; and daily events themselves remind
us how far his secret judgments surpass our
comprehension. For those who seemed utterly
lost and quite beyond hope are by his goodness
called back to the way; while those who more
than others seemed to stand firm often fall.
‘Therefore, according to God’s secret
predestination (as Augustine says), “many
sheep are without, and many wolves are
within.” [Footnote 16] For he knows and has
marked those who know neither him nor
themselves. Of those who openly wear his
badge, his eyes alone see the ones who are
unfeignedly holy and will persevere to the
very end [Matthew 24:13]—the ultimate point of
salvation.
But on the other hand,
because he foresaw it to be of some value for
us to know who were to be counted as his
children, he has in this regard accommodated
himself to our capacity. And, since assurance
of faith was not necessary, he substituted for
it a certain charitable judgment whereby we
recognize as members of the church those who,
by confession of faith, by example of life,
and by partaking of the sacraments, profess
the same God and Christ with us. [Footnote 17]
He has, moreover, set off by plainer marks the
knowledge of his very body to us, knowing how
necessary it is to our salvation.
9. THE MARKS OF THE CHURCH
AND OUR APPLICATION OF THEM TO JUDGMENT
From this the face of the
church comes forth and becomes visible to our
eyes. Wherever we see the Word of God purely
preached and heard, and the sacraments
administered according to Christ’s
institution, there, it is not to be doubted, a
church of God exists [cf. Ephesians 2:20].
[Footnote 18] For his promise cannot fail:
“Wherever two or three are gathered in my
name, there I am in the midst of them”
[Matthew 18:20]. But that we may clearly grasp
the sum of this matter, we must proceed by the
following steps: the church universal is a
multitude gathered from all nations; it is
divided and dispersed in separate places, but
agrees on the one truth of divine doctrine,
and is bound by the bond of the same religion.
Under it are thus included individual
churches, disposed in towns and villages
according to human need, so that each rightly
has the name and authority of the church.
Individual men who, by their profession of
religion, are reckoned within such churches,
even though they may actually be strangers to
the church, still in a sense belong to it
until they have been rejected by public
judgment.
There is, however, a slightly
different basis for judgment concerning
individual men and churches. For it may happen
that we ought to treat like brothers and count
as believers those whom we think unworthy of
the fellowship of the godly, because of the
common agreement of the church by which they
are borne and tolerated in the body of Christ.
We do not by our vote approve such persons as
members of the church, but we leave to them
such place as they occupy among the people of
God until it is lawfully taken from them.
But we must think otherwise
of the whole multitude itself. If it has the
ministry of the Word and honors it, if it has
the administration of the sacraments, it
deserves without doubt to be held and
considered a church. For it is certain that
such things are not without fruit. In this way
we preserve for the universal church its
unity, which devilish spirits have always
tried to sunder; and we do not defraud of
their authority those lawful assemblies which
have been set up in accordance with local
needs.(1)
From The Westminster Larger
Catechism on the Visible Church:
Q62: What is the visible
church?
A62: The visible church is a
society made up of all such as in all ages and
places of the world do profess the true
religion, and of their children.
Q63: What are the special
privileges of the visible church?
A63: The visible church has
the privilege of being under God's special
care and government; of being protected and
preserved in all ages, not withstanding the
opposition of all enemies; and of enjoying the
communion of saints, the ordinary means of
salvation, and offers of grace by Christ to
all the members of it in the ministry of the
gospel, testifying, that whosoever believes in
him shall be saved, and excluding none that
will come unto him.
From The Westminster Larger
Catechism on the Invisible Church:
Q. 64. What is the invisible
church?
A. The invisible church is
the whole number of the elect, that have been,
are, or shall be gathered into one under
Christ the head.
Q. 65. What special benefits
do the members of the invisible church enjoy
by Christ?
A. The members of the
invisible church by Christ enjoy union and
communion with him in grace and glory.
In closing, are you only a
member of the visible church?
Are you wheat or a tare?
There is an earthly roll and heavenly roll.
The Jewish people kept extensive genealogies.
These were membership records or rolls. They
were earthly membership rolls. Likewise, the
early church had membership records as the
elders kept records on the numbers of new
disciples see Acts 2:41, 47; 4:4; 6:1, 7;
16:5. There is nothing wrong with having your
name in the earthly roll, in fact, it is
essential. However, being in a Jewish
genealogy or being numbered in a church
membership roll is not the same as being in
the book of life.
“Yet now, if thou wilt
forgive their sin; and if not, blot me, I pray
thee, out of thy book which thou hast
written.” (Exodus 32:32)
“Like them, the one who is
victorious will be dressed in white. And I
will never blot out his name from the book
of life, but I will confess his name
before My Father and His angels.” (Revelation
3:5) This is the heavenly roll of life.
These two passages point to
the heavenly membership roll that your name
must be in to have eternal life. Are you
listed in this book? Usually, you must first
be listed in the church’s earthly membership
roll.
Church Membership: Is it
Biblical? By Phillip G. Kayser:
Introduction
The Biblical pattern is to be
“numbered” or “added to” the rolls of a local
church (Acts 2:41,47; 4:4; 6:1,7; 16:5; 1 Tim.
5:9), to be committed to that local body (1
Cor. 12:12-28; Rom. 12:4,5; Eph. 4:25) and
under the rule and oversight of shepherds who
know each sheep (Heb. 13:7,17-18; 1 Cor.
16:16; 1 Thessalonians 5:11-14). The Old
Testament prophesied that in the New Covenant
time “the LORD will record, when He registers
the peoples” (Psalm 87:6). When moves or
transfers were necessary, the Biblical method
was to use a letter of transfer or
commendation (Acts 18:27; Rom. 16:1-2; 2 Cor.
3:1; 8:23-24; Philemon; 3 John 6-9,12).
Indeed, any inter-church business was
conducted by people with reference letters
(e.g., 1 Cor. 16:3; 2 Cor. 8:16-24). Also, it
is logically impossible to reconcile the
doctrine of discipline with a belief that
membership is not necessary. How can an
excommunicated person be “taken away from
among you” (1 Cor. 5:2) if there is no roll
from which the person can be removed? It is
not sufficient to say that he is physically
barred from the church since even unbelievers
could be present (1 Cor. 14:23). Furthermore,
if people simply circulated from church to
church it would be impossible for the
eldership to recognize and bar from the
building all who were under discipline.
Membership rolls are both Biblically and
logically necessary for the maintenance of a
holy church. (2)
Quotes:
“Church membership was so
important that Paul and Silas baptized the
Philippian jailer into the membership of
Christ's church at midnight with Paul's back
still bloody from a beating! He did not even
wait till morning! Identification with
Christ's church is important; without it, one
must be treated 'as a heathen and publican.'”
- Jay Adams
“We must re-grasp the idea of
church membership as being the membership of
the body of Christ and as the biggest honour
which can come man's way in this world.” -
Martyn Lloyd-Jones
“When the Roll Is Called Up
Yonder,” where will you be? If you are in the
heavenly roll, you will be called up yonder.
Notes:
1.Calvin, John, Institutes
of the Christian Religion, ed. John T.
McNeill, trans. Ford Lewis Battles, The
Library of Christian Classics, XX-XXI,
(Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1960) Book
IV, Chapter 1, pp. 1016, 1021-1024.
2.Phillip G. Kayser, Kayser
Commentary, https:
//kaysercommentary.com/
Mr. Kettler has previously
published articles in the Chalcedon Report
and Contra Mundum. He and his wife
Marea attend the Westminster, CO, RPCNA
Church. Mr. Kettler is the author of the book
defending the Reformed Faith against attacks,
titled: The Religion That Started in a
Hat. Available at:
www.TheReligionThatStartedInAHat.com