Theological Term of the Week

visible church
“All those who profess faith in Christ and give evidence of their faith with their lives”;1 all those who profess faith in Christ, submit to baptism, and place themselves under the preaching and authority of the a local church, along with their children.2 

• From scripture:

To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours … . (1 Corinthians 1:2 ESV) 

• From Keach’s Catechism: 

Q. 105. What is the visible church?
A. The visible church is the organized society of professing believers, in all ages and places, wherein the Gospel is truly preached and the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper rightly administered.

• From Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem:

The visible church is the church as Christians on earth see it. In this sense the visible church includes all who profess faith in Christ and give evidence of that faith in their lives.

…

The visible church throughout the world will always include some unbelievers, and individual congregations will usually include some unbelievers, because we cannot see hearts as God sees them. 

Learn more:

1. Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry: What is the church?
2. Brian Schwertley: The Visible vs. The Invisible Church
3. John Calvin: Invisible and Visible Church
4. Harmony of the Reformed Confessions: Visible/Invisible Church

Related terms:

• invisible church

Filed under Ecclesiology

1From Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem. This is a baptistic definition.

2See The Visible vs. The Invisible Church by Brian Schwertley. This is a more paedobaptist (or Presbyterian or Reformed) definition.

Do you have a term you’d like to see featured here as a Theological Term of the Week? If you email it to me, I’ll seriously consider using it, giving you credit for the suggestion and linking back to your blog when I do.

Clicking on the Theological Term graphic at the top of this post will take you to a list of all the previous theological terms in alphabetical order.

A Catechism for Girls and Boys

Questions about Prayer

109. Q. What has Christ given to teach us how to pray? 
         A. The Lord’s Prayer.

(Click through to read scriptural proof.)

Click to read more ...

Sunday's Hymn: I've Found a Friend

I’ve found a Friend, O such a friend! He loved me ere I knew Him;
He drew me with the cords of love, and thus He bound me to Him;
And round my heart still closely twine those ties which naught can sever,
For I am His, and He is mine, forever and forever.

I’ve found a Friend, O such a friend! He bled, He died to save me;
And not alone the gift of life, but His own Self He gave me!
Naught that I have mine own I call, I’ll hold it for the Giver,
My heart, my strength, my life, my all are His, and His forever.

I’ve found a Friend, O such a friend! All pow’r to Him is given,
To guard me on my onward course, and bring me safe to heaven.
The eternal glories gleam afar, to nerve my faint endeavor;
So now to watch, to work, to war, and then to rest forever.

I’ve found a Friend, O such a friend! So kind and true and tender,
So wise a Counselor and Guide, so mighty a Defender!
From Him who loves me now so well what power my soul can sever?
Shall life or death, shall earth or hell? No! I am His forever.

—James G. Small

Other hymns, worship songs, sermons etc. posted today:

• In Christ Alone at By Grace Alone
• Come to Save Us at Gospel Grace
• Winter in His Heart of Gloom at The Happy Wonderer
• Voices From the Past #2 at Tried With Fire 
• Lord’s Day 2, 2013 at The Thirsty Theologian
• Your Weekly Dose of Spurgeon at Pyromaniacs: Half Empty? Half Full? Overflowing!
• Drawing Near - January 13 at The Upward Call
• Update: Praying the Psalms - Psalm 138 at Daily On My Way to Heaven

Have you posted a hymn (or sermon, sermon notes, prayer, etc.) today and I missed it? Let me know by leaving a link in the comments or by contacting me using the contact form linked above, and I’ll add your post to the list.