Augustine Thomas

Notes on the Nature of the Church Augustine Thomas

What is the nature of the Church? The Church is a living organism as the Body of Christ. It is the expression of God visible in this world and is unified spiritually, being one Church as God is One. The Church is the visible presence of the Kingdom of God in Christ on earth. Matthew 3:2, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Matthew 4:17, "From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." It is a kingdom based in another world or existence. The Church, and everything else, was created for Christ. He is the head of his Body, the Church, in which he reconciles all believing human beings to God and presents them blameless before Him. The Church, being created for Christ, was created by Christ, and has existed from the beginning. The Church was God's plan before He created and it is the eschatological plan of God through the Cross. Christ is the fulfillment, and the Church, as his Body, is the future plan of God. It is all to the praise of his glory. This book explores the Church from the viewpoint of the Bible and includes the views of East and West, Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox, along with the Early Church Fathers.