（A） 介绍

求主帮助我们在认识教会的过程中，能够学习应用这样的知识建立活泼的教会！ 因此，课程的进行方式是交替性的：先上一两课有关教会论的神学和圣经的教导， 接下来的一课由成人主日学小组的各组长来带领大家讨论如何把所学习的神学活出来。 教会论是一个重要的教义； 约翰加尔文的《基督教要义》有百分之三十的内容是关于上帝的教会的教义。因此， 在这里也鼓励弟兄姐妹们阅读加尔文的基督教要义的第四部分。另外，也向你们推荐埃德蒙．克鲁尼（Edmund P. Clowney）的著作《教会/The Church》。你们可以从这个网站http://rtf-usa.com/books/下载它的电子版。

首先，我们必须知道韦斯敏斯德信条第二十五章有关教会的真理。
韦斯敏斯德信条Westminster Confession of Faith: 第二十五章–论教会 / Of the Church

• 无形的大公教会或普世教会为过去、现在与将来在教会的元首基督之下所召集合而为一的选民总数所构成。这教会就是主的配偶、身体和那充满万有者所充满的。
• 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.

 

• 有形的教会在福音时代(在律法时代仅限于一个民族)也是大公的、普世的，为凡承认真实宗教者，以及他们的子女构成。这教会是主耶稣基督的国度，上帝的家族，在此以外，通常没有得救的可能。
• The visible church,  which is also catholic or universal under the Gospel, (not confined to one nation, as before under the law,) consists of all those throughout the world that profess the true religion, together with their children; and is the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ; the house and family of God, out of which there is no ordinary possibility of salvation.

 

• 基督为了召集并成全在今世生活的圣徒，直到世界之末，就把牧职、圣言以及上帝的恩典赐给这大公和有形的教会。按照他的应许，借着自己的同在和圣灵，为了有效的达到这目的。
• 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.

 

• 此大公教会有时比较显明，有时比较不显明。作此教会肢体的各个教会的纯正程度之差异，乃是根据其所教导并接纳之福音要理，所执行的仪式，并所守的公共礼拜的纯正程度之多寡而定。
• This catholic church hath been sometimes more, sometimes less visible. And particular churches, which are members thereof, are more or less pure, according as the doctrine of the gospel is taught and embraced, ordinances administered, and public worship performed more or less purely in them.

 

• 天下最纯正的教会也难免有混杂和错谬。有些教会简直不是基督的教会，腐败到成为撒但的会堂的程度；虽然如此，在地上总有按上帝旨意敬拜祂的教会。教会除主耶稣基督以外并无其他元首。不拘怎样说，罗马教会的教皇并非教会的元首，乃是那敌基督者、那大罪人、和灭亡之子，那在教会中高抬自己，抵挡基督，和一切自称为上帝的。
• The purest churches under heaven are subject both to mixture and error; and some have so degenerated as to become no churches of Christ, but synagogues of Satan. Nevertheless, there shall be always a church on earth to worship God according to his will. There is no other head of the church but the Lord Jesus Christ: nor can the Pope of Rome in any sense be head thereof; but is that antichrist, that man of sin, and son of perdition, that exalteth himself in the church against Christ, and all that is called God.