ECT Luther's Definition of the "Church"

[Nang]

"The Scriptures speak of the church quite simply and use the term in only one sense...according to the Scriptures, the church is called the assembly of all believers in Christ on earth.... This community or assembly consists of those who live in true faith, hope, and love. As Paul says in Ephesians 4:5, 'One baptism, one faith, one Lord,' though they be a thousand miles apart in one body. Yet they are called an assembly in spirit because each one preaches, believes, hopes, loves and lives, like each other.... This really means a spiritual unity, and because of it men are called a communion of saints. This unity of itself is of itself sufficient to make a church, and without it no unity, be it of place, of time, of person, of work, or of whatever else, makes a church." Martin Luther, Select Writings of, Vol. 1, 207

Reformers refer to this, as the "invisible church" of Jesus Christ, Who is its' Head and High Priest.

 

[Bradley D]

Yes, the church/assembly are the Christians and not the building.

 

[Danoh]

"The Scriptures speak of the church quite simply and use the term in only one sense...according to the Scriptures, the church is called the assembly of all believers in Christ on earth.... This community or assembly consists of those who live in true faith, hope, and love. As Paul says in Ephesians 4:5, 'One baptism, one faith, one Lord,' though they be a thousand miles apart in one body. Yet they are called an assembly in spirit because each one preaches, believes, hopes, loves and lives, like each other.... This really means a spiritual unity, and because of it men are called a communion of saints. This unity of itself is of itself sufficient to make a church, and without it no unity, be it of place, of time, of person, of work, or of whatever else, makes a church." Martin Luther, Select Writings of, Vol. 1, 207

Reformers refer to this, as the "invisible church" of Jesus Christ, Who is its' Head and High Priest.

Problem with going by Luther and those of his time, is that their work (of recovering that which had largely been lost but for in a few souls here and there over the past fifteen hundred years prior to Luther et al) not only basically remained in it's infancy way back in Luther's time; but was soon turned into all there had been to recover.

Fact is that their recovery of the largely lost back then "justified by faith" was and is...a Dispensational Distinction.

Whether he had been aware of it or not, Luther's recovery of and stand for Romans 1:17's "For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith" was based on the following Dispensational Distinction...or things that differ, in Scripture.

Romans 3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

The Law having proved just that.

"What now, Batman?" lol

Romans 3:21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 3:26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.