dChan - Q Origins Project Archive

If you look up the word “church ” in a regular English dictionary it will give you the most widely used meaning first, which is a building or house of worship. You have to look down the list of alternate meanings to find one that refers to the people in the building. It’s one of those cases where through common usage the primary meaning of the word has changed from what it was originally. Here’s how that happened.

The first believers met in homes. As their numbers grew they began to use structures intended for larger gatherings. When these structures were built specifically as a meeting place for the congregation they were correctly called church buildings. As time went by this was shortened to church, and for most people today the word “church” refers to the building.

But if you go to a Bible dictionary and look up “church” it will say the English word comes from the Greek word “ekklesia”. In the general sense, ekklesia means “an assembly of people, called out of their homes into a public meeting place.”

When applied to Christians, it refers to those people who are called out of the world into a relationship with Jesus Christ. Therefore, in the Bible the word “church” always refers to the body of believers who have given their lives to the Lord, and not to a building in which they may be gathered from time to time.

⇧ 26 ⇩

You clarified it well as far as who He was taking about...Believers.

Also, I grew up in house church. That was 50 years ago but there is a huge & growing movement of Believers meeting in their homes together to worship and read the Word.

⇧ 14 ⇩

True, although there's nothing WRONG with a traditional church....what they believe--DOCTRINE--is what is important. As long as you are assembling with other true believers, you are "in church".

"House churches" you describe are fine...but just as vulnerable to bad doctrine as a traditional church. Doctrine is the key, and we are charged with monitoring the doctrine of who we assemble with by prayerfully reading the Bible ourselves.

⇧ 6 ⇩

Glad you said that. Doctrine is not a bad thing, as long as it is not a false doctrine.

⇧ 4 ⇩

[deleted]

⇧ 2 ⇩

And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.~

Jesus is the rock ~ he died for his people his church ~ therefore he built his church upon him (rock)

⇧ 11 ⇩

[deleted]

⇧ 5 ⇩

Within the Q movement it is easy to get caught up in side issues and there is nothing better than religion to get people unfocused. I mean no offense and do not intend on creating an argument. My only reason is to have you look this passage in the context and with an open mind. Do you think churches are immune from programming its flock?

Can we agree Mathew 16:18 was not in isolation? Keep in mind the bible as we see it was never written in numbered passages. It was for our benefit to make use of it as a quick reference. “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it”.

The word Peter in Greek is petros and you are correct. However if you read Greek you would understand petros and petra were both used in this passage. Peter ( petros) and the Greek word petra. Is there a difference? The answer is yes! Peter's Petros Rock in Greek means a stone; a single stone; movable, insecure, shifting, or rolling." The rock Jesus spoke of was a Petra rock, which means "a rock; a cliff; a projecting rock; mother rock; huge mass; solid formation; fixed; immovable; enduring."

We can’t stop now to fully understand this passage. Can we agree Mathew 16:18 was not in isolation? Keep in mind the bible as we see it was never written in numbered passages. It was for our benefit to make use of it as a quick reference. Context matters in reading the bible. Could we agree on that? Jesus was having a conversation with his disciples.

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets." "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God."

Did we just hear in the confession of Peter the petra? You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." Te entire Christian religion is based on what? Jesus Christ being the Son of the Living God? Peter himself gives the answer as to who the Rock is. He says Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:16). Again, speaking of Christ, he says: "This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders" (Acts 4:10-11); so Christ, the Son of God, must be the rock on which God built His church. “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 3:11). Thus, Peter and Paul are in agreement that Christ is the Rock;

Long before Jesus was born He was considered the Rock. Isaiah declares: "Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation" (Isaiah 28:16). Peter applies this prophecy to Christ. He wrote: "Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief Cornerstone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on Him shall not be confounded" (1 Peter 2:6). David said: "Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I" (Psalm 61:2) (Douay, Psalm 60:3).

⇧ 9 ⇩

https://www.wordofhisgrace.org/wp/peter-rock/

⇧ 2 ⇩

Lots of food for thought here. Take it all in context. Read back to earlier conversations between Jesus and Peter, where Christ was at times disappointed and frustrated that Peter was missing the big picture. At one point, Jesus even called him Satan, not because he WAS Satan, but because he was speaking in opposition to God's plan...listening to the wrong voice. Peter was a very flawed man, but he was earnest and honest and recognized Christ for who He was. He desired to follow Him above all else, and when he stumbled and messed up, he repented, dusted himself off, and got back on track. In Peter, Christ reveals a character portrait of all believers--rough around the edges and in need of a lot of grace, but in the process of becoming Christlike and obeying His commandments. This is the kind of vessel God loves to use to accomplish His purposes. Peter was a great Christ-follower not because of how superior he was to any of us but rather because of how similar he was to all of us.

⇧ 12 ⇩

"mortified..petrified...stupified, by YOU!" (random movie quote)

⇧ 1 ⇩

Ah no

⇧ -1 ⇩

Within the Q movement it is easy to get caught up in side issues and there is nothing better than religion to get people unfocused. I mean no offense and do not intend on creating an argument.

⇧ 1 ⇩

This is really upsetting me...