The church of the New Testament consisted of believers, though outsiders sometimes found their way into the meetings as well.
These believers had come to personal faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God and had responded to the message that was preached by the apostles or their associates - that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah who had ushered in God's Kingdom in a decisive way, had suffered and died for the sins of others, had been raised to life on the third day and ascended into heaven. His death was the means of achieving salvation for people - defined as forgiveness of sins and a new righteous standing with God. He had sent his Holy Spirit to fill his followers and would return to the earth from heaven at the end of the age.
A church is a gathering in a particular place comprising people who have believed this message and experienced this salvation.
So far so good.
These believers had come to personal faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God and had responded to the message that was preached by the apostles or their associates - that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah who had ushered in God's Kingdom in a decisive way, had suffered and died for the sins of others, had been raised to life on the third day and ascended into heaven. His death was the means of achieving salvation for people - defined as forgiveness of sins and a new righteous standing with God. He had sent his Holy Spirit to fill his followers and would return to the earth from heaven at the end of the age.
A church is a gathering in a particular place comprising people who have believed this message and experienced this salvation.
So far so good.
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