NKJV 365 / Church

NKJV 365 Day Reading Plan

Day 27 of 365 Church (Gk. ekklēsia) (vv. 6, 9, 10; Matt. 16:18; Acts 8:1; Rom. 16:1; Rev. 1:4) Strong's #1577 The Greek term simply means "an assembly." It was used in secular Greek to speak of any gathering of people to a political or festive assembly. It was used by the NT writers to mean a local assembly of believers, or the whole body of believers. In John's third epistle we see an example of both uses: "the church" in v. 6 connotes a large, unspecified group of believers, whereas "the church" in vv. 9, 10 has to be a specific local church. According to the overall pattern of the NT, it appears that the Christians of each city were unified under one group of elders (see Acts 14:23; 15:2, 4; 20:17, 18; Titus 1:5). Within the local church in the city there were probably several "assemblies" or "meetings" of believers, held in various homes. Taken from NKJV Study Bible 3 John 1:6-10 NASB 6 and they have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. 7 For they went out for the sake of the Name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. 8 Therefore we ought to support such men, so that we may be fellow workers with the truth. 9 I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept what we say. 10 For this reason, if I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with wicked words; and not satisfied with this, he himself does not receive the brethren, either, and he forbids those who desire to do so and puts them out of the church.