The distinction
An outstanding characteristic and a strength of the characterization of the church in the Westminster Confession is the distinction between the invisible and the visible church.
In the older Protestant denominations such as the Netherlands Confession, the Second Helvetic Confession or the Heidelberg Catechism, this distinction is not made so explicitly. One finds only evidence that can recognize that a distinction was already in the approach between the two forms, but not in this clear and systematic manner as in the Westminster Confession.
The strength of the distinction is that it helps to have a sober and realistic view of the church. Realistic in the sense that is recognized by the fact that not all in the earthly gatherings of those who confess Christ as their Savior and their heads are truly born again.
The distinction between visible and invisible has a history of theology importance. The Roman Church emphasized because of their involvement in the ecclesiology Soteriolgie the visible church, as they understand themselves. Salvation is to gain their own understanding, only by belonging to the Roman Church and its teaching. For this reason, a distinction between an invisible church, from all the truly saved and visible from all the Confessional, but not necessarily consist solely of truly saved, fell.
If we ask in what way this distinction because of the current situation of the church is relevant, we can say that today, as then, are the same reasons. The Holy Scriptures, which is not bound by time, teaches us to make this distinction.
We find in the Old and New Testament throughout this truth that there is an avowed, visible community of the true believers, born again is to confess together with those that first appear . Including For this reason, the Confessing are repeatedly urged to live their commitment and act accordingly. Because we start from the biblical doctrine of election (including the associated understanding of the particular atonement and the Perseveranz the Saints), we know that these calls do not serve to inform the born again of the possibility of the waste and to warn. but the distinction between visible and invisible church believes that there are professors in the visible assembly which either has not or never did have the saving faith. When they leave the visible church, directed against them or harm them even by false teaching, then we, the declaration of John (1 John 2:19) help to understand the background of their behavior.
is the local shepherds An easygoing attitude to their community. It helps them see that they do not have the responsibility to recognize, respectively. to decide who is actually one of the regenerate. You can rest in the fact that God alone keeps this overview that He makes the distinction.
The shepherds wrestle but to every soul that belongs to the local assembly of the visible church, which is entrusted to them. But they do not have to provide the power and responsibility to ensure that they are also invisible to Church can be counted.
The distinction between invisible and visible church makes the Westminster Confession in addition to some definitions and by the Biblical images that it is assigning the particular form of the church. The invisible Church calls the bride, the body and the fullness of Christ, the visible the kingdom of Christ, the house and the family of God.
invisible church
If the confession the invisible church as the bride, body and fullness of Christ known, it stressed that that being the church that is not the time or dimension is bound.
The church, which is received as a bride at the end of the time of her betrothed, from the Lord Jesus Christ, by this time not in the full number. Likewise, it is as the Body of Christ, who is also called the Temple of the Spirit, built not finished before the day of the Lord. Only when the full number of the elect called and planted in Christ, that is, their abundance is present, the invisible becomes visible church (1 John 3:2).
is up to this day can not be reliably determined and not tangible, where the church is and who is counted by the Lord to her.
Does that mean it is not tangible for people. This does not mean that it uncertain is. By God it is abundantly clear and even certain who is numbered among his church. He considers it but often hidden from the people. However, he says in his word that he would build his church and that the power can not resist.
That the Church is invisible also means that they have insufficient grasp and that it is not made of flesh and blood. Most of the Church of Christ is not present in material, tangible form on Earth. The saints who lived in the past and those yet to be added to the church can not be detected with a human eye.
But they are no less present. They are - just as we as living on the earth The members are in a sense it - hidden with Christ in God. Also on the earth today are living members of the invisible church - although they are visible as human beings of flesh and blood - not seen as members of the Body of Christ. Nothing about its exterior, and nothing that is perceptible to the senses is, guarantee that they are 'in Christ' are. Not even they themselves can fix their affiliation to their senses. This does not mean that someone can find from non-self, whether he belongs to the body of Christ. It is said however that he has to win on another than the sensuous way this knowledge.
If we say that the true members of the Church not invisible, are sensual immediacy, that is not that we should not look for it to gain certainty about our own state. Or that someone could not and should help. On the contrary: We are asked in writing, to examine our spiritual state (2 Corinthians 13:5; 2Peter cf. 1:10). It is also told us that we can see through the inner witness of the Spirit, if we are spiritually born again (Romans 8:16).
Visible Church
The invisible church faces the Westminster Confession, the visible church and describes them again Images. They called the kingdom, home and family of God.
The (King) kingdom of God does have an invisible king, but it itself is visible. In contrast to the invisible church, we'll assume that the 'citizens' of this kingdom are all true partakers of the divine nature is not necessarily to be led by the Spirit of God, as the Apostle describes (Rom 8:14). They are simply those that refer to themselves as citizens of the empire, by confessing to belong to that realm.
They are an external, as ruled by the King, by listening to the preaching of his Word, share in the distribution of the sacraments and to submit to the appointed heads of the church.
also has a house an externally visible, hierarchical structure. There is the householder, who is the chief and subordinate to the residents of the house, family members and service personnel. Just as the house in a visible way works, and every resident has its place and task, so it is in the visible church: There are places and times where people gather, there are functions and tasks that are performed in short - everything that happens in this frame is visible to the eye. Similarly, this can be said for the family. It is difficult in the biblical language use between to distinguish home and family. The authors of the Westminster Confession want by doing this, perhaps to emphasize the difference between the functional (home) and family relations (family).
The family connections are not visible in any case. The visible are the physical connections. Spouses become one flesh and produce children who are of their flesh and blood. Each of these elements belongs to the family and this is visible to the eye. A family is pursuing its relations in a visible manner. They live together and meet regularly at the same place. They live their lives. These criteria also make up the visible church. It maintains relations and meets regularly. It is possible that the individual members of this family are connected only externally. Biological children can be children of their father, without even 'one mind' on him. Also, in a family living as people who are not really with the family. From the outside they may be perceived as full family members and are not there yet, which recognizes only one who knows the whole truth. Something like that it can behave with members of the visible church, are not really members of the invisible church.
If we under-the Westminster Confession - acknowledge that the Bible the visible church is talking about when they Reich, house and family of God is called, then we are the children of professing members see as members of the visible church.
Jesus said of the children: "theirs is the kingdom of God" (Luke 18:16). And also to a house and a family are the children with them.
The importance of this distinction for the Church
The fact that the visible church is not all truly born again, that members of the invisible church requires at least for local Community a certain course of action.
It is the duty of the Church, the gap between professors who do not really belong to the invisible church and to hold true members of it, as small as possible. In other words, false confessors must be revealed, so that the true believers will be protected from harmful influence to the adherents will be helped if he is not a true member of the invisible church to be and thus the visible church is not God polluted.
To achieve this, a clear, biblical understanding of church membership and a healthy practice of church discipline is necessary. If we are in between invisible and visible church distinguish the manner described above, gives us a healthy and relaxed view of the church membership. We humans are not only start as members when they are with absolute certainty born-again faith and life are good Christians and we have a guarantee that they will never again be different. Would we call this condition, we could even take anybody as a member of a community. We will have to have a shape that of those who want to join calls for a clear commitment to Christ. We will have to consider that confession in a certain degree before we say, "You belong to the (visible local assembly of) the church. "So we will never be able to say and have that person who actually safety for invisible Church, the Body of Christ, that is actually saved. We can not but accept the result of his confession and treat him so long as he does a varying a contrary testimony of this Agreement.
The practice of church discipline is here have a protective and corrective function.