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A Biblical Study of the Early Church with Resulting Implication for the Churches in Thailand
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
A.The Research Problem and Its Setting . .. . . . . 1
B.The Statement of the Problem . . . . .. . . . . . 1
C.The Limitation of the Problem . . . . . . . . . . 2
D.The Definition of the Important Terms . . . . . . 3
E.The Basic Assumptions of the Study . . . . . . . 5
F.The Importance of the Study . . . . . . . . . . . 6
G.The Research Methodology . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
CHAPTER II DEFINITION AND BACKGROUND OF THE WORD TRANSLATED “CHURCH” .... . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
A.
1. a. b. c.
2. a. b. c.
3. a. b. c.
B.
1. a. b. c.
2. a. b. c.
3. a. b. c.
C.
1. a. b. c.
2. a. b. c.
3. a. b. c.
D.
1. a. b. c.
2. a. b. c.
3. a. b. c.
Definition of the Word . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Today Definition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Definition in the Early Era . . . . . .. . . . . . 13
Definition in the Middle Age . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Definition in the Reform Period . . . .... . . . . 17
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
The Background of the Word Translated “Church” . 20
The Meaning of the Word ‘Ecclesia’ . . . . . . . 20
How to Use the Word ‘Ecclesia’ . . . . . . . . . 22
How the Greek Used it . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . 22
How Ecclesia Was Used in LXX . . . . ........... . 25
How Ecclesia Was Used in the New Testament ........29
The Meaning of Ecclesia That Was Not Used In the New Testament..........................................35
CHAPTER III THE NATURE OF THE CHURCH . . . . . . 41
1.
2.
3.
Spiritual Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Community of the Saints . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Community of the Called Through Christ . .. . . . 49
Community of the New Men Through Christ . . . . . 54
Community of Fellowship . . . . . . .. . . . . . 64
Spiritual Foundation . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Old Testament Teaching . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Church is New Israel . . . . ........ . . . . . . 72
The Comparison Between Church and Israel .........73
A Relationship Between “Ecclesia” and “Qahal”.75
The Remaining Israel . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . 76
The Teaching of Jesus Christ . . . . . . . . . . 78
Apostolic Teaching . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . 84
The Foundation is Jesus . . . . . ........ . . . 85
The Foundation of the Old Testament . ..... . . . 89
Spiritual Depictions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
The Body of Christ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
The People of God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
The Temple of Holy Spirit . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
The Company of Believers . . .. . . . . . . . . . 103
The Community of Disciples . . . . . .. . . . . . 105
The community guided and led by the Holy Spirit . 108
CHAPTER IV THE IMPLICATION FOR THE CHURCHES IN THAILAND 110
1.
2.
3.
Christianity in Thailand . . . . . . . . . . .. . 110
How Can Churches in Thailand Be Spiritual Community? 111
Building a Spiritual Community . . . . . . . . . 112
How Can Be Churches in Thailand Have Spiritual Foundation117
The Bible: The Church’s Book . . . . . . . . . . 117
A High View of God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Right Sound Doctrine . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . 122
How Can Churches in Thailand Practice Spiritual Depictions
The Church Must Related as Family Member’s ... . 124
Called to Unity . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . 125
The Scandal of Division . . . . . . ... . . . . . 126
Sorting Out Different Types of Differences . .... 127
Cultivate the Bible Teaching for Unity . .... . . 128
The Believers Are God’s Citizen . . . . .. . . . 128
Called for God . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . 129
Called to Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Thai Churches Have to Becoming a Living Temple of God 132
Thai Churches Must Be Like Christ in All We Do . 135
Walk in Love . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Reject Moral Impurity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Guard Against False Teaching . . . . . . . . . . 136
Be Light in the World of Darkness . . . . . . . . 137
Thai Churches Must Practice Salt and Light In Darkness Society ..........................................137
The Rotten World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
The Salt of the World . . . . . . . .. . . . . . 139
The Light of the Dark World . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Light Must Be Different . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
The Purpose of Living Salt and Light . .. . . . . 141
Practical Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
CHAPTER V SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION . .. . . . . . . 145
1. Summary . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . 146
2. Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
BIBLIORGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
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2009-03-31 15:13:41 |
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