Chapter XXVOf the Church question?

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earl40

Puritan Board Professor
Below we have "The visible church" with the definition that follows. What is the proper way to read this about what it is speaking of? Specific churches that contain members, or members of churches?

II. The visible Church, which is also catholic or universal under the Gospel (not confined to one nation, as before under the law), consists of all those throughout the world that profess the true religion;[2] and of their children:[3] and is the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ,[4]the house and family of God,[5] out of which there is no ordinary possibility of salvation.[6]

I am leaning toward that it is speaking of.....Specific churches that contain members, though the "and their children" does appear to speak of members of churches.
 
In my judgment, "the visible church" is being spoken of as a single entity, not also comprised of smaller entities also called "churches," but of individual, personal professors (members), together with their children.

The one visible church is the kingdom, the house, etc. I don't think it would be a false word to say that the one church is presented in various places, under various expressions, all which go by the name of "church." A good comparison (that also uses the language of "denomination") is monetary. So, to use the "US dollar," that one expression corresponds to "the Church." A single dollar is one expression of THE Dollar. And a five dollar bill has greater overall value than a one dollar bill. If you have to pick your denomination, choose the one with the most value.
 
It is amazing that with a little time to think about this while being while not being mentally fatigued as I was earlier and with your very helpful explanation Rev. Bruce, that it is speaking of the one true church which is composed of many churches or denominations.
 
It should be remembered that the word "member" is used in two senses - confusingly In my humble opinion - in Presbyterian circles.

The Confession states that one is visibly and solemnly admitted to membership in the Visible Church by baptism.

E.g. The "Blue Book" of Church Order of the Free Church of Scotland talks about members as those who are on the communion roll of the denomination, and when someone takes the Lord's Supper for the first time, it is often said that they "became a member". But they may have been members of the Visible Church and also members of the Invisible Church, long before they "became a member". Indeed they could have been many years validly communicant members in the Visible Church in another denomination, before they "became members" of our church.

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