Doctrines Concerning

The Church

A. That when the New Testament speaks of the church, it refers to "a called-out assembly", where Christ is the head.

Mat 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

1Co 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

 

Eph 1:22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,

Eph 1:23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

 

Eph 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

Col 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

Personal Opinion:

The parable of the unproductive fig tree fits in here.

My Sunday School lesson book doesn't quite catch the full meaning.  The unproductive fig tree, in my opinion, is the Temple - Priesthood - chosen people - Jewish system.  It was not productive of fruit - saved individuals.

Jesus was saying it was to be rooted out and replaced with the new system - the Church Age - the Body of Christ made up of true believers; Christ as the head and the believers as the parts of the body.