5 Bible Verses about the Church

What does the Bible have to say about the church, that is, the community of faithful believers, of whom Jesus Christ is the head?

1. Romans 12:4–5

For just as in one body we have many members, but all the members do not have the same function, in the same way we who are many are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another, Read Romans 12:4–5

2. 1 Corinthians 3:16–17

Do you not know that you are God’s temple and the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy this one. For God’s temple is holy, which you are. Read 1 Corinthians 3:16–17

3. Galatians 3:28–29

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are descendants of Abraham, heirs according to the promise. Read Galatians 3:28–29

4. Ephesians 2:19–22

Consequently, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens of the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole building, joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are built up together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. Read Ephesians 2:19–22

5. 1 Peter 2:9–10

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s possession, so that you may proclaim the virtues of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light, who once were not a people, but now are the people of God, the ones who were not shown mercy, but now are shown mercy. Read 1 Peter 2:9–10

Bonus: 3 Famous Christian Quotes About Church, Ecclesiology

1. Christ’s Steadfast Love for the Church

Before the first star was kindled, before the first living creature began to sing the praise of its Creator, he loved his Church with an everlasting love. He spied her in the glass of predestination, pictured her by his divine foreknowledge, and loved her with all his heart; and it was for this cause that he left his Father, and became one with her, that he might redeem her. It was for this cause that he went with her through all this vale of tears, discharged her debts, and bore her sins in his own body on the tree. For her sake he slept in the tomb, and with the same love that brought him down he has gone up again, and with the same heart beating true to the same blessed betrothment he has gone into the glory, waiting for the marriage day when he shall come again, to receive his perfected spouse, who shall have made herself ready by his grace. Never for a moment, whether as God over all, blessed forever, or as God and man in one divine person, or as dead and buried, or as risen and ascended, never has he changed in the love he bears to his chosen.

—Charles Spurgeon

2. Christianity Without History Is No Christianity

Doubtless it would be a great relief to many minds to be emancipated from all fear of historical criticism. But it is certainly a great price we are asked to pay for this emancipation. The price indeed is no less a one than Christianity itself. For the obvious effect of the detachment of Christianity from all historical fact is to dismiss Christianity out of the realm of fact.

Christianity is a “historical religion,” and a “Christianity” wholly unrelated to historical occurrences is just no Christianity at all.… For “Christianity” is not a mere synonym of “religion,” but is a specific form of religion determined in its peculiarity by the great series of historical occurrences which constitute the redemptive work of God in this sinful world, among which occurrences the resurrection of Christ holds a substantial and in some respects the key position.

—B. B. Warfield

3. The Spirit Unites Christians with One Another and God

We all, receiving one and the same Spirit, I mean the Holy Spirit, are in some sort blended together with one another and with God. For if, we being many, Christ, who is the Spirit of the Father and His own Spirit, dwells in each one of us severally, still the Spirit is one and indivisible, binding together the dissevered spirits of the individualities of one and all of us, as we have a separate being, in His own natural singleness into unity, causing us all to be shown forth in Him, through Himself, and as one. For as the power of His holy flesh makes those in whom it exists to be of the same body, so likewise also the indivisible Spirit of God that abides in all, being one, binds all together into spiritual unity.

—Cyril of Alexandria