Question 105 of 118
What is the visible church?
The visible church is the organized society of professing believers, in all ages and places, wherein the Gospel is truly preached and the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper rightly administered.
Scripture proofs
- Acts 2:42
They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and prayer.
- Acts 20:7
On the first day of the week, when the disciples were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day; and continued his speech until midnight.
- Acts 7:38
This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness with the angel that spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, who received living revelations to give to us,
- Ephesians 4:11-12
He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, to the work of serving, to the building up of the body of Christ,
Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible (public domain).
More on baptism and the church
- Q98. How do Baptism and the Lord’s Supper become effectual means of salvation?
- Q99. Wherein do Baptism and the Lord’s Supper differ from the other ordinances of God?
- Q100. What is Baptism?
- Q101. To whom is Baptism to be administered?
- Q102. Are the infants of such as are professing believers to be baptized?
- Q103. How is Baptism rightly administered?
- Q104. What is the duty of those who are rightly baptized?
- Q106. What is the invisible church?