Images of the Church


Body

Universal with Christ as Head—Col. 1:18; Eph. 5:23
One Body—Col. 3:15; Eph. 4:4
We are Members/Parts of the Body—Eph. 3:6; 5:30
Christ continues to suffer in the Body—Col. 1:24; Acts 9:5
Congregation—Rom. 12:4-5; I Cor. 12:12-27

Household/Family

Christians as Family—I Peter 4:17; Heb. 3:2-6
God as Father—Matt. 6:6-9; Rom. 8:15
Church planter as father—I Cor. 4:15; but see Matt. 23:8-9
Brothers and Sisters of Christ—Mark 10:29-30; Heb. 2:11-12
Sons implies heirs—Gal. 3:26

Vine

Jesus is the Vine; His people are the branches—John 15:1-11

Flock

Jesus is the Shepherd; His people are the flock—John 10:1-18

Field

God's servants work in His field—I Cor. 3:6-9

Temple

The local congregation is a temple—I Cor. 3:10-17
The universal church is a temple—Eph. 2:19-22
Christians are living stones in a spiritual house—I Pet. 2:4-5

Bride

God's people are the Bride of Christ—Rev. 19:6-9
The local congregation is like a virgin engaged to Christ—II Cor. 11:2

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