The Church's Universal Nature and Distinction from Judaism
The Church universal consists of "the multitude collected out of all nations, who, though dispersed and far distant from each other, agree in one truth" [5]. This definition, articulated in Calvin's Institutes, captures the fundamental shift from the Old Testament assembly (kahal) confined to Israel to the New Testament ecclesia that transcends ethnic and national boundaries. The Greek term ecclesia, from which "church" derives, means simply "assembly," though the word "church" itself likely comes from kuriakon, "the Lord's house" [2].
Biblical Foundation
Paul establishes this universal scope explicitly: God calls "not only out of Jews, but also out of nations" [3]. The distinction between Jew and Gentile, which defined covenant membership under the Mosaic economy, dissolves in Christ. "There is no such thing as Greek and Jew," Paul writes, adding that "the difference of privilege between those born of the natural seed of Abraham and those not, is abolished" [6]. Circumcision, the physical mark of Jewish identity, gives way to "circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter" [1]. The Church's membership criteria are spiritual, not ethnic.
Contrast with the Old Covenant
The Westminster Confession formalizes this shift: "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" [9]. Charles Hodge explains that the Mosaic covenant "organized the Hebrews as a nation, and directed all their municipal and national, as well as their social and religious affairs," making it incompatible with other national organizations. Christ's kingdom, by contrast, "being designed to embrace all other kingdoms, can exist under all forms of civil government without interfering with any" [8].
This universality precludes any future restoration of Jewish national privilege within the Church. The apostles "recognize no future for the Jews in which the Gentile Christians are not to participate," and any difference between members "is not in virtue of national or social distinctions, but solely of individual character and devotion" [4]. The Church is formed "of the substance of His flesh" [7], a unity that transcends all prior divisions. Where the old covenant bound one nation to a land, the new covenant gathers a people from every nation under one Head.
Sources
- Romans “Romans 2:29 (LEB) — But the Jew ⌞is one inwardly⌟, and circumcision is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter, whose praise is not from people but from God.”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Church — Derived probably from the Greek kuriakon (i.e., "the Lord's house"), which was used by ancient authors for the place of worship. In the New Testament it is the translation of the Greek word ecclesia, which is synonymous with the Hebrew kahal of the Old Testament, both words meaning simply an assembly, the character of which can only be known from the connection in which the word is found. There is no clear instance of its being used for a place of meeting or of worship, although in post-apostolic times it early received this meaning. Nor is this word ever us”
- Romans “Romans 9:24 (YLT) — not only out of Jews, but also out of nations,”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 88: that if there be any difference between them, it is not in virtue of national or social distinctions, but solely of individual character and devotion. That we are all one in Christ Jesus, is a doctrine 811 which precludes the possibility of the preeminence assigned to the Jews in the theory of which their restoration to their own land, and their national individuality are constituent elements. 5. The Apostles uniformly acted on this principle. They recognize no future for the Jews in which the Gentile Christians are not to participate. As”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 83: and heard, wherever we see the sacraments administered according to the institution of Christ, there we cannot have any doubt that the Church of God has some existence, since his promise cannot fail, “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” ( Mt. 18:20 ). But that we may have a clear summary of this subject, we must proceed by the following steps:—The Church universal is the multitude collected out of all nations, who, though dispersed and far distant from each other, agree in one truth”
- Colossians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Colossians 3:11: Where--Translate, "Wherein," namely, in the sphere of the renewed man. neither . . . nor . . . nor . . . nor--Translate as Greek, "There is no such thing as Greek and Jew (the difference of privilege between those born of the natural seed of Abraham and those not, is abolished), circumcision and uncircumcision (the difference of legal standing between the circumcised and uncircumcised is done away, Gal 6:15) --bondman, freeman." The present Church is one called out of the flesh, and the present world-course (Eph 2:2), wherein such distinctions ex”
- Ephesians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ephesians 5:30: For--Greek, "Because" (Co1 6:15). Christ nourisheth and cherisheth the Church as being of one flesh with Him. Translate, "Because we are members of His body (His literal body), being OF His flesh and of His bones" [ALFORD] (Gen 2:23-24). The Greek expresses, "Being formed out of" or "of the substance of His flesh." Adam's deep sleep, wherein Eve was formed from out of his opened side, is an emblem of Christ's death, which was the birth of the Spouse, the Church. Joh 12:24; Joh 19:34-35, to which Eph 5:25-27 allude, as implying atonement by His blood”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 123: of this world. The latter organized the Hebrews as a nation, and directed all their municipal and national, as well as their social and religious affairs. It, therefore, could not coexist in time and place with any other national organization. The kingdom of Christ being designed to embrace all other kingdoms, can exist under all forms of civil government without interfering with any. It was especially in this view that Christ declared that his kingdom was not of this world. His immediate design was to vindicate his claim to be a king, f”
- Westminster Confession of Faith (Reformed) “Westminster Confession of Faith (Reformed, 1646), CHAPTER 25: CHAPTER 25 Of the Church 1. The catholic or universal church, which is invisible, consists of the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one, under Christ the Head thereof; and is the spouse, the body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all. 2. 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; and of their children: and is the kingdom of the L”