Journal for Christian Theological Research Volume 7 Article 1 2001 The Remnant Church Randall Otto
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[email protected]. 15 Journal of Christian Theological Research 7 (2002) The Remnant Church Randall Otto West Grove Presbyterian Church, West Grove, PA, USA Abstract The invisible church idea is an apologetic device developed by the Reformers to comply with the creeds’ statements concerning a “catholic church” and is based on a conception of individual election that itself may need revision. The Reformed doctrine of an invisible church has no basis in the OT or NT, for in both it is those who unite and persevere in faithful obedience with God through his mediator in the covenant community who are saved. The invisible church should thus be replaced with remnant church, for the remnant is the ecclesiola in ecclesia which public demonstrates election in saving union with Christ, through abiding in him and bringing forth fruit for his glory. Protestant ecclesiology commonly differentiates between the visible and invisible aspects of the church, the former being the tangible organizational institution of the church and the latter the spiritual organism of the mystical body of Christ.