Chapter 7 DIVISIONS AND THE INSTITUTIONAL CHURCH

Paul wrote "to the church (ecclesia) of God which is at Corinth...'' (I Corinthians1:2). The word "ecclesia" has no limitation in and of itself. So to identify that specific part of God's people to whom he is writing, Paul added the limiting phrase, "which is at Corinth." Isn't that simple and clear?

It is this same way in every case in the New Testament. Paul was NOT writing to an institution, organization, or body corporate. He was NOT writing to an independent, autonomous functioning unit, such as "the local church" of today. There was no such thing then! When Paul wrote "to the church of God which is at Corinth," he wrote to God's people at Corinth; all of them as individuals! He wrote to those individuals at Corinth who were "called to be saints."