Paul’s Understanding of the Church in the Epistle of Ephesians as a Model for Today’s Church

This article analyzes Paul’s view of the church in the epistle of Ephesians and how this view should affect the life and work of the churches that have a Reformation background in Croatia. In the first part of the article, the author points out some problems that are present among such churches, like the negligence of the catholic or universal dimension of the church, an inadequate understanding God’s purposes and intentions that God has for his church, an inadequate understanding of the scope that Jesus’ sacrifice has on the life of a believer, and finally, an inadequate view of the relationship between salvation and membership in the church. Therefore, the author offers theological corrections in those areas. In the second part of the article, the author offers guidelines and implications that should surface from the proper theological understanding of the church that Paul presents in Ephesians. These implications refer to church growth, proper relationships with individuals who are gifted with various gifts and ministries, rejection of the mentality “Jesus – Bible and I” and the need for the development of unity and fellowship among the churches