Also referred to as the invisible, true, or real church, this is the true universal church comprised entirely of born-again believers saved through faith in Jesus Christ.
Biblical interpretation rule developed by Dr. David L. Cooper, the late founder and director of the Biblical Research Society. This law explains the situation where a portion of Scripture points to two different events or people that are separated by a long period of time, but they are blended together into a single picture.
The apostle John made reference to believing in the name of the only Son of God, Jesus Christ (John 3:18; 1 John 3:23) and that by believing we my have life in his name (John 20:31). On the surface, this does not make sense. How can I believe in someone's name? How can I have life in someone's name? The answer is understanding that the name of Jesus Christ embodies the person of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit baptizes each believer in the name of Jesus Christ so that he can live in Him.
Also referred to as the institutional or visible church, this is the broader evangelical church community of the developed world, which primarily means Australia, Canada, Europe, and the United States. It resembles the Laodicean Church, described in Revelation 3:14-22. It includes both believers and unbelievers. It is primarily an institutional system run by man and not the Lord Jesus.