Recall the suggestion that it is appropriate to think of baptized members of Paul's churches as entering into what may appropriately be called the renewed covenant community of God, both at the local and universal levels. First let us consider the concept of ‘church(es)’ in Paul's letters, in order to see how it relates to the idea of the renewed covenant community.

‘Church(es)’, according to Paul

It is inappropriate, even an anachronism, to understand Paul's word ekklēsia as ‘church’, as it is generally understood. Why? Because it inevitably brings to mind ‘the church’ as a later institution. Ekklēsia literally means ‘a calling out’ and then ‘assembly’, ‘congregation’, or ‘community’. The origin of Paul's view is the Septuagint phrases ‘assembly (ekklēsia) of the people of God’ (Judg. 20.2) or ‘assembly of the Lord’ (Deut. 23.1-3, 8; Mic. 2.5; often as cognate Hebrew expressions). The Hebrew expression ‘the whole congregation (assembly) of Israel’ and similar expressions occur repeatedly (e.g., Exod. 12.3, 6, 47; Lev. 4.13; Num. 14.5-7). See also ‘all the assembly of the sons of Israel’ (Josh. 9.2; Sir. 50.20; ‘assembly of Israel’ (Sir. 50.13; 1 Macc. 4.59); ‘assembly (ekklēsia) of faithful men’ (1 Macc. 3.13); and ‘the assembly (ekklēsia) of the Most High’ (Sir. 24.2). In Qumran a number of synonymous words (a favorite, yhd, meaning ‘oneness’, ‘union’, ‘communion’, ‘community’) are used with reference to a community of God (1QS 2.22, 24, 26; 3.11-12; see also 1QS 1.12; 1QM 4.10; 1QSa 1.23–2.21).