Paul also teaches that there is to be no dividing wall in the church between Jews and Gentiles (Eph. 2:11-22; 3:36; cf. Acts 10; 11:1-18). Gentiles do not need to become Jews in order to be saved (Gal. 3:29). They do not need circumcision. Rather, they are Abraham’s children by faith, the Israel of God (Gal. 6:16), part of one body in Christ (Rom. 12:13). There is one family.

John M. Frame, Systematic Theology, 1019.

Although Gk. ekklesía became a distinctively Christian word, it has both a Greek and an OT history. In the Greek world it was used of a public assembly summoned by a herald (< ek, “out,” and kaleín, “to call”; cf. Acts 19:32, 39f.). In the LXX it was used for the Heb. qāhāl, which denotes the congregation or people of Israel, especially as gathered before the Lord (cf. Acts 7:38). It is of interest that behind the NT term stand both Greek democracy and Hebrew theocracy, the two brought together in a theocratic democracy or democratic theocracy.

“Church” in The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Vol. 1, A-D, gen. ed. Geoffrey W. Bromiley, 693.

But it is not enough to say that the mystery of the Trinity is in the Bible unless we recognize that the thing we are calling the Bible is a set of texts that were written, redacted, and canonized to prepare for and report on the missions of the Son and the Spirit. To somebody about to comb through the texts to find elements of the doctrine, we have to say: the Trinity is in the Bible because the Bible is in the Trinity. . . .

The triunity of God has always been, was once concealed, but is now revealed. The manner of its revelation should establish the order and structure of the doctrine concerning it, as well as the order and structure of adjacent doctrines like revelation and salvation.

Fred Sanders, The Triune God, 44, 68.

Nothing is more central or basic than union and communion with Christ. . . .

Union with Christ is really the central truth of the whole doctrine of salvation not only in its application but also in its once-for-all accomplishment in the finished work of Christ. Indeed the whole process of salvation has its origin in one phrase of union with Christ and salvation has in view the realization of other phases of union with Christ.

John Murray, Redemption – Accomplished and Applied, 161.

Given God’s intention to rule the church by a written document consisting of his personal words, it would be anomalous in the extreme if he put them in a place where we couldn’t find them. Through OT History, God has taken pains to put these words in an obvious place, the tabernacle, and later the temple. Josephus says that the books kept in the temple, before its destruction in A.D. 70, were the books recognized as canonical by the Jews. Although the Jews read other books for edification, the temple books were those with fully divine authority. So there is no mystery about the extent of the OT canon. God put the books in a place where they could function as he intended, where they would be recognized as his.

John Frame, The Doctrine of the Word of God, 135.

Preaching is central, not because we value the intellect to the exclusion of the emotions and the will, but because it is God’s action rather than our own. The God who accomplished our salvation now delivers it to us. So the argument that an emphasis on preaching tilts toward intellectualism is wide of the mark. The real issue is not whether we give priority to a particular human faculty (intellect, will, or emotion) but whether we give to God’s action over ours. In preaching, we are addressed—we are not in charge but are seated to be judged and justified.

Michael Horton, Christless Christianity: The Alternative Gospel of the American Church, 218.

God gives himself by giving us his word.

Stephen J. Wellum, God the Son Incarnate: The Doctrine of Christ, 202.

God’s word is so closely identified with God himself that Scripture presents his word as eternal (Ps. 119:89).

Stephen J. Wellum, God the Son Incarnate: The Doctrine of Christ, 202.

The two Testaments are the two lips by which God has spoken to us.

Thomas Watson, A Complete Body of Divinity, 18.

The doctrine of the three forms of the Word of God in the sketch attempted here is not new. We have seen in detail how revelation, Scripture and proclamation have from the very first stamped themselves on Christian thought as special forms of God’s Word.

Karl Barth, Church Dogmatics, I/1, sec. 4. 1-4.