How do we know the church is both local and universal?
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The church is both local and universal as it consists of local assemblies of believers and the universal body of Christ, which includes all elect in every generation.
The distinction between the local and universal church is crucial in Reformed theology. The local church is made up of individuals gathered together by God's Spirit for worship and fellowship, while the universal church includes all of God's elect throughout history, as noted in Psalm 87 and Ephesians 5:25. The local assembly worships God in a specific locale, but it is also part of the greater universal body of Christ, denoting a spiritual continuity among believers in heaven and on earth. Hebrews 12:23 emphasizes that the church is the 'general assembly and church of the firstborn,' underscoring that while Christians gather locally, their identity is rooted in a global communion of saints.
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