[metmom]

“If he will not listen to the church, treat him as a pagan or tax collector.” Not churches, THE church. Singular.

Which does not by default mean the RCC. There is only one church which is why the word is not plural in the passage.

The church is a body, a living organism - the body of Christ. It's an organism, not an organization.

[St_Thomas_Aquinas]

-— Which does not by default mean the RCC.-—

True. To find the visible Church that Christ established, one has to study early Christian history. As Cardinal Newman said, “To be deep in history is to cease to be Protestant.”

-—There is only one church which is why the word is not plural in the passage.
The church is a body, a living organism - the body of Christ. It’s an organism, not an organization.-—

This is partially true, but the Church is also a visible organization. The problem with the idea that the church lacks organization is that it contradicts the data of Scripture. How can Christians take their disagreements to an invisible or nebulous Church, with as many contradictory doctrines as members? Christ’s command to take our disputes to the church would be impossible to follow.

But Christ cannot issue empty commands, because He is Truth.