The Church

(#887, Imperial, 1960; Sweet Home Baptist, April 1968; State CE Executive, Nov. 1967)

Read Ephesians 1:22-23; 2:19-22; 5:21-25,32.

What do you think when you hear the word "church"?  Some think of a building, some the local group, some a denomination.  Ephesians has 3 expressions to help us see the Church.

ƒ      A body for His expression (Eph. 1:22-23; 4:11-16).

Three relationships are evident here.

w    Relation of the Church to Christ (Eph. 1:22; 4:15).  It is a "Head and Body" relationship.  The Head needs the Body for expression, activity; the Body must have the Head for direction.  The Head is the highest and most exalted part of the Body.

w    Relation of members of the Body to each other (Eph. 4:16). The different parts of the Body are joined together (4:4).  The relationship is interdependent: one supplements the other, one complements the other.

w    Relation of the Church to the world (1 Jn. 2:15; Jn. 17:16). We are to be separate from the world; and yet remember that the body is for His expression.  "Some have confused the doctrine of separation and taught it as isolation instead of immunization."

ƒ      A building for His habitation (Eph. :19-22).

We are a habitation through the Spirit.  God has always sought to dwell with man.  So He made us to be a temple (v21).  A temple suggests 3 basic ideas:

    1.  Access to God.

    2.  Worship of God.

    3.  Fellowship with God.

We are to be a holy temple.  Defiling it destroys our usefulness.

ƒ      A bride for His affection (Eph. 5:21-25,32).

Christ loved the Church.  He gave Himself for it that He might sanctify and cleanse it and present it glorious, without spot or wrinkle.  Thus the relation of husband and wife illustrate...

    1.  The close and intimate relation of believers to Christ.

    2.  The subjection of the Church to her Lord.

    3.  The desire Christ has of our love.

Are we Christ to those around us? Are we a holy place for  His dwelling? Are we His submissive bride?