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When I think of my wife I picture beauty, grace, and everything good and special. She brings out the best in me. When I thought of how to describe the church I had to stop and remember that I look at her with only a glimpse of how Jesus looks at the church.
Have you ever stopped to think about how Jesus views the church? I have learned a lot about being a husband through His example. In fact I like to tell people I know the secret to a happy marriage. If you wonder what it is I encourage you to look at the relationship between Jesus and the church. You will see complete self abandonment. That makes a great marriage…thinking of your spouse above yourself.
If you are a Christian then you already know about how Jesus gave Himself for you. He thought of you above His own life. Jesus always looks at His church and sees something worth living and dieing for. So lets take a look at the church to see what it is all about and why He finds it to be worth so much.
1 Corinthians 12:12-14 and 27
12For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 13For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 14For the body is not one member, but many.
27Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
It has been said by some that the word church means assembly and because of that the church can not exist as a “universal church”. In other words there are some who do not believe you can call every Christian anywhere part of the church. They believe this because they think the church is made of only the local gathering of people.
The verse I just listed though tell us that the body of Christ is made of many people. It also says it is made of all who have the Spirit of God. You may have noticed the verses says nothing about the physical location of each member…only that they are all of the same Spirit.
Colossians 1:18-19
18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. 19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
If the church is one body as 1 Corinthians 12:12 said then all Christians are part of this body since Jesus is their head (leader).
Matthew 19:5-6
5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? 6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
When a man and woman join in the covenant of marriage they become one body. This is what it means when the Bible says the church is the bride of Christ and also it says the body of Christ. When we agree to the covenant of salvation with Jesus we have become one with Him. He becomes part of us and we become part of Him.
Ultimately this means Christians everywhere are connected through the body. We are all one in Christ.
Ephesians 5:29
29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
This is why we can not say we love Jesus if we hate the brethren. We may have different views and there may be wounds and bruises in our members through the attacks of Satan. We may see some ugly things…but remember that those people are still a part of the body of Jesus…wouldn’t you wash the wounds from the nails and thorns if you could for Him?
Take pity on those who believe lies. If they are Christians then remember that they are beautiful and holy…the lies and attitudes they may have are simply infections that must be cleaned. We need to love each other enough to see this and even though at times we may have to hold someone down to do painful surgery it should be for the goal of healing.
July 14, 2015 at 7:21 pm | | No comment
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