Monthly Archives: April 2024

AND BE THANKFUL – 14a

Bible Study, ,

Ephesians 5:17-20 NLT‬
[17] “Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. [18] Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, [19] singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. [20] And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

There is a little addendum to Paul’s ‘therefore’s’ that kickstarts the process of becoming like Jesus. Unlike God’s children in the wilderness, we are to exude gratitude and thanksgiving from every pore of our beings.

Ingratitude, complaining, grumbling, murmuring against God and His people is rebellion which enfuriates Him. Every time Israel murmured against Moses, another judgment fell on the Israelites because God Himself was their real target.

Forgetting is the main symptom of ingratitude. Moses, in his messages to Israel before his death, repeatedly urged them to remember what God had done. Both in Egypt, against the Egyptians and for them, and in the wilderness for forty years, He had protected and provided for them.

Their complaints were selfish and materialistic. They lost sight of their destination and thought only of their lack of creature comforts. Their faith in God only lasted until the next test.

Their grumbling climaxed in their refusal to enter the Promised Land despite Joshua and Caleb’s assurances that God was with them. That entire generation died in the wilderness because of their rebellion.

‭Numbers 14:1-4, 9-12 NLT‬
[1] Then the whole community began weeping aloud, and they cried all night. [2] Their voices rose in a great chorus of protest against Moses and Aaron. “If only we had died in Egypt, or even here in the wilderness!” they complained. [3] “Why is the Lord taking us to this country only to have us die in battle? Our wives and our little ones will be carried off as plunder! Wouldn’t it be better for us to return to Egypt?” [4] Then they plotted among themselves, “Let’s choose a new leader and go back to Egypt!”
[9] Do not rebel against the Lord, and don’t be afraid of the people of the land. They are only helpless prey to us! They have no protection, but the Lord is with us! Don’t be afraid of them!” [10] But the whole community began to talk about stoning Joshua and Caleb. Then the glorious presence of the Lord appeared to all the Israelites at the Tabernacle. [11] And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt? Will they never believe me, even after all the miraculous signs I have done among them? [12] I will disown them and destroy them with a plague. Then I will make you into a nation greater and mightier than they are!”

How many of God’s people follow in their footsteps. There is always something to offend them, someone who gets in their way to the top, some situation or person who doesn’t please them, even some teaching that doesn’t suit them. Their ingratitude is infectious, casting a shadow over the fellowship and unity in the church.

Grumblers and complainers sow dissention. Paul and John have one answer for dissenters because dissenters have a dangerous influence over the church… “Kick them out! Have nothing to do with them. Don’t tolerate their presence in the fellowship of the church!”

‭Romans 16:17-18 NLT‬
[17] “And now I make one more appeal, my dear brothers and sisters. Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them. [18] Such people are not serving Christ our Lord; they are serving their own personal interests. By smooth talk and glowing words they deceive innocent people.”

Paul`s counsel to the church is simple.

‭Philippians 2:14-16 NLT‬
[14]” Do everything WITHOUT COMPLAINING and ARGUING , [15] so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. [16] Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.”

‭Philippians 3:1 NLT‬
[1]” Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, REJOICE in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith.”

‭1 Thessalonians 5:18 NLT‬
[18]”BE THANKFUL in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”

‭1 Corinthians 10:31 NLT‬
[31]”So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the GLORY of GOD .”

‭Colossians 3:15, 17 NLT‬
[15] “And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And ALWAYS BE THANKFUL .
[17] And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, GIVING THANKS through him to God the Father.”

Paul’s teaching and counsel are always coloured by the instruction to have a thankful heart. Gratitude to God in every circumstance changes our perspective. Even if life goes horribly wrong, God is still in charge; He has a purpose in everything that happens; He works, in all things, for our good.

Giving thanks in all circumstances guards us against rebellion. Gratitude helps us to remember, enhances our awareness of God, puts Him in the centre of our existence, and keeps us in touch with our future. If things are going wrong now, it’s only temporary because we have a great future ahead of us.

‭2 Corinthians 4:18 NLT‬
[18] “So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.”

So, says Paul, cultivate a grateful heart and you will be safe from the influence of people who are never satisfied. You will remain in God’s love.

Remember, thanksgiving is the language of faith.

PUT OFF AND PUT ON – 13

Bible Study, ,

Ephesians 4:21-24 NLT‬
[21] “Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, [22] throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. [23] Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. [24] Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.”

Living this new life of faith and obedience begins with a choice. God does not force us to do His will. He provides the grace and the power by giving us His Spirit. However, we must take the initiative when the tests and temptations to gratify our old nature come.

Paul says we must change our attitude. We do this by mentally taking off our old nature as we would our soiled clothes. Then we put on the clean clothes of salvation. This means that we choose to think and act out of our new nature of faith and love, not out of the old nature of lust and deception.

Trouble us, there’s a war going on inside us, flesh against spirit. Our spirit, renewed by God’s power, wants to do the right thing but our flesh rebels against God’s will. Paul knew how deadly this battle was when he tried to overcome his old nature by himself without help.

‭Romans 7:15, 21-23 NLT‬
[15] “I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate…
[21] I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. [22] I love God’s law with all my heart. [23] But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.”

We all know how horrible this battle is and how often we lose and succumb to temptation.

So, what’s the answer?

Paul learned that there is an effective way to deal with our flesh. It begins, again, in the mind, just as sin begins in the mind. A young preacher from the USA taught me that we become what we dwell on. How true is that! The more we dwell on our sinful actions and reactions, the stronger the pull to go that way.

So, says Paul, there is another more effective way to handle temptation.

Reckon, think of as true, done, accomplished! What must we reckon?

  1. That we died with Jesus when He died.

‭Romans 6:1-4 NLT‬
[1] “Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? [2] Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? [3] Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? [4] For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.”

We died with Jesus and we were raised again to a new life to which we testified by our baptism.

Dead people don’t sin!

  1. That we are no longer slaves to sin.

‭‭Romans 6:6-8 NLT‬
[6]”We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. [7] For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. [8] And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him.”

Satan’s lie – sin still controls us. The truth is that Jesus set us free from sin’s grip on us.

Dead people are no longer slaves.

  1. That sin is no longer your master.

‭Romans 6:14 NLT‬
[14] Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.

We belong to a new master, Jesus. We are under His authority, no longer under Satan’s mastery. Satan is lying when he tells us to obey him.

‭1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NLT‬
[19] “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, [20] for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.”

Armed with the truth of our position in Christ, we change our attitude from pawns of our sinful nature to overcomers through Jesus by the power of God’s Spirit.

‭Romans 7:24,25a NLT‬
[24] “Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?
[25] Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord…”

‭Romans 8:37 NLT‬
[37] “No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.”

Once again, this is a partnership between us and God. We can do nothing on our own but, once we are enlightened by the truth and we make our choice to believe God’s Word, the Holy Spirit gives us power to say “No!”
We “put on” the new nature and act accordingly.

I think it’s like making bricks. Let me explain. The brickmaker pours brickmaking material into a mould and bakes it in an oven to set it. Then he removes the mould and the brick is made.

God gives us the mould… love. We pour love into the mould by choosing to love even if we don’t feel like loving. We ‘fire’ our loving ‘brick’ by choosing to love again and again. The more we act in a loving way towards others, the more loving becomes who we are. In this way, based on what we have learned to reckon, we are putting off the old nature by putting on the new.

It might sound simple but learning to live and walk in the Spirit is a lifelong process. However, every journey begins with the first step. We must set our minds to reign over our old nature in this life if we want to reign with Jesus in His kingdom in the next life.

So, you see, it all depends on what we look at. If we keep seeing ourselves as pitiful failures, that’s what we become. If we keep looking at Jesus, our model and mentor, guess what! We become more like Him!

‭2 Corinthians 3:18 NIV‬
[18] “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

GIFTED, BUILT UP, AND EQUIPPED – 12

Bible Study, ,

Ephesians 4:11-12 NLT‬
[11]”Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. [12] Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.”

Despite Paul’s plea for his readers (and all those who follow after the them) to live out the new lives they have been given, they knew and we know that it is impossible to do this without help.

However, God has given us His Spirit, our Helper, who teaches and guides us from within, but we also need knowledge, information, instruction, to know what to do and how to put our new lives into practice.

So, Jesus has also given to His church people whom the Holy Spirit equips to be our human teachers. Each of these people has a specific function (emphasis on ‘function’, not ‘office’) in the church, to equip and train God’s people with knowledge and practice, as Jesus did with His disciples, so that, together, the church may reach its goal of love and unity.

These five groups of people – apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers – are not self-proclaimed or self-appointed. They are given, by Jesus, to His church. They function…they do not rule or have any authority over the body of Christ. They are not superior to or office bearers in the church. They are servants, serving the church by using their gifts to equip the saints to do what they train the church to do.

What is their function, then? Each of these ‘gifts’ helps to hone those who are similarly gifted. No individual has all the gifts but as we live and work together as the church, we display the nature of Jesus in His completeness.

‭Ephesians 4:7 NLT‬
[7] “However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ.”

The church is a mosaic of gifts. Each member has a specific function, which creates a complete picture of Jesus in His body. We are all ‘living stones’, built together to form a temple in which we worship the Father in spirit and in truth.

A mature church has as its goal, to be a witness to Jesus – His incarnation, His life, His death, His resurrection – as the foundation of their love for one another and the unity that binds them together. These qualities are not possible outside of the Holy Spirit who lives in the church as well as in each member.

By contrast, the love and unity that might exist in pockets in the community are fragile and easily disintegrate in the face of the words and actions of selfish and self–centred people. The opposite is true in the church.

‭Ephesians 4:13, 15-16 NLT‬
[13] “This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ….
[15] Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. [16] He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.”

Unlike the fragile unity in the world, the unity in the church grows with increasing knowledge and experience. The church is not an organisation. The church is a living organism, united to Jesus, its head, drawing its life from Him, and growing in faith and obedience through the Holy Spirit who works out the life of Jesus in us and in the church.

This divine/human partnership is the only way in which the church can be the WITNESS Jesus intends us to be to the world. The early church, reflected in the book of Acts, knew this power. The church grew supernaturally through its witness, both to the message of Jesus and to the life of Jesus in them that the message produced.

‭Acts of the Apostles 5:12-14 NLT‬
[12] “The apostles were performing many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers were meeting regularly at the Temple in the area known as Solomon’s Colonnade. [13] But no one else dared to join them, even though all the people had high regard for them. [14] Yet more and more people believed and were brought to the Lord—crowds of both men and women.”

So, dear brothers and sisters, the life of Jesus bears fruit in the church only as its members faithfully follow Paul’s ‘therefore’s’. Without the body living in vital union with its head, the church of Jesus becomes just another sterile religion, of no consequence in the world except to be in competition with all other religions.

The Father has made provision for us to grow towards our goal but we must respond with faith and obedience to fulfil His purpose for the church now and in eternity.

PAUL’S ‘, THEREFORE’ – 11

Bible Study

Ephesians 4:1-3 NLT‬
[1] “Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. [2] Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. [3] Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.”

I was taught, at Bible School, that when you see a “therefore”, you must ask what it’s there for. That may not be good English but it’s good theology!

Paul’s ‘therefore’s’ always follow his teaching. Most of his letters begin with explanations about the Father and His actions and intentions through Jesus. The Holy Spirit also features in these teachings in His function as administrator of God’s purposes on earth. So, Paul’s letters highlight great themes on God’s nature (for example, righteousness – in Romans…grace in Ephesians), and what He does.

However, theory without practice is sterile. If we don’t respond appropriately to who God is and what He has done, our faith is of no consequence.

‭James 1:22 NLT‬
[22] “But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.”

Trouble is that many of those who claim allegiance to Jesus have not grasped this truth. Life goes on with the flesh still in charge, unfortunately bringing disgrace on the one who bought us.

Paul addressed this issue in his criticism of the Jews in his letter to the Romans.

‭Romans 2:22-24 NLT‬
[22] You say it is wrong to commit adultery, but do you commit adultery? You condemn idolatry, but do you use items stolen from pagan temples? [23] You are so proud of knowing the law, but you dishonor God by breaking it. [24] No wonder the Scriptures say, “The Gentiles blaspheme the name of God because of you.”

The Gentiles, although many believed in Jesus, in the main, brushed aside the claims of the Jewish faith because God’s people did not live up to God’s requirements. Instead, the Jews lived like pagans but were still proud of the faith they failed to obey.

Now, Paul says, we have an obligation to become what God has recreated us to be.

‭Colossians 3:10 NLT‬
[10] “Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.”

Fortunately, for his readers and for us, Paul gives clear instructions on how to work out what God has worked in us. We learn from the failure of God’s people to obey the law, that living righteously is impossible without…

  1. A new life.
    God has given us that new life.

‭Ephesians 2:1, 4-6 NLT‬
[1″Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins…
[4] But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, [5] that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) [6] For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.”

This new life radically changes us from the inside. We have a connection with God that transforms our attitude to Him, ourselves, and the world. We are a new creation. If this has not happened, despite our claim to faith in Jesus, we have not been born again.

  1. The power of the Holy Spirit.
    God has given us His Spirit to overcome our old sinful nature.

‭Romans 8:12-13 NLT‬
[12] “Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. [13] For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live.”

The Holy Spirit, now living in us, alerts us to the sin we were comfortable with before we received Jesus. He leads us away from rebellion and disobedience towards submission to Jesus and His authority over us.

  1. His very great and precious promises.
    God has promised us grace and power to overcome sin and live righteously.

‭2 Peter 1:3-4 NLT‬
[3] “By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. [4] And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.”

Love and unity are the GOAL of the church and love and unity can only be achieved by obedience to Jesus empowered by His Spirit. Love and unity are also our Guarantee that we will inherit eternal life. God has promised us an inheritance so precious that He keeps it safe for us in heaven and He guarantees that promise by the presence of the Holy Spirit in us now.

‭1 Peter 1:4 NLT‬
[4] “… We have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.”

‭Ephesians 1:14 NLT‬
[14] “The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.”

However, this inheritance, which Jesus shares with us, is only for those who obey Jesus and are led by God’s Spirit.

‭Galatians 5:19-21 NLT‬
[19]”When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, [20] idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, [21] envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.“

‭Galatians 5:22, 23 NLT‬
[22] “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ‭Galatians 5:23 NLT‬
[23] gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!”

Jesus told the religious leaders who refused to receive Him…

‭Matthew 21:43 NLT‬
[43] “I tell you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation that will produce the proper fruit.”

‭1 Corinthians 6:9-11 NLT‬
[9 “Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, [10] or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. [11] Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

So, Paul encouraged and warned his Roman readers…

‭Romans 8:9-14 NLT‬
[9]”But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) [10] And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. [11] The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. [12] Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. [13] For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. [14] For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.”

How important, then, that we take Paul’s ‘therefore’ seriously. What follows in Ephesians 4-6 are the building blocks of the life of faith. Every ‘therefore’ adds to the lives we are to live and qualifies us to receive the inheritance God is keeping for us in heaven.

In no way does our salvation depend on what we can do or what we can add to what Jesus has done for us. “It is finished!” Complete! Done!

However, our inheritance depends on how we respond to His work in us. Those who do nothing about gaining mastery over the flesh will have no part in the rewards God has prepared for those who are faithful to Him. “If we suffer with Him, we shall also reign with Him.”

‭Romans 5:17-18 NLT‬
[17] “For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. [18] Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone.”

Paul grieved over those who claimed salvation but lived by their evil desires.

‭Philippians 3:17-19 NLT‬
[17]”Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example. [18] For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. [19] They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth.”

Therefore, a life worthy of the salvation that we have received is the evidence that we are children of God.

‭1 John 3:2-3 NLT‬
[2]”Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. [3] And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure.”

THE CHURCH, GOD’S “BULLSEYE” – 10c

Bible Study, ,

Now let’s go back to God’s purpose for the church on earth.

‭Ephesians 3:6 NLT‬
[6] “And this is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus.”

‭Ephesians 3:10-11 NLT‬
[10]”God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. [11] This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.”

The goal of the church is to be God’s showpiece to all of creation. This includes the powers and principalities, led by God’s arch enemy, that attempted to unseat God and take the throne of the universe for themselves. The entire created order of the universe would know by looking at the church, that God’s wisdom in all its variegated facets, prevailed.

Despite all odds, God pulls off a daring plan to overcome every attempt to derail His plan. Since the heavenly powers disqualified themselves by their desire to dethrone God, He created, redeemed and perfected another race, humans, who would be His new “divine counsel”, ruling the nations with Jesus in eternity.

Even the physical world, also corrupted by sin, eagerly awaits the day when all God’s children come of age.

Romans 8:19 NLT‬
[19] “For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.”

The church, then, has a unique and specific purpose on earth, preparing all its members for their heavenly reign. The Bible gives us three pictures of the church, each of which hones in on one of its functions on earth.

  1. Ephesians 1:23 NLT‬
    [23] And the church is his BODY; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.

On one occasion, Jesus encountered a man who wanted to join the disciples to follow Him. Jesus cautioned him with words that have been misunderstood and misrepresented in much preaching.

‭Luke 9:57-58 NLT‬
[57] As they were walking along, someone said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go.” [58] But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.”

Jesus was not saying He was poor. Fixes and birds don’t live in dens and nests. They have babies in dens and nests. He was explaining that, at that moment, He, the head, had no body on which to lay His head so that He could reproduce Himself.

On the day of Pentecost, the church was born and Jesus and His body were connected and completed. Through His body, He would build His church until the full number of Jews and Gentiles are called in.

Thus, the body of Christ, in union with and obedience to Him, would be His representatives on earth. The church would reveal His nature to the world and and call unbelievers to obey the gospel and become part of His body. The church’s function is to WITNESS to Jesus on earth.

‭Acts of the Apostles 1:8 NLT‬
[8] “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Through the Holy Spirit in them, they would reflect Jesus to the world.

How? By their supernatural love…

‭John 13:35 NLT‬
[35] “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

… and their supernatural unity…

‭John 17:23 NLT‬
[23]” I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.”

  1. ‭1 Corinthians 3:9 NLT‬
    [9] “For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s BUILDING.”

The second picture of the church is a building, set apart for WORSHIP. God’s building is a temple, built out of living stones, in which the Holy Spirit lives, individually and corporately. This temple replaces the physical temple in Jerusalem and becomes the ‘naos’, the Holy of Holies where God and man meet at the Mercy Seat.

‭Hebrews 10:19, 21-22 NLT‬
[19] “And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. ‭‭
[20] By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place.
[21] And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, [22] let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.”

‭John 4:23-24 NLT‬
[23] “But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will WORSHIP him that way. [24] For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”

‭‭ individually, we are God’s temple…

‭1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NLT‬
[19] “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, [20] for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.”

…and corporately, the church is God’s temple…

‭1 Peter 2:5 NLT‬
[5] “And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God.”

  1. The third picture of the church brings us to the heart of the church – the WOMB. The womb is the centre and purpose of intimacy. A man and a woman are united in marriage to become one to reproduce through their intimacy.

‭Malachi 2:15 NLT‬
[15]”Didn’t the Lord make you one with your wife? In body and spirit you are his. And what does he want? Godly children from your union. So guard your heart; remain loyal to the wife of your youth.”

Intimacy speaks of absolute knowledge, absolute trust, absolute acceptance, and absolute faithfulness.

The church is the BRIDE of Christ, the pure virgin whom He has chosen and perfected for Himself for intimacy. He nurtures her in preparation for the day when they come together as one. Marriage between a man and a woman on earth is to be a picture of the relationship between Christ and His church.

‭Ephesians 5:22-27 NLT‬
[22]” For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. [23] For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. [24] As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything. [25] For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her [26] to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. [27] He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault.”

Our engagement period is a preparation for marriage during which we separate ourselves from all others and adorn our wedding gown with good works.

‭Revelation 19:7-8 NLT‬
[7] “Let us be glad and rejoice, and let us give honor to him. For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb, and his BRIDE has prepared herself. [8] She has been given the finest of pure white linen to wear.” For the fine linen represents the good deeds of God’s holy people.”

The bridal gown is Jesus’ own righteousness which He gave His bride. She adorns her gown with the jewels of good works, every unselfish deed that shows her love by blessing others.

These three symbolic pictures of the church give us a clearer understanding of the functions of the church during her life in earth. This “composite woman”, made up of all the individuals in Christ’s body, is here to witness, to worship, and to be the womb through which God gives birth to His purposes by impregnating her with the seed of His Word.

Is it any wonder, then, that church is so precious to Jesus that He focuses all His attention on her protection, provision, and purpose in His dealings with the world!

Let me remind you again for your encouragement and hope…

‭Ephesians 1:20-23 MSG‬
[20-23] “All this energy issues from Christ: God raised him from death and set him on a throne in deep heaven, in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to governments, no name and no power exempt from his rule. And not just for the time being, but forever. He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything. At the center of all this, Christ rules the church. The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. The church is Christ’s body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence.”

Jesus is working, through His Spirit, in every individual member of the church by His grace so that each one, in his/her uniqueness, becomes a replica of Himself on earth. In this way, like all the pieces in a mosaic which make up a picture, the world will catch a glimpse of the real Jesus. Every small group of people doing life together is a picture of Jesus. So, the church as a whole witnesses to the power in us to overcome selfishness and to be God’s family in the world.