I Believe in The Church

Minister:
Date: AM
Text: Ephesians 1; Lord's Day 21
Psalters: 239, 325, 131, 408
  1. The Church is an object of faith (“I believe) - the same faith we have in God and in Christ.
    1. It is spiritual, so it is not something we can see.
    2. As such it composed of only true believers, from the beginning to the end of the world.
      1. The Church has three aspects: triumphant, militant, and latent.
      2. The Church militant (elect believers at any given time in history) is also an object of faith.
    3. Is the Church “of God” (Acts 20:28) and “in God” (I & II Thess. 1:1).
      1. It is chosen by God in election (compare I Cor. 1:2 with Eph. 1:1,4,5).
      2. It is built by God through Christ (Matt. 16:18).
    4. Implications.
  2. Jesus is the Head of the Church; which is His body.
    1. The Body is one whole, each in their own place serving the purpose of the whole.
    2. Of the Body, Christ is the Head.
      1. He is the life of all the members (Galatians 2:20).
      2. The relationship of Christ and the members is extremely close, never separated.
    3. So close that the church is the ”fulness of Christ” (Eph. 1:23).
      1. Jesus is incomplete without His church.
      2. His being in us means that He fills us; our being in Him means that we fill (complete) Him.
  3. Implications derived from this intimate relationship.
    1. Christ works all things “to the church,” i.e., for the church (Eph. 1:22).
    2. The church and each member must always live in the consciousness of total dependence of her Head.
      1. In Christ, our Head, we attain fulness, collectively and individually (Col. 2:10).
      2. Every need of the church and of each member is fulfilled with and by Christ.
    3. Thus the church and we its members are to strive to do the will of our Head.