The Church of God and of Christ
Minister: | Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: | 4/9/2017 AM |
Text: | Ephesians 1, 2; Lord's Day 21 |
Psalters: | 239, 330, 131, 408 |
- The object of faith.
- The Church is an object of faith (“I believe”) - the same faith we have in God and in Christ.
- As an object of faith, the Church is composed of only true believers, from the beginning to the end of the world.
- The Church has three aspects: triumphant, militant, and latent.
- Even the Church militant (elect believers at any given time in history) is also an object of faith
- It is called the Church “of God” (Acts 20:28; I Cor. 1:2; II Cor. 1:1; Gal. 1:13; I Tim. 3:5,15) and “in God” (I & II Thess. 1:1).
- Implications.
- Its existence, nature and calling are determined by the Scriptures, not the ideas or judgments of men.
- The Church always exists (Belgic. Conf, art. 27).
- Jesus is the Head of the Church; which is His body.
- The figure of the “body” is that of a living organism with one life in all the parts, beautifully put together.
- Of the Body, Christ is the Head.
- So close is the the relationship of the church to Christ that the church is called the “fulness of Christ” (Eph. 1:23).
- Implications derived from this intimate relationship.
- Christ works all things “to the church,” i.e., for the church (Eph. 1:22).
- The church and each member must always live in the consciousness of total dependence of her Head.
- In Christ, our Head, we attain fulness, collectively and individually (Col. 2:10).
- Every need of the church and of each member is fulfilled with and by Christ.
- Thus the church and we its members are to strive to do the will of our Head.