26.1 Of The Bride: We Are The Body of Christ

Table of Contents

The Text

Ephesians 1:3-14 (CSB) Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ. For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him. He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he lavished on us in the Beloved One.

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he richly poured out on us with all wisdom and understanding. He made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he purposed in Christ as a plan for the right time — to bring everything together in Christ, both things in heaven and things on earth in him.

In him we have also received an inheritance, because we were predestined according to the plan of the one who works out everything in agreement with the purpose of his will, so that we who had already put our hope in Christ might bring praise to his glory.

In him you also were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed. The Holy Spirit is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of the possession, to the praise of his glory.

The Chapter

The catholic or universal church, which (with respect to the internal work of the Spirit and truth of grace) may be called invisible, consists of the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one, under Christ, the head thereof; and is the spouse, the body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

The Confession

Hebrews 12:23 (CSB) to the assembly of the firstborn whose names have been written in heaven, to a Judge, who is God of all, to the spirits of righteous people made perfect,

Colossians 1:18 (CSB) He is also the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything.

Ephesians 1:10–23 (CSB) as a plan for the right time—to bring everything together in Christ, both things in heaven and things on earth in him. In him we have also received an inheritance, because we were predestined according to the plan of the one who works out everything in agreement with the purpose of his will, so that we who had already put our hope in Christ might bring praise to his glory. In him you also were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed. The Holy Spirit is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of the possession, to the praise of his glory. This is why, since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I never stop giving thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, would give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the mighty working of his strength. He exercised this power in Christ by raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens—far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he subjected everything under his feet and appointed him as head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.

Ephesians 5:23–32 (CSB) because the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of the body. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives are to submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her to make her holy, cleansing her with the washing of water by the word. He did this to present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and blameless. In the same way, husbands are to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hates his own flesh but provides and cares for it, just as Christ does for the church, since we are members of his body. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This mystery is profound, but I am talking about Christ and the church.

I have some shocking news for some of you. I hope you are sitting down for this big facts.

  1. Your church and our church does not wholly consist of the elect of God.
  2. To that end, that Methodist church down the street or the Catholics across town--I assure you that they have saved ones in their congregations.

The hubris and folly of mankind is the sinful belief that somehow we are the ones who both have it right and we wholly own the absolute truth to salvation and holy living unto God.

Yet, nothing man except for one man has done that can guarantee perfect salvation within their organization.

Matthew 1:21 (CSB) She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

Because of this man, Jesus Christ, Son of God who is God, is the only one who has planned everything perfectly and executed everything perfectly in order to what? Save his people from their sins.

By right declaration of the historical creeds, it is his Church--the holy apostolic and catholic church--is perfectly whole and perfectly saved not by any of his members has done but what Christ has done for them.

Revelation 12:10–11 (CSB) Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say, The salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have now come, because the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been thrown down. They conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; for they did not love their lives to the point of death.

For all of our theories, theologies, and non-primary doctrines may convict us, teach us, train us up, swell our hearts in worship, and points us to Christ--but that information does not save us into his arm, his adoption, and into his abode. It is only those whom God has loved before the foundation of the world, has sprinkle clean from our sins, exchanged his heart for ours, and desposited his Spirit within us and clothes us with his Son's righteous robe--only then can we respond to the commands of God to look up his Son, Jesus Christ, and be saved today!

John 3:14–15 (CSB) “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.

This might be a moment now that you have realized that you have only merely had passing knowledge of God but did not know him. You might be able to pass a theological pop quiz but you must realize there is no quiz to pass to go into heaven.

2 Corinthians 6:2 (CSB) For he says: At an acceptable time I listened to you, and in the day of salvation I helped you. See, now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation!

Today, wherever you are at, lift your eyes upon Jesus and it will be in this moment that you will be saved not just once but once and for all. Amen.