His Church
Jesus made a promise that we can count on; He promised to build His
church; and that the gates of hell would not prevail against it. Jesus asked
His disciples who He was (Matthew 16:13-19) “when Jesus came into the
coasts of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, whom do men
say that I the Son of man am? And they said, some say that You are John
the Baptist; some Elijah; and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. He
says to them, but whom say you that I am? And Simon Peter answered and
said, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. and Jesus answered
and said to him, blessed are you, Simon Barjona; for flesh and blood has
not revealed it to you, but My Father which is in heaven. And I say also to
you, that you are Peter, and upon this rock, I will build My church; and the
gates of hell shall not prevail against it. and I will give to you the keys of the
kingdom of heaven, and whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound
in heaven; and whatsoever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in
heaven”.
Many people have a misconception of the church today, there are so many
dominations, and some don’t see the church walking in its full power, but it
is to be “far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and
every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to
come. And has put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over
all things to the church. Which is His body, the fullness of Him that fills all in
all” (Ephesians 1:21-23). The church is to be “built upon the foundation of
the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief
cornerstone. In whom all the building fitly framed together grown to an holy
temple in the Lord. In whom you also are built together for a habitation of
God through the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:20-22).
The church was to the Old Testament prophets a mystery, but in the
beginning of the dispensation of grace, the mystery was made known by
the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets (Ephesians 3:3-6) “how that by
revelation He made known to me the mystery; as I wrote afore in few words.
Whereby, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the
mystery of Christ. Which in other ages was not made known to the sons of
men, as it is now revealed to His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.
That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs and of the same body and
partakers of His promise in Christ by the gospel”.
It was revealed to the apostles after Christ rose from the dead and
appeared to them in a mountain in Galilee, and commissioned them to “Go
and make disciples of all the nations” (Matthew 28:19-20).
The Holy Spirit used Peter to be the first to take the gospel to the Gentiles,
as he was sent to Cornelius in Acts 10. Cornelius was a devout man who
feared God and he was praying, when he saw in a vision an angel coming
to him telling him to send for Peter in Joppa. As he send his men to get
Peter, Peter was on the housetop and the Spirit told him to go with the men,
and when they returned and Peter began to preach, the Holy Spirit fell on
all that were in Cornelius’ house, and they all spoke with tongues.
Nest Paul and Barnabas were chosen by the Holy Spirit to be evangelist to
the Gentiles (Acts 13:1-5) “now there were in the church that was at Antioch
certain prophets, and teachers, as Barnabas, Simeon that was called Niger,
and Luchius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with
Herod the tetrach, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted,
the Holy Spirit said, separate Me, Barnabas and Saul for the work whereto I
have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their
hands on them, they sent them away. So they, being sent forth by the Holy
Spirit, departed to Seleucia; and from there they sailed to Cyprus. And
when they were at Salumis, they preached he word of God in the
synagogues of the Jews; and they had also John to their minister”. On their
first missionary journey, they went first to the Jews, but when the Jews
rejected the gospel “Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, it was
necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you
reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn
to the Gentiles” (Acts 13:46-49).
The mystery that God revealed to Paul was that in Christ there is neither
Jew nor Greek; there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor
female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).
To help us understand the doctrine of the church, the Holy Spirit, who is the
author of the word of God (II Peter 1:27; II Timothy 3:16-17) has given us
seven illustrations to help us understand the eternal relationship of Christ
and His church.
Christ is the Bridegroom, the Church His Bride. The bride will have an
incorruptible glorified body, and will be presented to Him as a pure virgin
(Ephesians 5:25-27).
Christ is the Good Shepherd, and the Church His Sheep. The Shepherd
leads, protects and feeds His sheep (Psalms 23).
Christ is the Head, the Church His body. Christ is the head of the body, the
church (Colossians 1:18). No one should have more than one head,
therefore it is wrong for any man, other than the Lord Jesus Christ to claim
to be the head of the church on earth or in heaven. His body has many
members, and they are all equal in His sight, His church is one body with
only one head, Christ, who has authority over each member of His body (I
Corinthians 12:12-26).
Christ the foundation and Cornerstone, the Church His building. This
building is made of “living stones” alive with the life of Christ (I Peter 2:5).
We are built upon Christ, through the teachings of the apostles and
prophets (Ephesians 2:19-20).
Christ Our High Priest, the Church His temple. The church is called a “holy
temple to the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling
place of God in the Spirit (Ephesians 2:21-22). Each member of the church
is His temple; and is indwelt by God the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 6:19-20).
A temple is a place of worship, we are to worship our God when alone or
with others, who are a part of the holy temple (Matthew 28:16-17).
Christ is the vine, the Church His branches. Jesus says in John 15:4-5
says “abide in Me, and I in you, as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself,
except it abide in the vine, no more can you except you abide in Me. I am
the vine, you are the branches, he that abides in Me, and I in him, the same
brings forth much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing”.
Christ is the Last Adam, the Church His New creation. The first Adam was
given life, the last Adam is the life giver (John 1:4). Therefore as II
Corinthians 5:17 says “therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new
creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new”.
For almost two thousand years satan has been trying to destroy the church
and have failed. The devil came against the early church, persecuting the
church, even to the point of killing them, but the church grew (Revelation 12:
11) says “and they overcame him (the devil) by the blood of the Lamb, and
by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives to the death”.
The early church believed this, they were persecuted, they were put into
sheep clothing and thrown to the animals, they were turned in two, yet they
witnessed and because they stood strong, many were added to the church.
The church was taken through the dark ages, where the Bible was taken
out of the average Christian’s hands. God was able to preserve the Bible,
even though the devil was trying to burn them all.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: December 14, 2010
Jesus made a promise that we can count on; He promised to build His
church; and that the gates of hell would not prevail against it. Jesus asked
His disciples who He was (Matthew 16:13-19) “when Jesus came into the
coasts of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, whom do men
say that I the Son of man am? And they said, some say that You are John
the Baptist; some Elijah; and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. He
says to them, but whom say you that I am? And Simon Peter answered and
said, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. and Jesus answered
and said to him, blessed are you, Simon Barjona; for flesh and blood has
not revealed it to you, but My Father which is in heaven. And I say also to
you, that you are Peter, and upon this rock, I will build My church; and the
gates of hell shall not prevail against it. and I will give to you the keys of the
kingdom of heaven, and whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound
in heaven; and whatsoever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in
heaven”.
Many people have a misconception of the church today, there are so many
dominations, and some don’t see the church walking in its full power, but it
is to be “far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and
every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to
come. And has put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over
all things to the church. Which is His body, the fullness of Him that fills all in
all” (Ephesians 1:21-23). The church is to be “built upon the foundation of
the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief
cornerstone. In whom all the building fitly framed together grown to an holy
temple in the Lord. In whom you also are built together for a habitation of
God through the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:20-22).
The church was to the Old Testament prophets a mystery, but in the
beginning of the dispensation of grace, the mystery was made known by
the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets (Ephesians 3:3-6) “how that by
revelation He made known to me the mystery; as I wrote afore in few words.
Whereby, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the
mystery of Christ. Which in other ages was not made known to the sons of
men, as it is now revealed to His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.
That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs and of the same body and
partakers of His promise in Christ by the gospel”.
It was revealed to the apostles after Christ rose from the dead and
appeared to them in a mountain in Galilee, and commissioned them to “Go
and make disciples of all the nations” (Matthew 28:19-20).
The Holy Spirit used Peter to be the first to take the gospel to the Gentiles,
as he was sent to Cornelius in Acts 10. Cornelius was a devout man who
feared God and he was praying, when he saw in a vision an angel coming
to him telling him to send for Peter in Joppa. As he send his men to get
Peter, Peter was on the housetop and the Spirit told him to go with the men,
and when they returned and Peter began to preach, the Holy Spirit fell on
all that were in Cornelius’ house, and they all spoke with tongues.
Nest Paul and Barnabas were chosen by the Holy Spirit to be evangelist to
the Gentiles (Acts 13:1-5) “now there were in the church that was at Antioch
certain prophets, and teachers, as Barnabas, Simeon that was called Niger,
and Luchius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with
Herod the tetrach, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted,
the Holy Spirit said, separate Me, Barnabas and Saul for the work whereto I
have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their
hands on them, they sent them away. So they, being sent forth by the Holy
Spirit, departed to Seleucia; and from there they sailed to Cyprus. And
when they were at Salumis, they preached he word of God in the
synagogues of the Jews; and they had also John to their minister”. On their
first missionary journey, they went first to the Jews, but when the Jews
rejected the gospel “Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, it was
necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you
reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn
to the Gentiles” (Acts 13:46-49).
The mystery that God revealed to Paul was that in Christ there is neither
Jew nor Greek; there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor
female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).
To help us understand the doctrine of the church, the Holy Spirit, who is the
author of the word of God (II Peter 1:27; II Timothy 3:16-17) has given us
seven illustrations to help us understand the eternal relationship of Christ
and His church.
Christ is the Bridegroom, the Church His Bride. The bride will have an
incorruptible glorified body, and will be presented to Him as a pure virgin
(Ephesians 5:25-27).
Christ is the Good Shepherd, and the Church His Sheep. The Shepherd
leads, protects and feeds His sheep (Psalms 23).
Christ is the Head, the Church His body. Christ is the head of the body, the
church (Colossians 1:18). No one should have more than one head,
therefore it is wrong for any man, other than the Lord Jesus Christ to claim
to be the head of the church on earth or in heaven. His body has many
members, and they are all equal in His sight, His church is one body with
only one head, Christ, who has authority over each member of His body (I
Corinthians 12:12-26).
Christ the foundation and Cornerstone, the Church His building. This
building is made of “living stones” alive with the life of Christ (I Peter 2:5).
We are built upon Christ, through the teachings of the apostles and
prophets (Ephesians 2:19-20).
Christ Our High Priest, the Church His temple. The church is called a “holy
temple to the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling
place of God in the Spirit (Ephesians 2:21-22). Each member of the church
is His temple; and is indwelt by God the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 6:19-20).
A temple is a place of worship, we are to worship our God when alone or
with others, who are a part of the holy temple (Matthew 28:16-17).
Christ is the vine, the Church His branches. Jesus says in John 15:4-5
says “abide in Me, and I in you, as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself,
except it abide in the vine, no more can you except you abide in Me. I am
the vine, you are the branches, he that abides in Me, and I in him, the same
brings forth much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing”.
Christ is the Last Adam, the Church His New creation. The first Adam was
given life, the last Adam is the life giver (John 1:4). Therefore as II
Corinthians 5:17 says “therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new
creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new”.
For almost two thousand years satan has been trying to destroy the church
and have failed. The devil came against the early church, persecuting the
church, even to the point of killing them, but the church grew (Revelation 12:
11) says “and they overcame him (the devil) by the blood of the Lamb, and
by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives to the death”.
The early church believed this, they were persecuted, they were put into
sheep clothing and thrown to the animals, they were turned in two, yet they
witnessed and because they stood strong, many were added to the church.
The church was taken through the dark ages, where the Bible was taken
out of the average Christian’s hands. God was able to preserve the Bible,
even though the devil was trying to burn them all.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: December 14, 2010
