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To Him be glory in the church
These words are found in Paul’s prayer of praise: “To Him be the
glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and
ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:21 NASB).The church of Christ is the only institution on earth that will exist for ever. God will be glorified in the church forever. When Jesus promised to build His church, He said: “And the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” Hades is the realm of the dead. The church of Christ exists beyond the grave.
In the church, God is glorified “to all generations.” From generation to generation, God is glorified in the church of Christ.
There is also mention of “the” church. Jesus has only one church. In Scripture the church of Christ is often simply called “the church” because there is only one.
“To Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever” (Ephesians 3:21 NASB).
God is glorified in the church and in Christ Jesus. Those who are in the church are in Christ because the church is the body of Christ: “He is also head of the body, the church” (Colossians 1:18). “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
From these passages we see how great the church of Christ is and how privileged we are to be members of the body of Christ.
Christ cleansed and sanctified the church to present her to Himself, a glorious church. Paul wrote: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:25-27).
This cleansing is necessary because we do not live perfectly, but God is able to cleanse us perfectly and sanctify us by the blood of Christ: “By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10:10). The church consists of “those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus” (1 Corinthians 1:2). “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).
This purification occurs at baptism, “that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word”. “But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy, He saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:4, 5). “There is also an antitype which now saves us -- baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 3:21).
Because sanctification occurs at baptism, we are baptized into the body of Christ: “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body” (1 Corinthians 12:13).
Purified and made holy, the church is the bride of Christ: “‘Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.’ And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints” (Revelation 19:7, 8).
The church reveals the manifold wisdom of God. Paul wrote: “To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Ephesians 3:8-11).
The billions of stars in the universe were created to give light on the earth (Genesis 1:15, 16). In Ephesians 3, Paul explains that all things were created so the heavenly hosts could see God’s wisdom in the church. Angels rejoice when one sinner repents (Luke 15:10 -- see also 1 Peter 1:10-12). Christians are the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Matthew 5:13, 14). “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).
The church is glorious because Christ is its head. “And He 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 who fills all in all” (Ephesians 1:22, 23). “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence” (Colossians 1:15-18).
The church of Christ is glorious because it is the pillar and ground of the truth. “These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly; but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:14, 15). Through the church, the truth is proclaimed to the world.
The church of Christ is glorious because its members are enrolled in heaven. Their “names are in the Book of Life” (Philippians 4:3). “Only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of Life” may enter heavenly Jerusalem (Revelation 21:27). “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect” (Hebrews 12:22, 23).
God will be glorified in the church of Christ forever. Jesus has only one church. Those who are in the church are in Christ because the church is the body of Christ. The church is glorious because it is cleansed and sanctified by the blood of Christ. This purification occurs at baptism. The sanctified church is the bride of Christ. All things were created so the heavenly hosts could see God’s wisdom in the church. The church of Christ is glorious because Christ is its Head, because it is the pillar and ground of the truth, and because its members are enrolled in heaven.
In a Messianic psalm David says: “I will declare Your name to My brethren; in the midst of the assembly I will praise You” (Psalm 22:22). This psalm predicts the church of Christ, the table of the Lord and that all peoples will turn to the Lord: “My praise shall be of You in the great assembly; I will pay My vows before those who fear Him. The poor shall eat and be satisfied; Those who seek Him will praise the LORD. Let your heart live forever! All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations shall worship before You. For the kingdom is the LORD's, and He rules over the nations. All the prosperous of the earth shall eat and worship; all those who go down to the dust shall bow before Him, even he who cannot keep himself alive. A posterity shall serve Him. It will be recounted of the Lord to the next generation; they will come and declare His righteousness to a people who will be born, that He has done this” (Psalm 22:25-31).
Being the church of Christ, let us sing praises to God, let us eat and worship on the first day of the week, let us proclaim the good news to all peoples so they can turn to the Lord.
“To Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:21 NASB).
Roy Davison
The Scripture quotations in this article are from
The New King James Version. ©1979,1980,1982, Thomas Nelson Inc., Publishers.
Permission for reference use has been granted.
The New King James Version. ©1979,1980,1982, Thomas Nelson Inc., Publishers.
Permission for reference use has been granted.
Published in The Old Paths Archive
(http://www.oldpaths.com)
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