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The Daily Word of Righteousness
Perfecting the Church
That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. (Ephesians 5:27)
The Christian Church is the elect of God. It is not of the world. It consists of people who were chosen in Christ before the creation of the world. It is the true Israel of God. There are many people in the Church who were born of the race of physical Israel. There also are many who were born of Gentile parents.
The term church means called out from . Each true saint has been called out from among the peoples of the earth in order that he or she may become, through the Lord Jesus Christ, a priest of God, representing God to the nations of the saved.
We have not been called, justified, and glorified so we may sit up in Heaven and enjoy the scenery. We have been chosen by the Lord so God may have a living temple in which He can live among men, ruling them, teaching them, and blessing them with His Glory (Revelation 21:3).
We have spoken in a previous article (The Church and the World ) of the relationship of the Church of Christ, which is the Wife of the Lamb, to the nations of saved peoples of the earth. Let us review this concept before we move on to the program by which God will perfect the entire Church.
The perfected and unified Church is destined to serve forever as the holy dwelling place of the God of Heaven, and also as the eternal ruler of the nations of the saved peoples of the earth (Revelation 21:24; 22:5).
The common understanding of the Kingdom of God is that there will be two primary groups of people throughout the ages to come: the saved, and the lost. But the Hebrew Prophets proclaim, as do the Apostles of the Lamb, that there will be not two but three primary groups of people throughout the ages to come: the Church, the nations of the saved, and the lost.
If the believer does not understand that Christ is preparing His Church to govern eternally the nations of the saved peoples of the earth, how, then, will he understand the Book of Isaiah? How will he comprehend the Kingdom of God?
What sense will he make of such statements as "ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light"; "and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father"; "but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years"? (I Peter 2:9; Revelation 1:6; Revelation 20:6).
As soon as the Church, the Israel of God, has been perfected, God will use the Church as His instrument for delivering, blessing, teaching, judging, and ruling the nations of saved peoples of the earth.
To be continued.