Last Week, we considered the church under the descriptions,

1. The Church is the House of God
2. The Church as a Body
3. The Church is God’s senate on earth.

   This week we continue under 2 other descriptions. I pray you are blessed as you read.

4. The Church is the Bride of Christ.

Even though I see various imperfection in church today, this is why I don’t speak disregard or disrespect it. I know that it’s the bride of Christ and if I respect the Man, I must respect his Wife. Whatever imperfections the Queen has, as long as she is the queen, she is respected adequately as being the bride of the king.

“For the Husband is head of the wife, as Christ is head of the Church, Himself being the Saviour of the body (Eph. 5:23 AMP)”

“Husbands, love your wives [seek the highest good for her and surround her with a caring, unselfish love], just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her (Eph. 5:25 AMP)”

“For no one ever hated his own body, but [instead] he nourishes and protects and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church (Eph. 5:29 AMP)”

Never, think God has given up on the Church. She is His bride. He will forever keep nourishing her with truth and showing his love and grace to her. He will never give up. He will always go after her whenever she wanders away. I am not trying to encourage Christians to be childish but God’s stance about the church needs to be known. Only careless and wicked Men, will be cruel and uncaring to their wives. And I know my saviour is not like that, in fact He died for her, and no greater love can anyone show to his friends than to die for His friends. (Brothers, I hope we are learning how to love our wives, just a hint, learn from Christ and his Church).

The Bible says that He is preparing her for Himself not for me or you. He has the standard not you. He is the judge not you. Many of us are too keen in trying to make other people perfect. While it is good to ensure we hear people to avoid error spreading across through the body we must learn to see their words or what they do through God’s lens.

“So that [in turn] He might present the Church to Himself in glorious splendour, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy[ set apart for God] and blameless. (Eph. 5: 27 AMP)”

In fact, He calls it “My Church” and not your Church or your Pastor’s Church.

“And I say unto you, that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church;and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18)

And let us not make the mistake that the above verse is saying that God wanted to build the Church upon Peter. No, it was saying that the church will be born out of “the truth” in Peter’s statement in the earlier verses.

 5. The Church is the pillar and ground of Truth.

“But if I tarry long, that you may know how you ought to behave yourself in the house of God which is the Church of the Living God, the Pillar and ground of the truth (1 Tim. 3:15)”

The above subtopic really got me thinking and asking a lot of questions. The Church came out of the truth that “Jesus is the Son of God and was made manifest in the flesh, died and resurrected the third day and lives forever more and through him we have redemption”. And upon this truth is the church built (Matt. 16:18, 1 Tim 3:16). This explanation was made after the above verse in 1 Tim 3:15 was stated. But asides the fact that the church was born out of truth, the Church itself is the Pillar and Ground of THE TRUTH.

 A building cannot exist without the pillar and foundation. And if the foundation and pillars were not strong enough, the building my easily crumble.

Now, Jesus is THE TRUTH (John 14:6). And the bible says the church is the Pillar and Foundation of THE TRUTH. So without the church, the body of Christ is not complete. Without the Church, Christ cannot save the world. Without the Church, Christ can’t claim Lordship over the earth. Without the Church, Christ cannot be known, Without the Church, Christ will “practically” be out of existence. Now I understand why the devil is waging war so seriously against the church,why the devil is promoting “lukewarmness” and laziness and shallow understanding in the church, why we prefer to joke rather than seek to know who we are why we have more church buildings than true disciples.

The Church’s importance is great to the advancement of the kingdom. The church is the basis and stand of Christ on earth. We are His voice. This is not to make us feel over important. It is not that Christ needs us more than we need him., It is to show us that we have huge role to play in establishing God’s reign and rule over the affairs of Men. You and I are important. We can’t continue to be babies. We must continue to keep seeking and allow God’s kingdom work with, in and through us, till the kingdoms of this world become that of our God and of His Christ.

Finally, friends, I encourage us to cultivate the habit of studying the scriptures and meditating in it, because as we nurture ourselves individually, the body (the Church) is also growing corporately. Your growth affects the entire Church. It’s a disadvantage for us (the Church) if you choose to remain ignorant and spiritually immature. It is our duty to support ourselves as Christians and together achieve God’s purpose of establishing the Church. Important also is that we are saved to save others. Remember that you are being taught by the Holy Spirit and by other people so that when you grow-up, you can teach others.

Christ Reigns! We Win!
Written by Samson Afolabi