Are there problems? Of course! Personalities clash and tensions flare. False teachers and sectarians try to highjack the faith, just as in the first century. Modern problems remain basically the same as the old problems. And the very same solution also continues unchanged. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). He still saves and transforms sinners. His Spirit still empowers. The revealed mind of Christ still solves every problem that trusting children bring to Him. As “Head over everything for the church,” Jesus has the answer to every question.47 The goal of His family remains exactly the same: to defeat Satan’s schemes and to bow in everything to one Lord.
For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). M
All over the world, Satan’s strongholds are falling. More and more people are confessing by mouth and by the deeds of repentance, “Jesus is Lord!” Since He is Lord, they gratefully comply with His command: “Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on [Christ’s] name” (Acts 22:16).48 In this way, people all over the world are coming “into Christ”49 and “into one body” (1 Corinthians 12:13). They recognize that they are children of the same royal family, the one church of God’s eternal purpose.50 Therefore they “make every effort to keep [that] unity,”51 and they avoid leaders and labels that divide them.52 They are just Christians,53 and they meet as congregations of Christ (not of any man-made “church”).
They are different from the world because God chooses them “to be holy and blameless” (Ephesians 1:4). Though the world does not recognize them, the Spirit does. He seals them as first-born sons and guarantees their glorious inheritance.54 This is the family where you belong, or ought to belong. For this is the forever-family of God’s “eternal purpose.” This is the body that brings “fullness” to the Son, and eternal glory to the Father.
…the church… is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all (Ephesians 1:22-23).
…to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen (Ephesians 3:21). M
47. If His word reveals no clear answer, then the answer is clear: “Your question is not important enough to be on the mind of Christ.” “The faith” is clearly revealed. Things outside the faith should not distract us, much less divide us, especially when they “promote controversies rather than God’s work – which is by faith” (1 Timothy 1:4 cf. 1 Timothy 4:7; 6:4,20; 2 Timothy 2:14,16,23; 4:4).
48. This may mean being baptized again (Acts 19:3-5), if a previous ‘baptism’ differs from Scripture’s “one baptism” (Ephesians 4:5).
49. Romans 6:3; Galatians 3:27
50. Ephesians 1:5; 3:10-11; 4:4; 5:23
53. Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16
54. Ephesians 1:13-14; Hebrews 12:23
Research Subjects
- Wrath for the disobedient
- Human rules
- Staying with Christ
- Straying from Christ
- Christ as the supreme Ruler
- The devil as accuser
- Paul’s dependence on grace
- The loving discipline of withholding fellowship
- Discuss or demonstrate the parable of the group at the railway station (found in Savior Of The Bride)
Ephesians 5:23 shows Jesus to be the Savior of His church. This is like saying that Jesus saves those who stay with Him, not those who stray from Him. Indeed, God promises wrath for those who disobey the Gospel. Staying together as one group is the result of following one Lord. Since Christ is “Head over everything for the church,” what right do we have to draw away disciples into different groups? Christ alone has all authority. That means we enter His church on His terms, or not at all. We continue with Him, and in fellowship with His people, as we “walk in the light.” The Spirit empowers us for this walk together, fulfilling Jesus’ prayer for unity. As His body, we become “the fullness” of Christ, and we bring glory to His Father and ours.
Memory Verses
- Ephesians 5:23 – Christ is the Head of the church, His body, and is himself its Savior.
- Ephesians 1:20-23 – …that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and [God] seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
- Acts 2:38 – Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
- 2 Corinthians 4:5 – For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.
- Ephesians 5:25-27 – Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
- 1 John 1:6-7 – If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
- 1 John 3:9 – No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.
- 1 John 2:3-5 – And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. Whoever says “I know Him” but does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps His word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him…
- 2 Corinthians 6:17-18 -What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God…Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.
- 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 – The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.
- Hebrews 10:24-25 – And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
- 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 – For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.
- Ephesians 3:21 – To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we acknowledge You as absolutely supreme.
You gave “all authority” to Your Son. May the confession “Jesus is Lord” guide and shape every aspect of our lives-including how we follow Your definition of the church.
To adapt Ephesians 3, “To You be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations for ever and ever. Amen.”
Picture: 5 of 7 churches of Asia had problems that deserved attention in Revelation 2 and 3.