Ephesians 2:19-22 “So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.”
Continuing, Pastor Herk points out that in being born-again, God has made us part of a new family – of God’s household. John 1:11-13 explains, “He [Jesus] came to His own, and His own people did not accept Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of a man, but of God.” And Ephesians 1:4-6 makes clear that, “In love, He [God] predestined us to adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace.” Children of God are brothers and sisters in Christ in the Kingdom of God. 1 John 3:1 confirms saying, “See how great a love the Father has given us, that we would be called children of God; and in fact we are.”
God created “family” (the collective body of persons who live in one house and under one head; a household, including parents, children. Those who descend from one common progenitor; kindred; lineage). There is an inherent family bond, a genealogical loving relation relationship with access to the functional nuclear family unit working together to meet needs. There is security and interdependency in natural care and responsibility within a true family member system to teach character and family values, to watch after and take care of one another in deepest intimacy. It’s a normal family tradition established by God from the beginning. The church family of brothers and sisters in Christ provide those same benefits when it comes to our relationship with our Heavenly Father God. Being part of God’s family gives us access to our Heavenly Father. Ephesians 2:18 says, “for through Him [Jesus] we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.” Church brothers and sisters help us to cultivate the characteristics that our heavenly Father wants to pass down to His children, to develop and pass down to our home family.
The Christian church is the place where we can develop spiritually deep, intimate bonds in Christ and loving relationships centered and focused on faith, righteousness, holiness and godliness that surpass our secular relationships (friends, neighbors, acquaintances and co-workers) outside of the church family. God does not create spiritual orphans in His household. It is never God’s intent that His children be estranged from the holy church family. Why would anyone choose differently?
“Having been built on the foundation”, the Apostle tells us that God has made us a part of new building. That building has three major characteristics: First, this building (our life and faith) is based upon God’s holy Word. The Lord Jesus tells us in Matthew 7:24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.” The Apostle Paul confirms in 1 Corinthians 3:11 “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ.”
The principle is that the church needs to be built on the accurate and authoritative proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ by the Word of God. And Christ Jesus is the cornerstone of life and faith being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit. In masonry, cornerstones establish the point in the construction from which the remainder of the building would be built and hold the whole building together. Jesus is the means by which all of the individual stones are being joined together. 1 Peter 2:4-5 “tells us, “Come to him [Jesus], a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) is the Builder.
The Lord builds the church and we are His rock-solid church, chiseled and fit together by a Master builder, indwelled by the Holy Spirit, a building that will bring glory to Himself; Glory to God in the Highest, Creator of the heavens, the earth and all that live and breathe. Hallelujah! 1 Corinthians 3:16 asks, “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” The very moment that we believe and receive Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to live within us and guide us. There is one temple that consist of all Believers joined together in one building, the church body, a beautiful spiritual temple where God dwells by His Spirit.
Recognize the no human country, family or building is perfect on this side of heaven. But sanely rational, knowing the true control of God’s creation, we don’t just bail out when problems come about in this fallen world. Stand firm and be the light of the word you are called to be. We have responsibilities and when the going gets tuff, the tuff family of God gets going, because there is strength in numbers of a local body of Believers. We cannot become the person that God intends for us to be apart from life in the body of Christ. Our call to be a disciple (a discipled student and follower) of Jesus Christ is a call to be a part of something bigger, to live beyond ourselves. If you consider yourself a Christian, you need to know that the church is not here for just you. You are here for the church. And your church is here for your community and the world. The Great Commission is the church’s Co-Mission. Jesus didn’t die to make you a sanctified consumer. He died to make you alive in God, and alive for a desperately needy fallen world. Christians have to be more than ourselves.
In Christ, Brian
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