The purpose of the church is far greater than the mind of man can conceive. The church exists to proclaim “the manifold wisdom of God.”
As Ephesians 3:8-11 puts it, “To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all men see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things; that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose which he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
And what is this “manifold wisdom of God” that is “according to the eternal purpose realized in Christ?” The answer is given specifically in Ephesians 1:9, 10″For he has made known to us in all wisdom and insight the mystery of his will, according to his purpose which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.”
The “manifold wisdom of God,” to be proclaimed by the church, is that all things shall some day be united in Jesus Christ. For God has highly exalted Him “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10, 11).
Thus shall all things be united in Christ and in Christ alone: this is the mystery made known to the church. This is the sure end; some day the kingdoms of the world shall become the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ, all the universe shall be united in Him.
And how is all this to be achieved? It is to come about through the church ever proclaiming “the unsearchable riches of Christ” (Colossians 3:8). The church has but one message, and that message is Christthat “in him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace” (Ephesians 1:7), that “in himwe have been destined and appointed to live for the praise of his glory”
(Ephesians 1:11, 12), that “in him you also, who have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, which is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:13,14).
What manifold, what glorious wisdom of God”through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross!” (Colossians 1:20).
The message of the church to the world is that Christ crucified and risen is the wisdom of God and the power of God, that to believe in Him is to find sins forgiven and new life begun, and to become a joyous part of that vast throng which rejoices to live ever to the praise of His glory.
The church then has a message triumphant and glorious, for it proclaims to a warring, disunited world that some day all things will be united in Jesus Christ. We may seem far distant from the goal, but the goal is as certain as are the promises of God in heaven. So, sad world, lift up your eyes and behold Jesus Christ; He is the final answer!
How does He do it? Through the strange, wonderful, and mysterious plan of God He does it by a victory already won at the cross. For at the cross evil was struck a mortal blow, and when the eyes of men and nations look back to a cross-crowned hill, there salvation from sin is found, the dividing walls of hostility break down, and Christ becomes our eternal peace.
The church exists to proclaim this amazing, this victorious, this “manifold wisdom of God.” This is the proclamation of everyone who believes in Him. We are all His body, His building, His bride to witness to others of His unsearchable riches, that they might likewise become a part of the company on earth that shall dwell with Him forever.
Let us then summarize: the origin of the church is in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit; the nature of the church is that she is the body of Christ, the building of Christ, the bride of Christ; the purpose of the church is to make known “the manifold wisdom of God.” What a heritage, what a nature, what a destiny!
Is the church, for you, all that? If you are a memberbaptized, believing, Spirit-giftedis it your greatest concern in life to do His bidding, to tell others of His unsearchable riches? If you are not a member, will you delay longer, standing on the sidelines and missing the joy of sharing with others in growing together, serving together, and witnessing together?
The time is short. Let us all more forward under the banner of Jesus Christ to the end that every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord to the glory of God the Father!
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