The Church – The Bride of Christ
Question 70: What is the Church?
The Church is the Bride of Christ, Whom He loves and for Whom He gives Himself that she might be glorious, full of the beauty of holiness.
Ephesians 5:22-33
The Beautiful Community – Blessing
The Church is the community of blessing, where those who are in Christ and walking in unity receive every spiritual blessing promised by God.
Ephesians 1:3-14
The Beautiful Community – Forgiveness
To express the love of the Trinity, the Church must be a beautiful community where the forgiveness offered in the Gospel is celebrated, received, and given.
Ephesians 4:29–5:2
The Beautiful Community – Unity
All humans are descended from Adam and are the image of God, but there The Church has been given a unity that flows from the life of the Trinity, but we must work to maintain this unity in practice.
Ephesians 4
The Beautiful Community – Reconciliation
All humans are descended from Adam and are the image of God, but there God has reconciled us to Himself and one another through the work of Jesus on the cross, creating the Church as the beautiful community of reconciliation in which He lives by His Spirit.
Ephesians 2:11-12
Stand – Our Warfare With the Enemy
Every Christian is called to draw upon the strength of Christ to take a stand against Satan and his kingdom, praying for the spread of the Gospel and the kingdom of God.
Ephesians 6:10-20
Walk – Our Life In the World
Every Christian is called to draw upon the power and blessing of being seated with Christ to enable them to develop a lifestyle that follows the biblical pattern for disciples.
Ephesians 2:8-10, Ephesians 4:1-3, Ephesians 4:17-24
Sit – Our Position in Christ
Every Christian is seated with Christ in heaven at God’s right hand and this reality is the basis and power for the whole Christian life.
Ephesians 1:15-23; 2:4-7 (ESV)
Guilt, Grace, and Gratitude: A Biblically Shaped Life
Question 4: What must I know to be part of God’s people?
Answer: To be part of God’s people I must know how great my sin is, how God has delivered me from my sin and misery through Christ, and how I can show my gratitude to God for delivering me and grow in my Christian life.
Ephesians 2:1-10
United By Blood
Sin alienated us from God and one another, but Christ’s blood has purchased our unity with God and one another.
Ephesians 2:11-22
But God…
The Believer’s testimony is that God mercifully stepped into our dead existence and brought us to life.
Ephesians 2:1-10
Christian Moral Formation
Christian moral formation is the lifelong process of putting off sins, putting on Christlike virtues and being renewed so our thoughts and desires are like Christ.
Ephesians 4:20-24
The Importance of Forgiving One Another
Christians are called to be kind, forgiving one another in the same way God has forgiven us.
Ephesians 4:32
Sola Gratia – Saved Because of Grace Alone
Sin has corrupted humans so thoroughly that we can only be saved because of grace – God’s undeserved merciful kindness and favor – alone.
Ephesians 2:8-10
Our Enemies – The World, the Flesh, the Devil
Our enemies in spiritual warfare are Satan, the fallen world, and our sinful nature, and we must resist their attacks and overcome them.
Ephesians 2:1-3; 1 Timothy 6:12
Engaging in Spiritual Warfare
Our strategy in spiritual warfare is to draw near to God, be alert for the attacks of Satan, and stand against, resist, and attack his works.
Ephesians 6:10-20; 1 Peter 5:6-9; James 4:7-10
Equipped for Spiritual Warfare
Through Christ and the Gospel God has equipped us with everything we need for spiritual warfare as we draw our strength from Him.
Ephesians 6:10–20
Understanding Spiritual Warfare
Spiritual warfare is Satan’s ongoing war against God, His purposes, and His people, and every Christian and church is part of this warfare.
Ephesians 6:10-20
A Healthy Church
Christ has given leaders to equip believers to use the gifts given to them by God so that the church may become healthy as each believer participates in ministry.
Ephesians 4:7-16
All In: Participants Not Spectators
In the New Covenant, God calls all Christians to be actively participating in works of ministry, serving others in the church and the world.
Ephesians 4:8-12
Unchained – The New Testament and Slavery
As with other entrenched injustices in this fallen world, the New Testament does not directly abolish slavery, but calls Christians to live in a way that honors and submits to God, focuses on Christ, promotes the Gospel, and looks to our eternal reward.
Philemon 1:15-21; Ephesians 6:5-9
Risen Conqueror
The ultimate display of God’s power is the resurrection of Christ, who has conquered death and rules over all to fulfill God’s purposes for us.
Ephesians 1:19-23
Love and Respect
Marriage is a picture of Christ and the Church, and therefore must be centered on Him, and built on love and respect.
Ephesians 5:31-33
Grasping the Love of Christ
Due to a technical problem, the audio of this teaching was lost. However, the extensive teaching notes may be accessed below.
Christians need to grasp the love of Christ – which surpasses knowledge – discovering that God cannot love us more, nor can He love us less than He already does in Christ.
Ephesians 3:14-21
The Restoration of Community
The possibility of true community with God and one another is restored in Christ and may be experienced in His people, the Church.
Ephesians 2:11-22