THE CHURCH OF THE LIVING GOD (11 OF 15)
Scripture: EPHESIANS 5:25
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The Faith Once Delievered (11 of 15)
The Church of the Living God
Clarence E. Macartney
Ephesians 5:25
This is why after the passage of nineteen hundred
years, after the shocks of time, in spite of schism
and heresy and the assault of enemies from within and
without, the church is still here.
A remarkable statement, that, when you think of it-
Christ loved the church. A remarkable fact, when you
think of all those who have not loved the church, when
you listen to what is said about the church by those
who do not love it, and who are ever ready to write
its obituary. But the church has endured so long, has
outlasted and outfought so many enemies, has seen so
many times the vindication in great world crises of
the truths to which it has borne witness, and has
sounded so often the trumpet of hope and revirescence
over a dying world, that there must be some good
reasons why Christ loves the church, and why good men
still love and serve it. What, then, are some of the
reasons why we love and honor the church?
We Love the Church Because Christ Loved It
That is the first and, indeed, the all-sufficient
reason. We are accustomed to hearing that Christ loved
the individual, the sinner-as He does. No one knew
that better than Paul, who spoke of "the Son of God,
who loved me and gave himself for me." We have been
accustomed to hearing that Christ loved the world. No
one gave grander expression to that than Paul, who
said of the atonement of Christ, in its universal
application, "Having made peace through the blood of
his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto
himself; . . . whether they be things in earth, or
things in heaven." And yet it was this same apostle
who told us that Christ loved the church and gave
himself for it.
Now and then you come upon people who say that they
revere the person of Jesus, that they are interested
in true religion, but that they do not love the
church. If so, th ...
The Church of the Living God
Clarence E. Macartney
Ephesians 5:25
This is why after the passage of nineteen hundred
years, after the shocks of time, in spite of schism
and heresy and the assault of enemies from within and
without, the church is still here.
A remarkable statement, that, when you think of it-
Christ loved the church. A remarkable fact, when you
think of all those who have not loved the church, when
you listen to what is said about the church by those
who do not love it, and who are ever ready to write
its obituary. But the church has endured so long, has
outlasted and outfought so many enemies, has seen so
many times the vindication in great world crises of
the truths to which it has borne witness, and has
sounded so often the trumpet of hope and revirescence
over a dying world, that there must be some good
reasons why Christ loves the church, and why good men
still love and serve it. What, then, are some of the
reasons why we love and honor the church?
We Love the Church Because Christ Loved It
That is the first and, indeed, the all-sufficient
reason. We are accustomed to hearing that Christ loved
the individual, the sinner-as He does. No one knew
that better than Paul, who spoke of "the Son of God,
who loved me and gave himself for me." We have been
accustomed to hearing that Christ loved the world. No
one gave grander expression to that than Paul, who
said of the atonement of Christ, in its universal
application, "Having made peace through the blood of
his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto
himself; . . . whether they be things in earth, or
things in heaven." And yet it was this same apostle
who told us that Christ loved the church and gave
himself for it.
Now and then you come upon people who say that they
revere the person of Jesus, that they are interested
in true religion, but that they do not love the
church. If so, th ...
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