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Viewpoints of the Church in Ephesians #1Introduction:
I. Definition of church:
A. Vines – from ek, out of, and klesis, a calling… It has
two applications to companies of Christians
1. “to the whole company of the redeemed throughout the
present age.”
2. “to a company consisting of professed believers.”
B. Thayer’s – “from ekklhtos called out or forth…; prop. a
gathering of citizens called out from their homes into
some public place; an assembly.”
A company of Christians:
1. “those who anywhere,…, constitute such a company and
are united into one body.”
2. “the whole body of Christians scattered throughout
the earth.
II. So we see that the church is made up of people.
III. In Acts 20:28, Paul states the Jesus purchased the church
with His blood that He shed on the cross.
A. Thus it behooves us to study the church.
B. In the book of Ephesians, there are several descriptions
of the church.
C. Tonight, we will look at some of these descriptions.
Body:
I. The church is the body, the fullness of Christ. Ephesians
1:15-23
A. “This is the highest honor of the church, that, until he
is united to us, the Son of God reckons himself in some
measure imperfect. What consolation it is for us to learn
that, not until we are in his presence, does he possess
all his parts, or does he wish to be regarded as
complete.” (John Calvin from Hendricksen’s New Testament
Commentary – Ephesians p. 104
1. Yet, some people say that the church is unimportant.
2. However, this verse shows that the church is
important.
B. As members, we each have a job to do. 1 Corinthians
12:14-27
C. It is in essence an attempt to change the completeness
of fullness of Christ when:
1. One attempts to change God’s terms of entrance into
the church. 1 Corinthians 12:13
2. One teaches that the church is not essential to
salvation. Ephesians 2:16; 5:23
3. One teaches that attendance is not essential.
a. Hebrews 10:25
b. James 4:17
4. One takes the work which God has given to the church
away from the church and turns it over to a separate
human organization.
5. One changes the organization of the church. Some
examples of such changes are:
a. the one pastor system.
b. Add an ecclesiastical hierarchy, priests, bishops,
archbishops, cardinals, pope, etc.
c. Add central associations, councils, synods, etc.
d. Add central agencies or societies for universal
church action.
e. Add central eldership; steering committees; etc.
for church action in a universal sense.
f. Add separate human organizations for doing the
work of the church in evangelism, edification, and
caring for needy saints.
6. One changes the worship of the church. Some examples
of such human changes:
a. Add mechanical instruments of music to the
worship.
b. Add unscriptural plans for raising money.
Examples: pie suppers, etc.
c. By not partaking of the Lord’s Supper every first
day of the week.
7. One changes the work of the church. Examples:
a. By placing upon the church the responsibility of
providing recreation and recreational facilities.
b. By substituting theological schools to train
preachers.
c. By engaging the church with secular education.
II. The church is the new creation of God. Ephesians 2:1-10 (5,
10)
A. The members of the church are new creatures. 2
Corinthians 5:17
1. They were once dead in sin.
2. But now they are alive.
B. This was done by the grace of God though faith.
1. Grace is God’s part.
2. Faith is man’s part.
3. Salvation is God’s gift.
III. The church is the body of the Reconciled. Ephesians 2:11-18
(13-17)
A. Both Jew and Gentile had been alienated from God by
their sins.
B. Jesus has reconcile (To bring back to friendship after
estrangement) both Jew and Gentile by the blood that He
shed on the cross.
C. This indicates that there was a time in our life that we
are the friends of God.
1. Then we sin and become the enemy of God.
2. And it took the cross of Christ to reconcile us back
to God.
3. Therefore we do not inherit guilt of Adam’s sin.
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