Dwelling Place Series 1.6-"The Church" Lively Stones with a Living Lord

“I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18).”

Stained glass windows. A tall steeple. A picture of the cross at the front. What images do you get in your mind when you think of church? There is nothing wrong with most of these things, but they are not primarily that with which we should associate the Church. The Church is not a building or an external being, rather, it is the living Body of Christ, His representative on earth.

The sixth dwelling place in our study of the Dwelling Places of God is the Church. It is the dwelling place of the current age of history (the Church Age); today, God dwells not in a building made by human hands but in the individual members of His worldwide Church. And if you are a believer in Christ, you are part of the universal Church and are called to be His dwelling place.

In the book of Ephesians, the Apostle Paul describes the Church by using 3 “B’s”. The Church belongs to Christ, and it is His Building, His Body, and His Bride.

1) His Building (Ephesians 2:19-22).

We are God’s building, called to be “living stones” making a spiritual house. As living stones, we must allow God to polish and shape us into the image He has in mind for us. Just as a man walks into a building and rests, so God desires to rest inside of you.

2) His Body (Ephesians 1:22,23).

How often are you inside your body? Does your brain go places that your body isn’t taking it? No, we are inside of our body all the time! If we are healthy, our head controls the body and dictates what it does. Likewise, Christ is our Head and we should be submitted to His lordship. If we are not listening to our Head, we have a spiritual sickness and must cry out to God for repentance and restoration. Christ is in now in heaven-we are His hands and feet extended to the world. Let’s be a faithful representation of Him.

3) His Bride (Ephesians 5:25-27,31,32).

A man dwells with his bride every day. No one knows a man better and lives closer to him than his wife! This is the kind of relationship God wants to have with us; open, transparent, and holy. As His Bride, we should seek to be clothed in pure, white spiritual garments, free from sin and corruption. God is calling us to be His special possession-are we willing to obey?

Let’s be faithful so that we will eternally be part of Christ’s Building, Body, and Bride!