Daily Bible Verse Blog
The Church of God
May 18, 2012
To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours.
The biblical name of the church is the “Church of God.” The name Church of God is also mentioned in these passages: Acts 20:28; 1 Corinthians 10:32; 11:16, 22; 15:9; 2 Corinthians 1:1; Galatians 1:13; 1 Thessalonians 2:14; 2 Thessalonians 1:4; and 1 Timothy 3:5.
For more about the Church, see “Welcome to the Church of God, a Worldwide Association.”
Growth of the Body of Christ
May 17, 2012
That we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
We covered Ephesians 4:11-13 last time. In this passage, Paul continues to explain how the Church and the ministry can help members avoid the traps and pitfalls Satan uses against us. Instead of being like a boat that’s tossed about in the wind, we need to be solidly anchored in the truth. When we speak the truth with the motive of loving concern for those we are speaking to, we are becoming more like Jesus Christ, our example and the Head of the Church.
Sharing this same goal of becoming more like Christ helps us grow into a mature, perfectly united body. “The whole is continually being integrated and kept firm by each separate ligament. The precision with which these medical terms are employed makes us wonder whether Paul checked the details with Luke” (Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary, Vol. 2, note on Ephesians 4:16).
For more about following Jesus Christ, see “How Does Jesus Christ Live in Us?”
The Measure of the Stature of the Fullness of Christ
May 16, 2012
And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
God has ordained various roles and offices in the Church for the benefit of the entire Church. The ministry is given the responsibility of equipping the members—called saints because they are set apart by God’s special calling—for works of service.
“Service is what unites all the members of Christ’s body from the apostles to the most apparently insignificant disciple (1 Co 12:22). Christ himself set the example (Mk 10:45; Lk 22:27)” (Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary, Vol. 2, note on Ephesians 4:12).
All this builds up the Church, leading toward the beautiful unity and maturity that come from fully following Jesus Christ. He is our example and the One we measure ourselves against.
For more about following Jesus Christ, see “How Does Jesus Christ Live in Us?”
Christ, the Head of the Church
May 15, 2012
And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
Though Jesus Christ gave up His glory to become a human and die for us, God raised Him with mighty power. The Father put everything under Jesus Christ’s feet and made Him the Head of the Church.
Several times in the Bible the Church is compared to Christ’s body and, like a human body, the head is clearly in charge. Jesus Christ leads the way and makes decisions for the benefit of the entire body—the Church. Members have the privilege of being part of that wonderful body and following Christ’s lead.
For more about following Jesus Christ, see “How Does Jesus Christ Live in Us?”
Pursue the Things Which Make for Peace
May 14, 2012
Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.
The apostle Paul addressed disputes over “doubtful things” in Romans 14. These sensitive, controversial or personal issues could be divisive to God’s Church, so Paul encouraged the Corinthian members instead to focus on the things that build up the Church and promote peace and unity among the brethren.
For more about the controversies in Romans 14, see “Does Romans 14 Abolish the Law of Clean and Unclean Meats?” and “Does Romans 14 Prove There Is No Sabbath?”
