Chapter 1—God’s Purpose for His Church
The church is God’s appointed agency for the salvation of men. It
was organized for service, and its mission is to carry the gospel to the
world. From the beginning it has been God’s plan that through His
church shall be reflected to the world His fullness and His sufficiency.
The members of the church, those whom He has called out of darkness
into His marvelous light, are to show forth His glory. The church is
the repository of the riches of the grace of Christ; and through the
church will eventually be made manifest, even to “the principalities
and powers in heavenly places,” the final and full display of the love
of God.
Ephesians 3:10
.
Many and wonderful are the promises recorded in the Scriptures
regarding the church. “Mine house shall be called an house of prayer
for all people.”
Isaiah 56:7
. “I will make them and the places round
about My hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down
in his season; there shall be showers of blessing.” “And I will raise up
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for them a plant of renown, and they shall be no more consumed with
hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of the heathen any more.
Thus shall they know that I the Lord their God am with them, and that
they, even the house of Israel, are My people, saith the Lord God. And
ye My flock, the flock of My pasture, are men, and I am your God,
saith the Lord God.”
Ezekiel 34:26, 29-31
.
“Ye are My witnesses, saith the Lord, and My servant whom I
have chosen: that ye may know and believe Me, and understand that
I am He: before Me there was no God formed, neither shall there be
after Me. I, even I, am the Lord; and beside Me there is no Saviour. I
have declared, and have saved, and I have showed, when there was no
strange god among you: therefore ye are My witnesses.” “I the Lord
have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will
keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the
Gentiles; to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the
prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.”
Isaiah
43:10-12
;
42:6, 7
.
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