INTRODUCTION

In this lesson, you will explore more about the reality and qualities of the church that Jesus built and her relationship to Jesus Christ. Among the 45,000 or more religious groups and organisations claiming to be children of God, few consider this relationship.

From the beginning of time, God instituted the family unit where a husband and a wife would have children within the bounds of marriage. According to God’s Word, children born outside this union are considered illegitimate.

From your studies on typology, you understand that much in the physical realm is a picture to help understand a spiritual reality, which is truth.

It is widely accepted by those identifying as Christians that God is the Father and those who are born again are His children. However, few consider who the “mother” of the children of God is.

Paul in his letter to the Galatians reveals the mother of all who are born again and are the new Jerusalem.

Galatians 4:26 states:

"But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all."

This lesson will help you understand that the Church of God is the mother of all who are saved. It will also explain her relationship as the wife of Jesus Christ.

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NOW ARE WE THE SONS OF GOD

As you know, much confusion can be avoided by carefully reading God's Word using common sense and reasoning. In John’s first letter, he writes the following words:

1 John 3:2 states:

"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."

John reveals that those who are born again are the actual "sons and daughters of God" today. Paul, in his letter to Timothy, tells us that we become part of the family of God:

1 Timothy 3:15 states:

"But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth."

Paul is not referring to how you should behave in a literal building, but in the very house of God, a spiritual building, which is the Church of God.

The Family of God

• Becoming part of the family of God as a born-again child is not reserved for the future; it is a reality today.
• The moment one is born again, one becomes a son or daughter of God.
• While many accept and believe John's statement regarding sonship, few seek to understand what it truly means.

Following the literal example, to claim to be a son or daughter of God, there must be both a spiritual mother and father. To be legitimate, the father and mother must be in a marital relationship.

The Misconception of a Future Marriage

• Many of the 45,000 different denominational groups teach of a future marriage between Christ and the church.
• This cannot be true, as it would make the children illegitimate and contradict the physical model of marriage that God instituted.
• Only legitimate children born in wedlock have the right to bear their father’s name, as do the children of God.

Ephesians 3:14-15 states:

"For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,"

The family referred to by Paul is the household of God, comprising all the redeemed, both celestial and terrestrial.

The Importance of the Present Marriage

If one denies the present union and marriage between Christ and the church, then the children of God are born out of wedlock and are therefore illegitimate and unable to bear their father’s name.

Let us consider using the biblical method of study where “line must be upon line and precept upon precept” to identify the father, the mother, and their relationship with the Church.

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THE FATHER OF ALL WHO ARE BORN AGAIN

To be named a “son of God” implies that God is our Father. But does the Bible define who our Father is?

Many teach that God and Jesus are separate beings—in other words, God is a separate person and Jesus is a separate person. You have most likely heard pastors and preachers speak of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. They refer to this as the trinity, but in fact they are teaching and professing a belief in three gods. And as you know, plural gods is a pagan belief.

Paul rightly taught that there is one God who is Father of all who are born again.

Ephesians 4:6 states:

"One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all."

Now if Paul was revealing a “unity” of God to denote the three persons in one, he would have used the Greek word MIA for the word “one”. Paul, however, uses the Greek word HEIS, which means “the absolute numeral one” or “the one and only”.

The Everlasting Father Revealed

It is from the book of Isaiah that the Father of the redeemed is revealed.

Isaiah 9:6 states:

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."

This prophecy points to the birth of Jesus Christ about 2000 years ago, revealing that He is the "Everlasting Father." When John testified that “we are the sons of God,” he referred to the same Father that Isaiah prophesied of.

Many scriptures show that Jesus is our Saviour and, therefore, as Saviour, He is also our Father. A careful examination of the Scriptures reveals there is one God who has revealed Himself to mankind as our Father, Brother, and the One who dwells in us. In other words, Jesus is the Father as to His deity, the Son as to His humanity, and the Holy Spirit in His work today through the Church.

Paul, in his letter to the Romans, revealed that the "Spirit of God" is the "Spirit of Christ":

Romans 8:9 states:

"But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his."

Obviously, God does not have a spirit but is a spirit:

John 4:24 states:

"God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth."

Therefore, God, as Spirit, walked on the earth about 2000 years ago in the physical body of Jesus Christ and today continues to walk in His "sons and daughters" on the earth.

Jesus as God and Our Father

That Jesus is both God and our Father is referenced many times in the Scriptures:

Matthew 1:23 states:

"Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us."

That Son is the fulfilment of Isaiah 9:6, both as the "Everlasting Father" and the Holy Spirit, which is the "Spirit" of Jesus.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus is identified as the Creator of Genesis chapter 1:

John 1:1-3 states:

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made."

In verse fourteen of the same chapter, John identifies the "Word" as Jesus Christ, who, according to Genesis chapter 1, is both God and the Creator.

In John chapter 8, when the Jews accused Jesus of having a devil, He declared Himself to be "I am":

John 8:58 states:

"Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am."

After Jesus' resurrection, Thomas declared Him to be the "mighty God":

John 20:28 states:

"And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God."

Remember Paul’s final words to the elders at Miletus, where He declared that God purchased the church with His own blood, obviously referencing Jesus:

Acts 20:28 states:

"Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood."

Paul also wrote in his letter to Timothy:

1 Timothy 3:16 states:

"And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory."

The Mystery of Godliness

It is a great mystery that many have not understood: God was in the physical body of Jesus. The spirit of the man Jesus was the Holy Spirit, who is God. In his letter to the Colossians Paul spoke of this great mystery when he said:

Colossians 1:27 states:

"To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:"

Jesus Christ is the everlasting Father of all who are born again and made to be His sons and daughters. Knowing then that God gives us physical examples to help us understand spiritual reality, if we have a spiritual Father, we must also have a spiritual mother.

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THE CHURCH – THE MOTHER OF ALL WHO ARE BORN AGAIN

Just as we all have a physical mother who brings us into this world, everyone who is born again has a spiritual mother who births them into the kingdom of God.

Galatians 4:26 states:

"But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all."

This Jerusalem does not refer to the earthly one in Palestine but to the New Jerusalem that came from God out of heaven.

Revelation 21:2 states:

"And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband."

As explained in the previous lesson, the holy city called New Jerusalem is a symbol representing the church of God, the habitation or dwelling place of God. The church is the body of Christ, a spiritual entity, not a physical place of worship or a name given to a literal place where Christians gather.

• The church is a gathering of born-again believers, regardless of location, and encompasses both terrestrial and celestial.
• The holy city described in Revelation 21:2 is heavenly, meaning spiritual, and came down from God out of heaven on the day of Pentecost.
• In the book of Hebrews, this same city is symbolised as Mount Zion.

Hebrews 12:22-23 states:

"But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,"

When you are born again, or as the original says, "born from above," you come to Zion and enter the New Jerusalem.

The Symbolism of Zion

In the Old Testament, the name Zion appears over 150 times, revealing that it is the habitation of God and also represents the people of God. This symbolically points to the reality that the church is both the habitation of God and the children of God.

Psalm 132:13 states:

"For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation."

Concerning the eternal nature of Zion and therefore a perfect description of the church and the kingdom of God, Psalm 125 says:

Psalm 125:1 states:

"They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever."

A well-known verse in the book of Isaiah is referred to by Jesus, Paul, and Peter concerning Zion.

Isaiah 28:16 states:

"Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste."

This verse clearly refers to Jesus Christ, the mighty God and eternal Father, who abides in the church of God. It presents the same image as described in the first chapter of the book of Revelation.

Revelation 1:12-13 states:

"And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle."

The Church as the Temple of God

Spiritually, the temple of God, where God’s presence is and where He is worshipped, is the highest spiritual place. It is spiritual Jerusalem, the body of Christ, the church.

1 Corinthians 3:16 states:

"Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?"

The Motherhood of the Church

Returning to the motherhood of the church and New Jerusalem, as Paul referred to in the fourth chapter of Galatians, it is further explained in Psalm 87.

Psalm 87:5-6 states:

"And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the highest himself shall establish her. The LORD shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there. Selah."

No one can be born again and be written in the book of life without first being born in Zion, which is the city of the living God, New Jerusalem. Remembering that God gives us physical examples to teach us spiritual truth, just as we are conceived in a natural mother and born into this world, spiritually, we are conceived and born in a mother, the heavenly Jerusalem.

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THE CHURCH – THE LAMB’S WIFE

Many people have been taught that the New Jerusalem will appear in the future, but this belief is not supported by the Bible and is therefore incorrect. The New Jerusalem came from God out of heaven and was revealed on the day of Pentecost in 31 A.D. During Paul's time, as explained in the book of Hebrews, believers were already entering into the New Jerusalem.

The important question now is whether Christ and the church are currently in a marital relationship or if this is a future event. This question is significant because it concerns the legitimacy of the children of God.

According to the Bible, Jesus is the eternal Father, and the New Jerusalem, which is the church, is the mother of all who are born again. To understand the relationship between Christ and the church, we must consider Jesus as the Lamb of God.

The Lamb Of God

In the module "The Language of the Bible," the lamb led to the altar as a sacrifice for sin symbolically represented Jesus Christ. Jesus is the “Lamb of God” only during the day of salvation known as the Gospel Day.

When John the Baptist saw Jesus approaching the river Jordan, he said:

John 1:29 states:

"The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."

Jesus as the Lamb of God is a revelation in time, foretold since the foundation of the earth and revealed during the Gospel Day.

1 Peter 1:18-20 states:

"Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,"

Jesus as the Lamb of God is a revelation for those who need to be born again and saved into the kingdom of God. He will only remain the Lamb until the terrestrial world ceases to exist, or until "time is no more."

The Bride – The Lamb’s Wife

Now that the timeframe when Jesus is the Lamb of God has been established, we turn to the twenty-first chapter of the Book of Revelation. This chapter, as already discussed in the section on the New Jerusalem, begins on the day of Pentecost in 31 A.D.

In the second verse, John sees the "holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God." One of the seven angels then reveals the relationship between the New Jerusalem and the Lamb of God, who is Jesus Christ.

Revelation 21:9 states:

"And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife."

We must remember that this is a vision and thus uses symbolism to create a picture. In the next verse, John is carried away to a great and high mountain. From this elevated spiritual position, what did John see identified as the "Lamb’s wife"?

Revelation 21:10 states:

"And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal."

The angel or messenger shows John that the Lamb’s wife is the “great city, the holy Jerusalem.” What is this great city?

Matthew 5:14 states:

"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid."

The body of Christ is symbolised as a city because it is a collective of born-again believers who have submitted their will to the purpose and will of Christ and His body.

The Glory of God in the Church

In the Old Testament, glory was associated with the “presence of the Lord.” In the New Testament, the presence and glory of God is Jesus Christ in His church, the body of Christ. The bride and wife of Christ, the Lamb of God, are all the redeemed who comprise the church of God.

To claim a future bride and wife of Christ would make all the redeemed the illegitimate children of God. However, when the Bible is rightly divided, all God’s children are legitimate, having both a Father and mother in a legitimate marital relationship.

Galatians 3:26 states:

"For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus."

We are not future sons and daughters of God. John reveals in his first epistle that the redeemed “NOW are the sons of God.”

Conclusion

In conclusion, the New Jerusalem is not a future event but a present reality that came from God out of heaven on the day of Pentecost.

The church is the Lamb’s wife, and the redeemed are legitimate children of God, born into a spiritual family with both a heavenly Father and mother.

The church, as the bride of Christ, symbolises the intimate and eternal relationship between Jesus and His followers.

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ADAM AND EVE – CHRIST AND THE CHURCH

Paul taught about the marital relationship between Christ and the church using the physical relationship between Adam and Eve through typology. Adam and Eve serve as the type, and Christ and the church represent the antitype. Paul compared the relationship between Adam and Eve in the book of Genesis to the relationship between Christ and the church in the book of Ephesians.

Adam And Eve

The creation of Adam and the subsequent making of Eve in the book of Genesis is both unique and miraculous, suggesting a deeper spiritual meaning. According to the timeline, Adam was made on the sixth day of creation, but Eve was not separated from Adam until after he had been placed in the Garden of Eden. We do not know how long Adam was alone before God made him a “suitable helper.”

The account of the creation and making of Adam and Eve is as follows.

Genesis 1:27-28 states:

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth."

This describes the sixth day of creation, where the only human formed was the man Adam, whom God addresses as “them.” This implies that the man is both male and female. Knowing that later God would take a rib from Adam to make a woman, it is evident that on the sixth day, Eve was hidden in Adam.

The Command to Multiply

God commands the man on the sixth day of creation to multiply and replenish the earth. But how was Adam, without a woman, going to accomplish that?

Genesis 2:7-8 states:

"And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed."

God formed the man and placed him in the garden. However, to bring forth children to multiply, both a male and female are required. Having created Adam on the sixth day, God now supernaturally and in a different way creates the female.

Genesis 2:21-22 states:

"And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man."

The Union of Adam and Eve

Evidently, the woman was in Adam until God separated her from him. This is the beginning of mankind, and Eve becomes the “mother” of all human beings physically.

After the initial miraculous appearance of Eve, the only physical way to be born into this world is through the womb of a woman. Similarly, Adam is the “father” physically of all mankind.

However, carefully meditating on what took place at the beginning of mankind, it is evident that Adam was not only the husband of Eve but also her mother in that she was “taken out of him.” It would not be wrong to say that when Adam was created, Eve was conceived in him. This is why Adam said regarding Eve when God presented her to him:

Genesis 2:23 states:

"And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man."

Their marital relationship is evident in the last verse of the second chapter of Genesis where Eve is revealed as Adam’s wife.

Genesis 2:25 states:

"And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed."

Christ And The Church

i.
Adam as a Type of Christ

Just as Adam was the source from which Eve was created, Christ is the source of life for the church. The church was conceived in Christ, and believers are brought into spiritual life through Him.

i.
The Church Conceived in Christ

Just as Eve was hidden in Adam before being revealed, the church was hidden in Christ and revealed through His work on earth and the coming of the Holy Spirit.

ii.
The Marital Relationship

The relationship between Christ and the church is like the marital relationship between Adam and Eve. The church is the bride of Christ, united with Him in a deep, spiritual marital union.

Ephesians 5:25-27 states:

"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."

Conclusion

In conclusion, the typology of Adam and Eve helps us understand the relationship between Christ and the church. Adam, as the source and husband of Eve, parallels Christ as the source and bridegroom of the church.

• This typology illustrates the deep spiritual union between Christ and His followers, highlighting the church's role as the bride of Christ and the mother of all born-again believers.
• This understanding underscores the legitimacy and divine origin of the church, conceived in Christ, and brought forth to fulfil God's eternal purpose.

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THE FIRST AND LAST ADAM

Paul draws a parallel between Adam and Christ in his first letter to the Corinthians, helping us understand the connection between the first Adam and the last Adam.

1 Corinthians 15:45-47 states:

"And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven."

• The first Adam, who is from the earth, refers to the Adam of Genesis.
• The last Adam, who is spiritual, refers to Jesus Christ.

Paul uses typology, where Adam is the type and Jesus is the antitype, to help us understand spiritual truth.

In the next verses, Paul says:

1 Corinthians 15:48-49 states:

"As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly."

• Through the image and fatherhood of the first Adam, we bear the physical, or that which is earthy.
• When we are born again through the fatherhood of the last Adam, Jesus Christ, we bear His image, which is heavenly and spiritual.

The Spiritual Birth and the Kingdom of God

From the module "The Cause of the Gospel," we understand that we are born after the first Adam so that we might freely choose to serve the last Adam and be born again to enter the kingdom of God.

It is not our physical body that is born again, but our spirit, which enters the kingdom of God, as Paul says in the next verse.

1 Corinthians 15:50 states:

"Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption."

The kingdom of God, which is the body of Christ, is a spiritual entity and not physical.

Paul, in his letter to the Colossians, said:

Colossians 1:13 states:

"Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:"

We are not physically translated, but our spirit is when we are born again. We become a new creation, which differs from the original creation in Genesis chapter one.

2 Corinthians 5:17 states:

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

The first creation was physical, while the second is spiritual.

• We have discussed many times that God is a spirit, and according to Jesus' testimony, He "seeks worshippers who will worship him in spirit and in truth."

Just as to be physically born into this world we must have both a father and a mother, so it is also to be born in the Spirit. We need a "spiritual Adam" and a "spiritual Eve."

The Supernatural Origins of the First and Last Adam

Considering the first and last Adam, both were brought forth in a distinct and supernatural way. The first Adam was moulded from the dust, and the last Adam, Jesus, was born of a virgin.

To Mary, the angel said:

Luke 1:31-33 states:

"And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end."

Note carefully that the kingdom of God is the kingdom of Jesus. His kingdom "shall have no end."

• God and Jesus do not have two separate kingdoms.

Continuing, Mary responds:

Luke 1:34 states:

"Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?"

To which the angel responds:

Luke 1:35 states:

"And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God."

Both Adam and Jesus have God as their Father from their conception or being brought into this world.

• However, every other human birth other than these two requires both a physical father and a physical mother to be brought into this world.
• For any human being to become a son of God, a second birth is required. As Jesus said, "you must be born again."

Jesus: The Holy Thing and Everlasting Father

Considering the angel's words, who is this "holy thing" called Jesus, who was supernaturally brought into this world?

From the book of Isaiah, Jesus is the mighty God, but also the “everlasting Father.”

Isaiah 9:6 states:

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."

Throughout the Gospels, there is no record that Jesus was ever married or had children. He is, however, the mighty God and Father of all who are born again and become members of the body of His body.

The Necessity of a Spiritual Mother

To recap, to be a father, there must be both children and a mother.

• There are many verses in the New Testament revealing that those who are born again are made the "children of God."
• This implies that just as Eve was the mother of all mankind after the earthly creation, there is also a mother of all who are spiritually born again, who is the wife of the last Adam, Jesus Christ.

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THE FIRST AND LAST EVE

Just as the first Eve was supernaturally made from Adam's rib, the last Eve was also supernaturally brought forth and revealed. God uses typology to help us understand spiritual truths. He draws parallels using symbols to explain the Lamb’s wife and the mother of all who are born again.

The Creation of the First Eve

Regarding the first Eve, the Bible says in Genesis:

Genesis 2:21-24 states:

"And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man."

As Adam slept, a symbol of death pointing to Calvary and the death of Jesus, God took a rib from his side and made a wife for him.

The Wounding of Christ and the Birth of the Church

While Jesus hung on the cross, suffering much pain and agony, soldiers were sent to break His legs to hasten His death. However, they found He was already dead and, instead of breaking His legs, they thrust a spear into His side.

John 19:32-34 states:

"Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water."

In the same miraculous way, from the side of Jesus, the purchasing blood of Christ flowed freely to bring forth a blood-washed and cleansed wife for Himself. Remember, this is symbolism pointing to the church, New Jerusalem, coming from God out of heaven on the day of Pentecost.

• Just as the rib that came out of Adam’s side was the substance from which God made Eve, the church was brought forth from Christ's sacrifice.
• The point being that women are not ribs; rather, the rib is symbolic, illustrating the spiritual truth of the church's origin.

In the book of Acts, Paul advises the elders at Miletus to care for the blood-purchased church, which is the wife of Christ.

Acts 20:28 states:

"Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood."

Through the blood, we are born again, and through the Word, represented by water, the church remains clean.

John 15:3 states:

"Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you."

Christ and the Church: A Divine Marriage

In the fifth chapter of Ephesians, Paul draws a parallel between husband and wife and Christ and the church in marriage.

Ephesians 5:23-27 states:

"For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."

As the husband is the head of the wife in marriage, so Christ is the head of His wife, the church.

Paul then continues with a beautiful parallel between Adam and the first Eve, and Christ and the last Eve.

Ephesians 5:28-31 states:

"So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh."

When God presented Eve to Adam, Adam said she is “bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.”

• Paul similarly describes the wife of Christ, the church, as “bone of Christ’s bone and flesh of Christ’s flesh.”

The Great Mystery Revealed

The parallel between Adam and the first Eve, and Christ and the last Eve, is clear. Paul called this a “great mystery” that has now been revealed.

Ephesians 5:32 states:

"This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church."

Through Christ, God brought forth the church, the spiritual Eve, to be the mother of all who are born again.

Galatians 4:26 states:

"But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all."

Jerusalem above is that “great city, holy Jerusalem” that in Revelation chapter 21 comes “from God,” meaning of His very substance, on the day of Pentecost.

• This is revealed in the twelfth chapter of Hebrews as the church of the firstborn.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the typology of the first and last Eve beautifully illustrates the divine plan of salvation and the establishment of the church:

• Eve was supernaturally brought forth from Adam to be his wife and the mother of all humanity.
• The church was supernaturally brought forth from the side of Christ to be His bride and the mother of all who are born again.
• This profound mystery, now revealed through Scripture, emphasizes the deep spiritual marital union between Christ and His church.
• The church is not just a congregation but an eternal and divine entity, formed by God's plan for His people.

This typology highlights the eternal and divine nature of God's relationship with His church, demonstrating how deeply Christ is connected with His followers as both Saviour and Bridegroom.

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THE NAME OF THE CHURCH

We have already learned that Jesus built His church, founded a kingdom, and that it is composed of born-again believers who are His family.

The church is not just an organisation; it is the wife of Christ, a marriage centred on a family relationship.

Kept in the Father's Name

The night before Jesus was taken to be crucified, while praying for His disciples who believed in Him, He said these words:

John 17:9-11 states:

"I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are."

It is logical that Jesus would want to keep His children in His family name.

• When Christians take on different names, confusion arises, and God's people become divided, forming different families, organisations, and denominations.
• Jesus prayed to keep them in the "Father's name" because He wanted His people to have the same unity He had with God.

The New Commandment and Unity

At the Last Supper, Jesus gave His disciples a new commandment:

John 13:34-35 states:

"A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."

• Love has always been the glue that holds God’s kingdom together.

Paul reminded the Ephesians that they must prioritise keeping the “unity of the Spirit”:

Ephesians 4:3 (LITV) states:

"Being eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."

Paul's reasoning is that there is only one church and one God, who is the Father of all.

• Jesus has always kept His followers in His name, which is "God."

The Rise of Divisions

However, after the early days of the church, divisions began with the establishment of Roman Catholicism, followed by the Protestant Reformation. This led to the creation of more than 45,000 different denominations and sects, including Pentecostalism today.

• These many groups claim to follow Jesus Christ, but they clash over beliefs and doctrines, becoming rivals.
• There is no such division in the body of Christ and the church that Jesus established in 31 A.D.

Isaiah 4:1 prophesied this:

"And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach."

Isaiah prophesied that in the Gospel Day, the true church would be opposed by false churches.

• These false churches would create their own doctrines and beliefs, establishing their own righteousness, but they would still want to retain their connection to Jesus Christ.

The Church of God

Paul again addressing the church at Ephesus said:

Ephesians 3:14-15 states:

"For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,"

In the New Testament, Jesus' church is called the "church of God" because it represents the true and faithful people of God who have been called into one body to worship Him.

• The word "church" comes from two Greek words: KURIAKON, meaning "belonging to God," and ECCLESIA, meaning "the assembly called out by legitimate authority."
• Therefore, the church consists of people who have answered God's call to serve Him alone.

The Consistent Name in the New Testament

Throughout the New Testament, the church is consistently referred to as the "church of God." Here are a few examples:

Acts 20:28 states:

"Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood."

1 Corinthians 1:2 states:

"Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:"

1 Timothy 3:5 states:

(For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)

The New Testament church that Jesus revealed is called the "church of God" because it is owned by God. He is the founder, foundation, head, and door to His church.

• As children of God, it is a privilege to bear His name by living faithfully to His Word.
• By living in a way that pleases God, we maintain our access to both God and His family.

Conclusion

The true servants of God in His family bear His identity in both spirit and name.

• THERE IS ONLY ONE FAMILY NAME BECAUSE THERE IS ONLY ONE FAMILY OF GOD.

Ephesians 2:19 states:

"Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;"

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CHURCH MEMBERSHIP

There is only one way into the Church of God, which is to be "born from above."

John 3:3 states:

"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

The gathering of the redeemed is not to any man-made religious organisation, but to Jesus Christ, who is the gateway to heaven.

• Water baptism, the practice of ordinances, and membership rolls and certificates will not grant entry into the church that Jesus built.
• Man-made rules and rights of entry have no place in the New Testament church.

Jesus is the only door into the kingdom.

John 10:9 states:

"I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture."

At the beginning of this same chapter, Jesus warns that some would climb up another way, but they are thieves and robbers.

• Only Jesus is the door to the New Testament church, and only He can add the members.

Acts 2:47 states:

"Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved."

Only Jesus has the authority to add our names to the Book of Life and to blot out the name of one who sins.

• Only Jesus knows when one is truly born again.

Psalm 87:5-6 states:

"And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the highest himself shall establish her. The LORD shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there. Selah."

Only Jesus can make a dead soul live, and the Lord knows those who are His.

2 Timothy 2:19 states:

"Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity."

Only Jesus sees the hearts and knows all who are saved and all who are not.

• No saved one is left out, and no unsaved one is taken in.

Philippians 4:3 states:

"And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life."

Humanly formed religious organisations write the names of those who join the churches in earthly books of paper and ink.

• These records can be destroyed and will surely be at the end of time.

The only membership record that will stand is the one kept in heaven by Christ Himself.

Revelation 21:27 states:

"And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life."

Man-made rules and rights of entry have no place in the New Testament church. The true church membership is recorded in the Lamb’s book of life, where only those born again are written.

iii.
Conclusion

In conclusion, church membership is not determined by human rules, ordinances, or documents.

The true Church of God is composed of those who are born again and whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.

• Jesus Christ is the only door through which one can enter this spiritual family.
• Only He has the authority to add members to His church.
• Earthly records are temporary and fallible, but the membership kept by Christ in heaven is eternal and secure.
• This underscores the divine nature of the New Testament church, where membership is a spiritual transformation, not a human registration.

By embracing this truth, believers can rest assured that their place in God's family is secure and everlasting, determined by their relationship with Christ rather than by human institutions.

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SUMMARY

The lesson explores the identity and relationship of the church with Jesus Christ amidst numerous religious groups.

It begins by comparing the physical family unit, instituted by God, to spiritual realities, revealing the church as the spiritual mother of God's children. Galatians 4:26 identifies the heavenly Jerusalem as the mother of all believers.

The lesson dispels the misconception of a future marriage between Christ and the church, affirming that the church, as Christ’s bride, is in a present marital relationship with Him, legitimizing believers as God's children.

Key Points

• John’s assertion in 1 John 3:2 about believers being God's children now, supported by Paul’s writing in 1 Timothy 3:15, describes the church as God’s household.
• This indicates that spiritual legitimacy requires both a spiritual mother and father in a marital relationship, contradicting teachings about a future marriage.
• Paul’s teaching in Ephesians 4:6 on the oneness of God counters the trinitarian view, with Isaiah 9:6 prophesying Jesus as the Everlasting Father, reinforcing Jesus as both God and Father of believers. Thus, the church is the spiritual mother, bringing forth believers into God’s kingdom.

Present Marital Union with Christ

• The lesson emphasizes that believers are part of the spiritual family today. The spiritual family has a present, not a future, marriage to Christ, ensuring believers' legitimacy.
• Using biblical study methods, the lesson confirms the present union between Christ and the church, highlighting its significance for believers' legitimacy.

The Church as Heavenly Jerusalem

• The church is described as the heavenly Jerusalem, a spiritual entity encompassing all born-again believers.
• Hebrews 12:22-23 and Revelation 21:2 illustrate the church as the holy city and bride of Christ, emphasizing its celestial origin and eternal nature.
• Psalms describe Zion as God’s habitation and the church’s eternal nature. The typology of Zion helps understand the church's role as both God’s dwelling place and His children.

Marital Metaphor and Typology

• The relationship between Christ and the church is clarified using the marital metaphor of Adam and Eve, showing Christ as the church’s source of life.
• Ephesians 5:25-27 illustrates Christ’s sacrificial love for the church, presenting it as holy and without blemish.
• The mystery of Christ and the church as a marital union is revealed, emphasizing the church’s divine origin and role as the mother of all born-again believers.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the church is the legitimate spiritual family of God, founded on the present marital relationship with Christ, underscoring the divine nature and legitimacy of the church and its members.

The church's identity as the heavenly Jerusalem and its role as the bride of Christ highlight its eternal and celestial origin, confirming the spiritual marital union and divine purpose for all believers.

You should now prayerfully review this Study Guide and then continue to the Submission section, which you will submit to COGMA for appraisal. The online submission process can be found at cogma.com.au.

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SUBMISSION TO COGMA FOR APPRAISAL

Instructions

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