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Daily Devotions

Ephesians

Ephesians 
Day 
Day 58

"And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all."

Text: Ephesians 1:22-23

MANY QUESTIONS STIRRED UP

Paul’s inclusion of the phrase “to the church” is startling to say the least. It raises several pertinent questions.

1. Have we misunderstood God’s concept of “the Church”?

2. Have we undervalued the significance of “the Church”?

3. Have we somehow (foolishly so) infused our personal understanding of “the church” into what we read from the Scriptures?

4. How should we actually regard “the Church”?

THE CONCEPT OF THE CHURCH AS “THE BODY” OF CHRIST

Paul had the highest view of the Church. Let us consider the following notions:-

1. Lexical contribution of the word “Church” (“ekklesia”)

The word “ekklesia” may be understood and appreciated in the following manner:-

a) There is a special calling from God (“kaleo” means “to call”).
b) God calls us out of the sinful world (“ek” means “out of”).
c) The word “ekklesia” was used to describe a special assembly of people in a community. That’s what the Church is. We are a special community called out of the world.

2. The idea of “A Body”

This is even more intriguing. The word “body” (“soma”) is used to describe the human body.

a) There is an intricate relationship between Christ and His “body”.
b) There is a special sense of Oneness between Christ and the Church.
c) The two “entities” are inseparable.
d) The universal Body is obviously in mind here.

3. The Sharing of the Honours given to Christ Jesus

Paul correctly associated the honours given to the Lord Jesus Christ “to the Church”. This understanding is both profound and humbling at the same time. Our concept of “the Church” should heighten significantly as we ponder this deep teaching.