The Whole Building

In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord.

Ephesians 2:21

Christ said, ‘I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.’  We find a similar remark from the pen of Paul in our text for today.  Here Paul is referring again to what it means for us to be ‘in Christ.’  He sets it up in the preceding verses by saying, ‘Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.’  He continues with ‘in whom…’ that is ‘in Christ, the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.’  So Christ builds His Church.  He does not build it of brick and mortar, but builds it of the people whom He redeems by Free and Sovereign Grace.  Any edifice of brick and mortar is only a location where a group of people meet who are members of the Church, the Body of Christ, the Redeemed of all ages.  Christ has used people to build His Church by building other people.  Earthly buildings, however grand, are destined to crumble.  By contrast, the building which Christ is doing of His redeemed, will continue as ‘a holy temple’ for all eternity.  This is what it means for us to be ‘in Christ.’  It means that we are part of this ‘building,’ this ‘holy temple’ which Christ is continuing to build.  This is that against which ‘the gates of hell shall not prevail.’

Our Glorious Living Christ,
we rejoice that You are indeed building Your Church.
We praise You that You will continue this work
until all is complete and all Your people gathered in.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning