THE GRANDEUR AND GLORY OF THE CHURCH BY JAMES A. UDU

INTRODUCTION:- The succeeding five lesons are devoted to “What it means to be a Member of The Church”. The Church of God does not ocupy the place in the hearts of men that it should occupy until they realize that by staying outside of the church they rob themselves of life’s greatest blessings and of the hope of eternal life. The Church is incomparably greater than all human institutions, sectarian or fraternal.
DEFINICTION:  By grandeur I mean: the state of being grand or splendid; magnificence. Nobility. etc

God is its author: It is Therefore Divine [Heb. 3:4]
1. It is God’s Temple [1 Cor. 3:16].
2.  His dwelling place Eph. 2:19-22
3.  Must be built according to His directions Heb. 8:1-4.
4.  Jesus the builder Matt. 16:18-20’
5.  Must take heed how we build 1 Cor. 3:10-15; Psalms 127:1.
6.  God refuses to recognize any but His own Matt. 15:13.
7.  To wear God’s name Eph. 3:14-16.
8.  It is God’s institution 1 Cor. 1:2

CHRIST IS ITS SAVIOR AND HEAD:
1.Gave himself up for it Eph. 5:25-27
2.  Savior of the Body Eph. 5:23
3.  Head of the Body, which is the Church Col. 1:18; Eph. 1:22.
4.  Christ our representative in Heaven Heb. 10:19-25

GLORIOUS IN ITS MISSION:
1.  Saving of souls by the preaching of the gospel its design;
[1] The pillar and ground of the truth 1 Tim. 3:14-15,
[2] Sending agency Rom. 10:11-15; Acts 13:1-3.
[3] Wisdom of God made known through the Church Eph. 3:10.
[4] God glorified in the Church Eph. 3:21

ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS ARE THEREIN:
1. The church is the  “Fullness of Him that fillet all in all” Eph. 1:23.
2.  All Spiritual Blessings are in Christ Eph. 1:3, Christ’s Body and the Church are one Eph. 1:22-23; Co. 1:18. Christ and the Church are inseparably united Eph. 5:28-32. Therefore through the church we enjoy every spiritual blessing provided for us in Christ Jesus.
3.  we  are reconciled unto God in the Body of Christ, which is the Church Eph. 2:16; Col. 1:18-20
4.  We get into Christ and the Church upon the same conditions and by the same process Gal. 3:26-27; Acts 2:41-47.