Praise The Lord For The Church
THE REASON OF OUR HOPE • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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15 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.
16 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.
Introduction
As Christians in the twenty-first century, we have resources at our disposal that first-century Christians could never have dreamed of. We have a proliferation of literature and the explosion of technology, both of which can be helpful in growing our faith and sharing it with others.
But when you boil the Christian life down to what is truly essential, you find that you don't need anything more than what first-century Christians had.
Slide Lesson Title
If you were to make a list of the truly essential elements for following Christ as He designed in the Christian life, the Local Church must be on that list.
Some Christians treat the local church as if it were an optional add-on-something to attend or become involved in when you have extra time.
Yet, the church is so significant that understanding its essential nature is a key component to having a biblical worldview.
Suggestion Using the example of a car, discuss the difference between the essentials (such as wheels and the engine) versus what provides added convenience (such as a heater and speakers). Follow this conversation by asking your group mem-bers, "So what do you think are the essential elements of the Christian life? Write down each answer given on the whiteboard, and ask the rest of the class to critique if that is indeed an essential. (The final list should include some of the following: salvation, the Holy Spirit, the Scriptures, prayer, and Bible doctrine.) If no one mentions the local church, you can use that to lead into this study.
The Ownership of the Church
We cannot understand the importance of the church without understanding the ownership of the church. With that in mind, let's look at three quick truths that give us preliminary understanding necessary for this week's study:
Jesus owns the church.
The church belongs to Jesus Christ, for He purchased it with His precious blood.
Acts 20:28
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.
The church does not belong to a pastor, a board or committee, a denomination, or anyone else. And it certainly does not belong to the government. It belongs to Jesus.
Jesus is the cornerstone of the church.
Furthermore, as we saw in our first unit, Jesus is the cornerstone of the church. This means that the church is built upon Him, and He is its only sure foundation.
Ephesians 2:20
And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
Jesus protects the church.
Even as Jesus began constructing the first local church from His disciples, He told them that He was the builder of the church and would protect it.
Matthew 16:18
And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
This verse does not mean that Christ will protect the church from persecution. Indeed, from the earliest moments of the New Testament local church, we see Christians enduring persecution.
Consider how remarkable it is that in spite of all the persecution Christians have endured through the past two thousand years, the church still stands.
All around the world, you can find local, New Testament churches whose beliefs and practices match the beliefs and practices of first-century Chris-tians. That is an amazing testimony to Christ's promise to protect His church from being snuffed out by Satan.
Slide Constitution
One of the founding principles of the United States of America was that of religious freedom. By God's unique providence, American Christians have enjoyed the freedom to exercise their beliefs on a level unknown to previous civilizations. And through the precedents set by the United States, many other countries around the world have offered similar freedoms.
As people in the United States turn from God, however, they are also becoming less tolerant of those who believe in God.
Whether or not we live under a government that guarantees religious freedom, we have Christ's promise that His church will endure.
Our English word church originated from the Greek word kuriou, which means "belonging to the Lord." The church does not belong to anybody but the Lord.
Christians who say they love Jesus but don't love the church do not understand the significance that Jesus Himself placed upon His church. Nor do they understand that the local church was central and essential to New Testament Christianity.
The word church is mentioned 117 times in the New Testament. Of these mentions, 113 instances refer to the local church as a visible body of believ-ers.
Consider the emphasis on the local church throughout the New Testament:
The book of Acts tells about the first church in Jerusalem and then describes how churches were established in other cities as the gospel spread. The next nine New Testament books after Acts (Romans,
1 and 2 Corinthians,
Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and
1 and 2 Thessalonians) are epistles (letters) written to local churches. The three epistles following (1 and 2 Timothy and Titus) are written to local church leaders.
Thus, the only New Testament book of history and twelve of its epistles specifically deal with the organization, operation, and relationships within the local church.
In this lesson, we will look specifically at two verses from one of these epistles and learn three reasons why the local church is essential for the Christian life.
1. For the Faith
A doctrinal conviction that is unattached to the local church is foreign to the New Testament.
41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Verse 15 of our text mentions the church as a family ("house of God") and as the anchor point ("pillar and ground") of truth.
A biblical church builds our faith and guards the truth from being lost for future generations.
A. The Ministry of the Church
As just mentioned, one of the metaphors the Bible uses for the church is that of a family. Though we come from different places, are of different ages, maybe even speak different languages, we are united by virtue of the fact that we are all children of God.
What we have in common is much more than anything that could divide
US.
In our text of 1 Timothy 3:15, we see the phrase "that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself." The words to behave thyself are translated from one Greek word, anastrepho, which means "to turn one's self about, dwell in a place, metaphorically to conduct one's self, behave one's self, live." In other words, a church family is the context in which we learn how to live in a spiritual walk.
In addition to our text passage, we see the metaphor of the church as a family in Ephesians 2, here referred to as "the household of God." This passage goes a step further and describes this household as the structure of the building itself.
19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
(A family and the building that protects the family)
Like all sound buildings, the church is built on a solid base—Jesus Christ as the cornerstone and the Word of God as the foundation.
When Paul told Timothy that the church is the "pillar and ground of the truth," he used a word for ground (Greek, hedraiöma) that means "a support, a settled foundation." The church is to be a solid place of truth that provides biblical grounding for a Christian's life.
Even people who have never been to Italy are familiar with the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It is one of the most famous landmarks in the world, and it is famous because the bell tower, completed in 1372 began tilting almost immediately. The soft, marshy land was not capable of supporting its weight. The lean became more and more pronounced over time, and became so severe that counterweights had to be installed to keep the structure from toppling over. A solid foundation is essen-tial, but it is not enough—the foundation must be maintained.
Titus 1:9
Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
The church is also the pillar of the truth. Its purpose is to elevate and display God's truth. Christians have the opportunity to do this by living before a lost world in a way that is consistent with what we say we believe.
The church is meant to elevate and display God's truth to the world. The fact that the world around us may be dark and growing darker does not diminish the impact of the light if we keep it shining brightly. In fact, darkness makes the light brighter. The world may be filled with evil, but we have a message that will overcome the darkness around us.
Philippians 2:15–16 (KJV 1900)
15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.
Also, the local church must glorify God and uphold His truth.
Jude 1:3
Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
It is not a denomination's or
parachurch's responsibility to uphold the truth; it is the local church's respon-sibility.
B. The Message of the Church
Our text continues with what is to be the central message of the New Testament church:
1 Timothy 3:16
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 message of the church is Jesus. And specifically, the message is His deity and work for our redemption. His birth, life, death and resurrection are the core and focus of our message. The message of the church is not to be the philosophies and ideas of its human leaders; it is to be Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 1:23–24 (KJV 1900)
23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
Quote: "The preaching of Christ is the whip that flogs the devil. The preaching of Christ is the thunderbolt, the sound that makes all hell tremble." —Charles
Spurgeon
Paul laid out for Timothy six specifics that make up the message of Jesus Christ.
God was manifest in the flesh
Jesus Christ was both fully God and fully human. As God, He manifested Himself in the flesh.
The word manifest is from the Greek word phaneroo which means "made vis-ible, made known, exposed, shown."
The reference to "the flesh" is not referring to a sin nature. It is simply stating that Jesus had a real physical body.
John 1:14
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, land we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Colossians 2:9
For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
If Jesus had not been fully man, He could not have provided atonement for our sin. If, on the other hand, He had not been fully God, His atonement would not have been sufficient to pay for sin.
Justified in the Spirit
The word justified in this verse is from the Greek word dikaioo, which means “to declare righteous, to exhibit one's righteousness." Sometimes it is used to emphasize that when we trust Christ as our Savior, God declares us— who previously were not righteous—as righteous because He applies the perfect righteousness of Jesus to our account.
That Jesus was "justified in the spirit" does not indicate that He needed to be justified from sin, but that the Holy Spirit declared what He already is— the righteous Son of God. In other words, Jesus wasn't a man who simply claimed to be God. He was indeed the God-man, and He was declared so by the Holy Spirit Himself.
2 Peter 1:17
For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Seen of angels
One of the most beautiful parts of the Christmas story is the appearance of the host of angels in the skies near Beth-lehem, praising God for the birth of the Savior (Luke 2:10-14) and worshipping
Him as God.
Hebrews 1:6 (KJV 1900)
6 And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.
Preached unto the Gentiles
The word gentiles here is from the Greek word ethnos, from which we get the word ethnicity. It was used here to contrast between the Jews only or all people.
Though Jesus was the Messiah for whom the Jewish people had been watching, He did not come only for the Jewish people. He came for everyone— every person in every nation in every part of the world.
The message of Christ was and is for all people. In Romans 1, Paul pointed out that he preached the gospel to everyone —Jew, Greek, and Barbarian (someone not Jewish or Greek).
Romans 1:14, 16
I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Believed on in the world
The message of the gospel is a saving, life-changing message. Through the centuries and all around the globe, the good news of Jesus Christ has been proclaimed. And where it is proclaimed, there are those who believe on it.
The message we believe is the same one that countless other Christians have responded to in faith.
Acts 2:47
Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
Received up into Glory
The final validation of the truth of the message of Jesus is that He ascended back to His Father in Heaven when His ministry was completed. And the fact that He went up to prepare a place for us gives us confidence that He will return, just as He said.
Acts 1:10-11
And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men The message of the church then is the message of Jesus.
C. The Methods of the Church
The church is not an abstract concept or an invisible group. It is a physical, visible assembly of God's people together.
So what are the methods of the church?
We assemble
Churches in the New Testament met together. The writer of Hebrews admonished Christians to never forsake that physical assembly but to use those times to give and receive encouragement and admonition.
Hebrews 10:24-25
And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
God's people need to be gathered together. We need to hear the Word of God preached and taught. We need to encourage and comfort and help each other.
Churches who never assemble are not biblical churches. And Christians who never assemble with their church family are not obedient Christians.
We worship
Discussion Have you heard people say that they can worship God just as well out in nature or while doing a hobby as they can in church? How do you think a first-century Christian, such as the apostle Paul, would have responded to this statement? How would you respond?
When we meet together, we also worship God together. Though of course we should worship and give thanks to God individually, there is something special about Christians joining their hearts and voices corporately to glorify God for all that He has done for us. As a group, we lift up and magnify His name, and bring the offering of praise and worship that He desires.
Psalm 95:1-3
O come, let us sing unto the LOrD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. 2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, And make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. 3 For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.
We give
Sometimes we think of worship as something that only happens through music or accompanies a posture such as being on our knees or lifting our hands.
But an important way that we worship God is by giving.
Paul told the church at Corinth to give proportionally to God's blessings to them every Sunday as they assembled.
1 Corinthians 16:1-2
Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. 2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
The church is essential to the propagation of the faith because its ministry is to uphold the truth and its message is Jesus and the salvation that is available through Him. Christians must recognize these essential aspects of the local church and engage in the attendance, worship, and giving necessary for it to be a healthy body of believers.
2. For the Family
Timothy, to whom Paul addressed our text verses, grew up in a family with a godly mother and grandmother, but his father was apparently unsaved or absent.
^ Slide 2
5 When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.
Acts 16:1
Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek:
Timothy's mother and grandmother, however, taught him the Scriptures.
2 Timothy 3:15
And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
For Christians from any type of family structure-saved or unsaved, two parents or single parent, child, teen, single adult, or married —a strong church family is essential for growth.
A healthy local church is to a Christian family what potting soil is to a plant. It provides an environment for flourish-ing. It reinforces the truths that parents are teaching at home. And it provides young people living examples of others who believe what they are being told.
These aspects of the church are especially important as the culture becomes more and more hostile to the truth of Christianity.
How does the church family help the Christian family?
A. A Place to Learn
One of the chief purposes of the church is to train and equip Christians to live as God commands. Every family needs this input.
~ Slide 2A
Parents need to be reminded of their vital role and need to be given the tools to effectively bring up the children who have been entrusted to their care. Children need to be reminded to honor and obey their parents, and to look for God's purpose for their lives. All of this is part of a healthy church environment.
Nobody naturally knows God's will, and the church is a key place for us to learn what we need to know to fulfill God's plan for our lives.
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
B. A Place of Growth
The primary responsibility for teaching truth to children rests with the parents.
This has been God's plan for thousands of years, and it still is today.
6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.
Our culture ridicules our beliefs and flaunts ungodly lifestyles through various forms of entertainment. Children need the reinforcement that what they are hearing every day at home is true and right. This happens through the help of Sunday school teacher, youth group leaders, and others in a church family who join parents in strengthening the faith of their children.
" Discussion What Christian beliefs or character traits are children and young people unlikely to see outside of their family unless they see them modeled in church?
C. A Place of Help
God didn't design life to be lived in isolation.
~ Slide 2C
Slide COVID-19 Crises
During the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, as many people were forced into isolation, one of the tragedies was a sharp rise in drug and alcohol addiction and in suicide rates.
Oregon saw a 70 percent increase in opioid overdose deaths in April and May of 2020 compared to the same time frame in 2019.2
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra told a news station, "In some of our coun-ties, there are more deaths from overdoses than there are from COVID-19."3
In Los Angeles, California, the suicide helpline received an 8,000 percent increase of calls in one month (March 2020) alone.‡
Even the most mature and grounded Christians need input. And the church is meant to be a place where those who need help receive it and those who can give help provide it.
" Discussion What are some ways in which God has used other Christians and the ministry of the church to help you and your family? What are opportunities God has given you to serve others? How has He blessed you through serving?
Galatians 6:10
As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
Galatians 5:13-14
For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Being part of a church family enables us to sacrificially serve other Christians in a way that is only possible through the local church.
3. For the Future
The church is not an organization with a focus just on the past or the present, but on the future as well. It is an essential part of Christ's plan for the propagation of the faith.
18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Those who plant oak trees often have no expectation of sitting under their shade, for oak trees take as long as 50 years to come to maturity. Even so, the oak tree can live over 700 years, and some live 1,000 years. This is why planting an oak tree is seen as an investment in future generations.
Similarly, those who love the local church and involve themselves in building it up and encouraging the church family are investing in the future.
The future of our families, our communities, our society, and even our nation are tied to the church.
A. A Future in His Truth
In our culture the idea that there is such a thing as absolute truth is under at-tack. We hear people say things like "my truth" or "their truth" as if there can be varying realities. But God is truth real, unchanging, unwavering truth and no amount of human opinion or philosophy can change that.
^ Slide 3A
John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
At a time when people are debating such basic realities as whether two plus two always equals four, we need a commitment to truth. The church with its focus on what God declares in His Word is a vital bulwark to the truth.
Quote: "Within the covers of the Bible are the answers for all the problems men face." Ronald Reagan, fortieth president of the United States
Additionally, the church is responsible to hold forth the "word of life" for others.
Philippians 2:16
Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.
Christians must understand that beneath all of the cultural issues there is a real spiritual battle taking place. If we do not stand and fight for the truth, future generations will not have it handed to them.
B. A Future for His People
As Christians, our hope is in God, not in our country. Yet the country in which we live has a powerful impact on our lives.
Slide 3B
Those of us who are Americans have the blessing of living in a nation with a heritage of Christian values. Sadly, those values are disappearing as increasing numbers of people in our society reject God and the truths of His Word.
These changes in our society make biblical local churches more needful than ever.
Christians—in any society—are meant to be lights in the world. Sometimes when the world grows darker, Christians become discouraged in their role.
In reality, this should be the time that we see our role as light as more needful than ever before. The darker the night, the brighter the light shines.
Whether or not America experiences another spiritual awakening and a revival to righteousness, local churches are essential to the future of God's people in this country—or in any country.
C. A Future for Our Nation
The local church is not only essential to God's people within a nation, but a vibrant, biblical church also has a direct bearing on the community in which it exists. The aggregated effect of many such churches can have an impact upon an entire nation.
Slide 3C
This impact is not primarily a political impact, although in democratic nations a political impact toward righteousness will certainly be felt when churches are faithful. Primarily, however, the faithfulness of local churches in a nation provides a spiritual impact. Jesus told His disciples, who lived under the brutal Roman Empire, that they should expect persecution. But He also told them that they should live as salt and light in their world. Salt is a preservative; it acts to slow the process of decay.
Matthew 5:13-14
Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
The history of the United States of America is unique in that many of its founding fathers were Christians and saw the founding of this nation as a direct result of the providence of God.
Psalm 33:12
Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.
The early impact of biblical Christianity in America was so strong that the French writer Alexis de Tocqueville, after visit ing America in 1831, reportedly said, "I sought for the greatness of the United States in her commodious harbors, her ample rivers, her fertile fields, and boundless forests—and it was not there. I sought for it in her rich mines, her vast world commerce, her public school system, and in her institutions of higher learning— and it was not there. I looked for it in her democratic Congress and her matchless Constitution—and it was not there. Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits flame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great" (emphasis added).5
Churches have had a huge impact on our society. The decline we are seeing in our culture can be directly traced to the decline in the influence of local churches.
Quote: "It is the duty of the clergy to accommodate their discourses to the times, to preach against such sins as are most prevalent, and recommend such virtues as are most wanted." -John Adams, second American president°
When churches are unwilling to lift up Christ as the only way of salvation and preach the truth regardless of its acceptance by the world, they lose the ability to be an influence of righteousness in their culture.
When a nation turns from God, justice is neglected, and truth is trampled on.
This is what Isaiah described during Israel's backsliding. And it is a picture of what is happening in America today.
Isaiah 59:14
And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.
Our hope as Christians is Christ. But our hope for a spiritual awakening in our nation or in any community is a faithful local church that stands for truth and reaches people with the message of the gospel.
Conclusion
Throughout history, the church has faced difficulties and hardship, yet it has continued in the face of all opposition. We have the promise of Jesus that the church will not be defeated, and history is filled with examples of the triumph of the church even in the face of persecution. While none of us would prefer to live in such circumstances, we can be victorious no matter what is happening around us.
Consider a few of the challenges Christians in local churches around the world have faced throughout various periods of world history:
• Roman Empire: Christianity was not legal in the Roman Empire for about 300 years. During this time, there were periods of intense persecution where Christians were martyred and suppressed. Yet, the end of this time, Christians had gone from a tiny handful of people to an estimated 10 percent of the Roman Empire. Its fervor weakened only after compromised forms of Christianity were legalized.
• Dark Ages: The Roman Catholic Church repressed God's Word and attacked Anabaptists and other groups we would consider as our Baptist forefathers. God used this time to raise up Bible preachers and translators such as Peter Waldo, John Wycliffe, John Huss, and William Tyndale. Although Christians were heavily persecuted, the gospel grew, and underground local churches continued.
Early America: The Pilgrims were forced to Holland by the repression of the Church of England. Appalled by the negative influence of the culture in Holland, they journeyed to America and founded Plymouth Plantation. Within one hundred years, pilgrim churches had become apathetic and carnal due to compromises like the Halfway Covenant, but then God brought about the First Great Awakening through the preaching of men like Jonathan Edwards and George Whitfield. China: When Mao Zedong took power, he forced ten thousand missionaries to leave the country, and the Cultural Revolution of the 1960s destroyed most Chinese church buildings. Yet even in the face of continuing persecution, threats, jail, torture, and even executions, the number of professing born again believers in China today is around 200 million.
• The Philippines: Ferdinand Magellan declared the Philippines to be a Catholic country when he discovered the islands in 1521. Today, while Roman Catholicism is still strong, there are around three million born again Christians, and the country is wide open for the gospel.
Is the church essential? Jesus believed that it was. He loved it and gave Himself for it.
Ephesians 5:25
... even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;