The Summation of All Things in Christ

Studies in Ephesians with a Local Church Emphasis

Lesson 126 : Excursus : The Sanctity of our Churches

‘TOUCH NOT THE APPLE OF HIS EYE’ – THE LOCAL CHURCH IS THE PRIMARY MEANS OF PROPAGATING TRUTH THROUGHOUT THE AGES – IT IS A DANGEROUS THING TO HURT A LOCAL CHURCH – ON BEING SPIRITUAL AND DIVIDED – LEADERS ARE MERELY SERVANTS (PAUL LOOKS BACKWARDS) – THE CHURCH IS TO BE BUILT WITH CARE (A PRESENT-DAY LOOK) – WARNING TO THOSE WHO WOULD DESTROY THE CHURCH, GOD’S TEMPLE IN CORINTH (1 COR 3:16,17) – THIS VERSE NOT ADDRESSED TO INDIVIDUALS BUT TO THE ENTIRE CONGREGATION (1 COR 3:17) – JUXTAPOSITION OF TWO VERBS: DESTROY TEMPLE, GOD WILL DESTROY YOU (1 COR 3:16,17) – TEMPORAL JUDGMENT WITH ETERNAL REPERCUSSIONS – ONE REASON FOR THE WARNING: THE TEMPLE IS HOLY – CONCLUSION OF THE MATTER: ALL ARE CHRIST’S – SUMMATION – THIS IS A PROPER WARNING FOR ALL WITHIN A CHURCH BODY – RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR CHURCHES – FACTIONS DESTROY A CHURCH – BAD ATTITUDES DESTROY A CHURCH – LEAVE WRONGS IN THE HANDS OF OUR GOD – DO NOT PROSELYTIZE WITHIN A CHURCH – TEACH SOUND DOCTRINE – A REFUSAL TO USE ONE’S GIFTS FOR THE CHURCH IS TO THAT DEGREE HINDERING THE GROWTH OF THE CHURCH – WE BUILD INTO THE CHURCH WHAT WE BUILD INTO OUR OWN LIVES