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The Church - Lesson 6
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The Church in 25 Lessons
Jon Gary Williams
Lesson 6 - A Temple and A Bride
Among other descriptions given the church in the New Testament are the following. The Lord's church is spoken of as a temple likening it to the physical tabernacle and temple of the Old Testament. It is also addressed as a bride, the bride of Christ. From both these comparisons important truths can be drawn regarding the church.
The church as a temple
I. Old Testament and New Testament comparisons
A. In the Old Testament are found two temple structures.
- The tabernacle erected by Israel in the wilderness. (Ex. 25:8,9; Lev. 26:11,12; Deut.12:5)
- The temple built by Solomon. (II Chron. 7:12-16)
B. The New Testament reveals the spiritual parallel to these - the temple of Christ's church. (I Cor. 3:9; 16,17)
II. The foundation of this temple
A. Christ is the corner stone. (Isa. 28:16; I Cor. 3:11; I Pet. 2:6)B. The apostles are part of the foundation. (Eph. 2:20)
III. The stones of this temple.
A. Christians are the stones in God's spiritual temple. (Eph. 2:19-22; I Pet. 2:5)B. The disobedient cannot be a part of this temple. (I Pet. 2:7,8)
The church as a bride
I. Christians are those who have been joined to Christ.
A. The Bible speaks of this as a marriage. (Rom. 7:2)B. Christians have been "espoused" to Christ. (II Cor. 11:2)
II. The husband-wife relationship compared with Christ and his church.
A. As the husband is head, so Christ is head. (Eph. 5:23)B. As wives are to be subject, so the church is to be subject. (Eph. 5:24)
C. As Christ loves the church, so husbands are to love their wives. (Eph. 5:25)
III. Christ's bride appeals to all lost people. (Rev. 22:17)
IV. What does a wife wear after her marriage? (Acts 4:12)
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