The End of the Church's History Here

 •  1 min. read  •  grade level: 9
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Two facts have great prominence in the New Testament: the Church as God has formed it, and the Church as man has corrupted it. Each will have an end of its own.
THE CHURCH AS GOD HAS FORMED IT had its beginning at Pentecost; but the full truth of what was then effected was not brought to light till later. In connection with the Church, God had a choice secret, hidden from all previous generations since the world began. Marvelous to say, the first to get any direct intimation of this chief of secrets was the "chief of sinners" at his conversion. This secret is called "the great mystery," and involves spiritual union between Christ in glory and those possessing His Spirit on earth. The Lord's appeal to Saul of Tarsus showed that He regarded His saints as part of Himself. "Why persecutest thou ME?" This was the first intimation of the secret, but its full revelation was set forth later in Paul's epistles (Rom. 16:25,26: Eph. 3:3-12;5:23-333How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, 4Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) 5Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; 6That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: 7Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. 8Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; 9And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: 10To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, 11According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: 12In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. (Ephesians 3:3‑12)
23For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 25Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband. (Ephesians 5:23‑33); Col. 1:26,2726Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: 27To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: (Colossians 1:26‑27)).
But it may rightly be asked, What about the necessary moral suitability of those to be united to a Person so holy, so glorious, so exalted as the One seated in the highest heavens?
To set our hearts at rest on this point another revelation was necessary, and the man who leaned upon "his bosom" was the one chosen to record it-the apostle John.