33.What is the Church?

The Christian Church is the body of Christ. The Church is the fullness of the One who fills everything in every manner.

We noticed in verse ten that it is the plan of the Father to place Christ as the head of all things in the heavens and on the earth. When Christ died on the cross the whole creation of God died in Him and with Him.

Then He arose from the dead, the beginning of the new creation. Next will come the Church, which is His Body. The Church rises from the dead as it is filled with Christ who Himself is the resurrection from the dead.

Christ is the Head. We Christians are being created as His fullness, the fullness of Christ. When the Body has attained the full stature of Christ to which it has been called by the Father, the glorious Head will descend on the mature and unified Body (Zechariah 4:7).

As soon as the Head is on the Body and in control of every member of the Body, the work of Christ, the servant of the Lord, the Israel of God, the new creation, the Kingdom of God—call it what you will, will proceed to bring justice to the nations of the earth (Isaiah 42:1).

Every saint is called to be part of the fullness of Christ. Christ Himself, God’s beloved Son, is the supreme Head. There are many members of the Body of God’s Christ.

As soon as the Body has been filled with resurrection life, at the appearing of Christ from Heaven, the Body will go forth in the fullness of the Spirit of God to minister to the remainder of the peoples of the world. The Body will bring the Glory of Christ to them.

When the ministry of the Body of Christ to the peoples of the earth has been completed, Christ will be seen in every saved person and thing in the creation.

This is the Father’s plan.