Great Doctrines - Grace Church of DuPage

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SECTION ECTION ECTION 31 TTHE
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HE NNATURE
N TURE OF OF TTHE
T HE CCHURCH
CHURCH
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I. I. The The church church is is chosen chosen ~Ephesians ~Ephesians 1:3-14
1:3-14
A. A. By By the the Father Father ~ ~ vv. 3,4~“...God the Father...just as He chose us...” (cf. 1Thes. 1:3,4)
1. From eternity ~vv. 1,4,5 ~ “...to the saints...He chose us in Him before the
foundation of the world...” (cf. 1Pet. 1:2)
2. Unto holiness ~v. 4 ~ “...that we should be holy and blameless...” (cf. Col. 1:22)
3. With motive ~v. 4 ~ “...In love...” (cf. Eph. 2:4,5)
4. As children ~v. 5 ~ “...He predestined us to adoption as sons...” (cf. Rom. 8:15)
5. With intent ~v. 5 ~ “...according to the kind intention of His will...”
6. For His glory ~v. 6 ~ “to the praise of the glory of His Grace”
B. B. In In Christ Christ ~ ~ v. 4 ~“just as He chose us in Him...”
1. Graciously ~v. 6 ~ “...His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.”
2. For redemption ~v. 7 ~ “In Him we have redemption through His blood...”
3. For forgiveness ~v.7 ~ “...we have...the forgiveness of our trespasses...”
(cf. Col. 1:14)
4. With intent ~v.9 ~“...according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him”
5. As heirs ~vv. 10-11 ~ “In Him also we have obtained an inheritance...”
(cf. Col. 1:12)
6. For His glory ~v.12 ~ “to the end that we... should be to the praise of His glory...”
II. II. The The The church church is is sealed sealed in in Him Him with with the the Holy Holy Spirit Spirit ~
~
Ephesians Ephesians Ephesians 1:13,14; 1:13,14; 1Cor 1Cor. 1Cor . 12:13
12:13
A. A. As As promised promised by by Christ Christ ~ ~ v. 13 ~ “... sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,”
(cf. John 14:15-26 )
B. B. As As a a a promise promise of of the the Father Father ~ ~ v. 14 ~ “who is given as a pledge...”
1. As heirs ~v.14 ~ " pledge of our inheritance...” (cf. 2Cor. 1:21,22, Acts 1:4-8 & 2:33)
2. Looking to the future ~ “with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession...”
C. C. For For His His His glory glory ~ ~ v. 14 ~ “...to the praise of His glory-”
III. III. The The church church is is manifested manifested in in local local assemblies assemblies
assemblies
A. A. By By command command ~ Heb. 10:24,25 ~ “not forsaking our own assembling together...”
(cf. Acts 2:42; Eph. 2:19-22)
B. B. By By By the the one one anothers anothers ~ John 13:34-35 ~ “A new commandment I give to you, that
you love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples...”
(see The One Anothers on page 4 of this section)
C. C. by by time time and and place place ~ Eph. 1:1 ~ “...the saints who are at Ephesus...”
(cf. 1Cor. 1:2; 2Cor. 1:1; Gal. 1:2; Phil. 1:1; Col. 1:2)
PART 4~SECTION 31~PAGE 2 GREAT DOCTRINES IV ~ THE CHURCH
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