Chafer, Bible Doctrines: The Church - body bride of Christ

The Church: The Body and Bride of

Christ and her Reward

Chafer, chapter 40

Friday 9 September 2011

A. The 7 figures of Christ and his church

1. Christ the shepherd and believers the sheep - seen especially in Ps 23, and also Jn 10a. Christ came by the door - i.e. the line of Davidb. Christ is the true shepherd, followed by the sheepc. Christ is also the door for the sheep - entrance into salvation and security for the sheep - Jn 10:28-29d. Life and food for he sheep are provided by the shepherd - Ps 23:1


e. In contrast other shepherds are hired hands who would not give themselves for the sheep f. There is fellowship of sheep and shepherd - the Son knows the Father, so the sheep know the shepherdg. In the present age there is one fold with Jew and Gentile both in it together having salvation - Jn 10:16h. Christ, the shepherd, intercedes for the sheep - Heb 7:25,


2. Christ is the true vine and believers are the branches - Jn 15Indicating union and communion with Christ. We are told to abide in unbroken fellowship, Jn 15:10 - leading to pruning and cleansing, Jn 15:2 - effectual prayer Jn 15:7 - celestial joy Jn 15:11 - and eternal truth Jn 15:16


3. Christ is the cornerstone and the church the stones of the buildingThe church is a temple - Eph 2:21God is building his church - Matt 16:18Each living stone partakes of the divine nature - 1 Pet 2:5Christ is the chief cornerstone and foundation - 1 Cor 3:11The building is a dwelling for God - Eph 2:20There is great dependence on Christ and one another



Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.





In ancient times the cornerstone was the stone at the corner of two walls that united them. It was the visible corner of the foundation of the building and the starting point of all future building above the foundation. It was the most costly stone because of its beauty and strength. It was also the largest, most solid and carefully constructed stone. To cast aside the cornerstone would be to resist any future building on that foundation. The Cornerstone was the place where the building was joined and also the place where it rested.http://bibleseo.com/church/jesus-christ-cornerstone-church/


http://bibleseo.com/church/jesus-christ-cornerstone-church/

http://bibleseo.com/church/jesus-christ-cornerstone-church/

4. Christ is the High priest with us as believer- priests - 4 fold serviceA. Rom 12:1-2 - offers sacrifice of serviceB. Offers worship in praise and thanksgiving, intercession and prayer - Christ enters through his own blood - Rom 8:26-27, Col 4:12, 1 Tim 2:1, Heb 10:19-22C. We offer a sacrifice of good worksD. We sacrifice our substance as well as our bodies - Heb 13:16


5. Christ is the head and the church the body revealing the present purpose of GodSee later sections


6. Christ is the last Adam, the church the new creation - the old Adam is replaced by Christ who is the head of a new creatures in ChristIn his resurrection Christ established a new order - believers are now in Christ not in Adam, sharing in all that christ has done and achieved. There is a new commemorative day, the first day of the week in contrast to previously being the Sabbath, which is the old order.


7. Christ is the bridegroom, the church the bride, which prophetically shows present and future relationships of christ and the church.Israel was in the OT an unfaithful wife - the church is a pure virgin bride, this is the most important image of the church.


The church is joined together and formed into the body of Christ by the baptism of the Holy Spirit - 1 Cor 12:13 - For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.This reveals 3 things:

B. The church as the body of Christ


1. The church is a self developing body - comprised of individuals who have gifts, Eph 4:11-16Believers are called and exhorted, but also equipped to serve God in various capacities.Eph 4:13 - until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.


2. Members are appointed to a specific service in keeping with their gift - We need to examine ourselves soberly and determine our gift so that we serve most effectively - Rom 12:6-8, 1 Cor 12:28Chafer suggests we should not confuse natural giftedness with spiritual giftedness. He goes on, Spiritual gifts are not sought but given by the HSp - 1 Cor 12:11. In the apostolic age some gifts were sign gifts which did not continue in our present age. Every gift is regulated by the WOG. Believers may be required to do work outside of their obvious gifting, always remembering their main gift. We need to continually present our bodies to God for his direction - Rom 12:1-2


3. The body is a living organism united eternally in ChristConsisting of Jews, Gentiles, cultures and races - Eph 1;23, 2:15-16, 4:12-16, 5:30Previous divisions are ignored and all are equal in the grace of God.Eph 3:6 - This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.The unity of Eph 4:4-7 is an eternal unity.

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This has prophetic significance as the virgin church is eagerly awaiting the coming of her bridegroom - 1 Cor 11:2JTB mentions Christ as the bridegroom - Jn 3:29Eph 5:22-23 is the main reference source: The work of Christ1. In his death - v252. Present work - v263. Present it without spot, wrinkle etc. v27

C. Christ as the bridegroom and the church as the bride


On the cross Christ fulfilled the symbolism of paying a dowry.In this age he is preparing and cleansing his bride for future relationship - before taking her to heaven, where the church will appear perfect.A wedding feast of all saints will follow - Rev 19:7-8 - at the time Christ is coming to earth to start his kingdom.In Christ we see 5 characteristics of diving love:


1. God’s eternal love stems from the fact that “God is love” - 1Jn4:8Love is part of his being - if his love was removed his character would change - Jn 13:1 on the love of Christ - Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end - literally this is “without end”There is no fluctuation or ceasing with the love of God.


2. The love of God is the motivation for his ceaseless activity - This was shown once for all in the sacrifice of Christ - but, in fact this reveals an eternal attitude of God towards men - shown in God creating the universe he made provision for Christ to be slain - and, his compassion for the lost being the same today as it always has beenGod’s eternal love is unchanging.

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3. The love of God has transparent purity - no selfishness, no benefit for himself is ever sought, God needs nothing we can bring - but he needs us to satisfy his infinite love.God calls us beloved - we are made to be loved4. The love of God has limitless intensity - the most costly thing in the universe is the blood of God’s son - yet God gave it while they were still sinners - and now nothing can separate us form his love


5. The love of God has inexhaustible benevolence (well meaning, kind) - the world has no hope without the love of God! And this love is not passive but active, God acts on behalf of the sinner, taking their condemnation, Jn 15:13, without corrupting his own holiness - God keeps acting on behalf of the sinner placing them in his highest glory.“Saving grace is more than love: it is God’s love set absolutely free and made to triumph over his righteous judgments against the sinner.” God has a perfect hatred for sin - a counterpart to his love - which makes him discipline his children - Rev 3:19, Heb 12:6In being united with Christ the believer is loved by the father Jn 17:23


Indirect manifestations of the love of God include:The NT speaks little of human love and makes much of God’s love, and much is made of God’s love not loving God:Poured into out hearts - Rom 5:5Fruit of HSp - Gal 5:22Truth born of God will result in loving God - 1 Jn, 1 Cor 13God’s love - loves the lost world Jn 3:16 - hates evil 1 Jn 2:15-17 - loves the redeemed Jn 13:34-35 - loves Israel Jer 31:3 - loves those who have wandered from him Lk 15:4, 20 - is sacrificial Jn 3:16Showing and practicing the love of God was commanded by Christ - Jn 13:34-35, Gal 5:13


D. The bride adorned and rewarded

At the judgment seat of Christ the church will be judged and rewardedFor sin born again people will not come under judgment, the penalty for this has been borne by Christ - Jn 3:18, 5:24, Rom 5:1, 8:1, Col 2:13, Heb 10:14 etc.For daily life and service an account must be given before God when Christ comes for his own - Rom 14:10, 2 Cor 5:10, 1 Cor 4:5, 2 Tim 4:8


Salvation will not be judged at this time - it is simply the reward or loss for each believer depending upon service. 3 ideas in scripture show this reward:1. Stewardship - Rom 14:10-12You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. It is written:“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.’”So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.


We do not evaluate the value of a believers works or life, though we can comment on sin.We all have to give account to God - all that we are and have is a gift from God, intellect, physical being, finance etc. - so we are to steward those things and will be asked to give an account of how we used them.1 Cor 6:19-20 - Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.


2. Your life is a building built upon Christ’s foundation - 1 Cor 3:9-15Note: - this is about believers- as a believer you are building upon the foundation of salvation in Christ, which is not about character in this passage but about your works- your work is of wood hay etc which will be destroyed by fire or of silver, gold etc. which are refined by it- the loss is of reward not of salvation



For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building. 10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.




3. We run the race to receive the prize revealing the quality of our service - 1 Cor 9:16-17 (especially v24-27)Initially Paul speaks of his own service and his faithfulness as a basis for reward - then speaks of running with great effort to receive the reward.We should exert all our strength to surpass all others - we should be restrained, subjecting our body to discipline so we do not lose out or give half hearted service.Our reward is called - a prize 1 Cor 9:24 - a crown Phil 4:1, Jas 1:12 etc.


3. We run the race to receive the prize revealing the quality of our service - 1 Cor 9:16-17 (especially v24-27)Initially Paul speaks of his own service and his faithfulness as a basis for reward - then speaks of running with great effort to receive the reward.We should exert all our strength to surpass all others - we should be restrained, subjecting our body to discipline so we do not lose out or give half hearted service.Our reward is called - a prize 1 Cor 9:24 - a crown Phil 4:1, Jas 1:12 etc.


We owe God nothing in return for salvation, it is a gift - but a life of devotion should be given to him, and will be rewarded - hence the doctrine of rewards here is the counterpart to the doctrine of grace.Rev 4:10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne... - Chafer says this is about us, we cast our crowns before him, so then we have to further ask what is our reward in heaven?


Rev 22:3 -No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.Chafer further backs this up referring to Matt 25:14-30 - which might not refer to the church directly but is a principle for them.2 Cor 5:10-11 -For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.This is not about sin (we are already justified) or sanctification (we are already in the presence of God) - it is about our works, good or worthless?


Rev 22:3 -No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.Chafer further backs this up referring to Matt 25:14-30 - which might not refer to the church directly but is a principle for them.2 Cor 5:10-11 -For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.This is not about sin (we are already justified) or sanctification (we are already in the presence of God) - it is about our works, good or worthless?
