Ephesians 5:28-33

. . . the church is the bride of Christ. Jesus was a complete man. He had all the nature of a man, but He never married. He could have, but He never did. He never married any woman though He was a true and complete man. He never married a daughter of a woman that He might marry His whole church, the bride. A true local church is the bride of Christ in recapitualtion, in miniature. Everything that is in the whole church of Christ should be recapitulated in the local church. The church, part...

The church occupies a place of tremendous importance in the mind of Christ, and it should be extremely important in our estimation as well.

We sense its importance by the prominent space it occupies in the New Testament. Also it claimed a significant place in the ministry of the apostles. Paul, for instance, spoke of his twofold ministry - to preach the Gospel and to declare the truth of the church (Ephesians 3:8-9). The apostles spoke of...

This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.You shall no longer be termed Forsaken … but you shall be called Hephzibah [My Delight Is in Her] … for the Lord delights in you … As the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you. § He has sent Me … to comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.  I will greatly rejoice...

He is the head of the body, the church. § Head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. § We are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.A body You have prepared for Me. § Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.They were Yours, You gave them to Me. § He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world....

Do not be afraid; … I am He who lives. § Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am. We are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. § He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead. § You are complete in Him, who is the head.Inasmuch . . . as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death,...