kingdom. Christ is still building His church, not by adding cement but by adding people who are the stones that hold together in Him. Paul continues in Ephesians 3:14–19, For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowl-  The Apostle Paul explains the doctrine of the church so that we might understand what God has done and so that we may understand who we are. And in calling us to understand who we are and what we’re called to do, Paul says that we’re the church. We’re the church that God ordained from the foundation of the world. We’re His people; we‘re His house- hold, so let the church be the church. We’re living in a time of crisis. Many Christians are decrying the deca- dence of American culture and complaining about the government and its vamhlue system. I understand that, but if we want to be concerned for our nation and culture, our priority must be the renewal of the church. We are the light of the world.  people in a given generation. In a real sense, our government is exactly what we want it to be, or it wouldn’t be there. Change in culture doesn’t always come from the top down. It often comes from the bottom up. The     the church becomes the fellowship of citizens of heaven who manifest what it means to be the household of Christ, and when the church walks according to the power of the Holy Spirit—then the people of God will shine as the light of the world. When people see that light, they will give  of all, let the church be the church. We must remember who we are, who the foundation is, who the cornerstone is, who the head of our building  Do we love the church? I doubt if there have been many times in our history when there has been as much anger, hostility, disappointment, and disillusionment with the institutional church as there is today. It’s hard not to be critical of the church because in many ways the church has failed us. But if the church has failed, that means we have failed. We are called to serve the church in the power of God the Holy Spirit. We, the church, have been made for this task by the indwelling pres- ence and power of God’s Spirit. Yet, we are called not so much to rise      in Ephesians 3:14, the church will be the church, and our light will pierce the darkness.


From Ligonier Ministries and R.C. Sproul. © Tabletalk magazine. Website: www. ligonier.org/tabletalk. Email: tabletalk@ligonier.org. Toll free: 1-800-435-4343.


March/April 2024


Christ is the corner- stone,


the point that


holds the foundation together.


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