Will God Ever Have a Perfect Church?

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

An important question is being asked: Is it possible that God will ever have on earth a perfect church? Not just one tiny little congregation out in the backwoods somewhere far away from civilization where its members will be isolated and insulated from the devil's temptations, where there's no TV, no malls, no radio even. No, that would not be a fair test. The question is: Can God ever have a perfect worldwide church--in the world but not of the world--out in the midst of all the evil that the devil can produce?

The question itself is controversial with many saying a decided No. "Nobody is perfect, so how can God ever have a perfect church?" If we let Paul's words mean what they say, the answer becomes Yes! He says Christ "gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar [unusual] people, eager to do good" (Titus 2:14). The word "peculiar" doesn't mean outlandish, but they stand out, different, unique.

Then there is Ephesians 5:25-27: Christ "gave Himself" with the purpose in view of having "a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing." The word "church" doesn't mean some tiny little group of fanatics out in the woods. And there is in Ephesians 5 the idea that this church is to be the Bride of Christ. In fact, the expression "without spot" is quoted from the Song of Solomon 4:7, again speaking of the Bride of Christ at last ready for the wedding. (You never saw a wedding where the bride's dress was dirty, have you?) Christ will not marry some super-woman; but the corporate body of His people are brought to view in Revelation 14:1-5, 12, 15, 16 as a church in whose "mouth there is no guile, for they are without fault before the throne of God." And they finally surface again in 19:7, 8 where the Bride is seen as at last "making herself ready."

But back again to the objection: "Nobody's perfect." Granted; but the fact that there never has been a church as yet "ready" to be the Bride of Christ doesn't mean that it's impossible or that it will never happen. It won't be a "works program" or ecclesiastical promotion that accomplishes Christ's purpose. It will be a "faith trip," something to do with that phrase: "Christ gave Himself."

Here at last will be a group of people who in a corporate, united sense have grown up out of their childish understanding to grasp "the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, and to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge," that led Him to "give Himself" for us (see Eph 3:18, 19). Let's start growing up today!

From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: November 23, 1999.

Copyright © 2011 by Robert J. Wieland.

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