God’s plan for all time, is to unite everything in heaven and on earth under Jesus (Ephesians 1:10). All God’s purposes focus on Jesus, and the church is at the centre of those plans. (Which is very different to how the world sees the church!). The church is the gathering of all those who’ve been reconciled by God, and it shows God’s wisdom to the whole universe.
Jesus has given word gifts to his church (the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers), so that the church, the body of Christ, might be built. The church and its growth, and central to God’s Christ-centred plans for all time.
God’s heart is for multitudes from all nations to be saved, and part of his eternal plan. God is also concerned for everyone to grow into maturity in Christ. “Him (Jesus) we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. (Colossians 1:28).
What then matters, is that we concern ourselves with growth and change – both as individuals and as a community of faith – because this growth and change are directly connected to God’s great purpose to save more people and deepen them in what it means to live a new life in Christ. The growth of the church is then central to the glorious, Christ-centred biblical vision.
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