The Glorious Church – God’s Manifold Wisdom in His Eternal Purpose
Introduction. Many today see the church as something that can be molded and modified to fit the needs of each generation. “Better ideas(?)” than those revealed in Scripture have created hundreds of new churches reflecting the wisdom of each new visionary. Many flock to these churches because it more closely fits their own ideas of what a church should be or what a church should do.
Yet these current attitudes found in this world are vastly different than what is seen from heaven. Just as the material creation reflects God’s “eternal power and divine nature” to those with the faith to see it (Rom. 1:20), the church was foreordained in eternity to reveal God’s “manifold wisdom” to those with enough faith to see it. In this respect, it is His greatest masterpiece, far greater than anything in the material creation. It is perfect! There is nothing in the church that needs to be changed or modified because it reflects the greatest aspects of God’s wisdom.
There are some amazing revelations in this verse. The church was an essential part of God’s “eternal purpose.” Everything Jesus accomplished on the cross revealed God’s manifold wisdom through the church, not just to us, but to those who “rule and have authority” in heaven. As the angels look at the church, they feel amazement and awe. It reveals God’s wisdom so fully that it is called “manifold” wisdom. This word means “many-sides,” “multifaceted” or “many colors.”
When God created the rainbow, He revealed the manifold nature of light. With a rainbow or a diamond, amazing yet hidden qualities of light are seen. Light is not a single color but the blending of all colors! The church was designed to do the same thing with God’s wisdom. No matter which way they examine the church, angels see it is flawless in its perfection. It is an insult to God’s wisdom for any man to seek to “improve” it. The truth is we cannot understand all the parts of the church. It combines into one the spiritual with the material and the eternal with the temporary. The thing we think needs to be changed may have an eternal significance we can’t see. How can we improve “the sanctuary and the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man”? (Heb. 8:2).
By God’s decree only the church is the “body of Christ” (Eph. 1:22-23), the “house of God,” (1Tim. 3:15), the “kingdom of God” (Col. 1:13-18), and those who are “in Christ” (Eph 3:21). Made up of “living stones,” it is “a holy temple where God dwells” and where “Jesus Christ Himself is the chief cornerstone.” (Eph. 2:19-22; 1Pet. 2:1-9). It is now “the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation” (Heb. 9:11). It is also the only place on earth where true fellowship with God can exist where God is our Father and we are His children. Only those in “the church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven” are in the spiritual presence of “Mount Zion,” “heavenly Jerusalem,” “angels,” “God,” and “Jesus.”
This church is “the house of God, which is the church of the living God.” It is the pillar and ground of the truth.” (1Tim. 3:15). God planned this church to reveal His flawless and perfect wisdom until the end of this age. There is nothing in today’s modern world that God did not foresee and prepare for! Those who see the church as old, outdated, or needing renovation overlook these truths. Consider the folly of thinking that God, who can see the end from the beginning, put something into the church that would become outdated and need man’s wisdom to bring back to perfection. The lack of faith and reverence in such a thought should be obvious to all.
As each new generation seeks God, they must use Scripture to create as exact a replica of this church as is possible. Jesus will always be “the head over all things in the church which is His body.” Before returning to the right hand of God, He revealed His authority would continue to the end of this age: “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” He used this authority to command His apostles to “make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them” and “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.” All future disciples are also under His command and authority. Until the end of this age, this will not change. If we become His disciple on His terms, His promise will be fulfilled: “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Mt. 28:18-20; Eph. 1:22-23). Since only those observing ALL His commands are His true disciples, those who set aside His commands and replacing them with their own wisdom are not His disciples. (Jn. 8:32).
Any modifications or additions are an insult to God’s intelligence and wisdom. Those who believe that God’s wisdom has grown old and needs man’s help to fix it do not believe in God’s foresight and foreknowledge. Such rebellion and lack of faith has never been rewarded and never will be! Nadab and Abihu only changed one thing. They did not gather their coals of fire from the altar. God struck them dead as an example to all future generations. His words still ring true today: “By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; And before all the people I must be glorified.” (Lev. 10:1-3). How much glory and honor does God receive when we change His will and His commands to better suit our own desires? Isn’t that exactly what Eve did? (2Cor. 11:3-4).
Regardless of the reasons, those who refuse to remain in “the teachings of Christ do not have God.” Those who “teach as doctrine the commands of men, worship in vain.” (Mt. 15:7-14; 2Jn. 9-11). So everyone stands at the same fork in the road. Those who “trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding” joyfully accept and submit to all that God has revealed. They are humble and submissive and never question what God has revealed. (Pr. 3:5-6).
Those who lean on their own understanding, thinking the Scriptures are outdated have fallen into the trap God set for the proud and arrogant who will place their own wisdom above God’s. The Holy Spirit told those in Corinth about it. “You see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.” His explanation should strike fear into the hearts of all. God has placed “foolish” things into the church to test us! They are only foolish in the eyes of the world, so if we find anything in the Scriptures that seems foolish, it is only because we are still allowing the world to influence us. Instead of changing God’s word we need to change our attitude. Each generation will have its own attitudes that make God’s word look foolish, weak, base (lowly and insignificant), or despised.
Conclusion. There is nothing God wants or needs from sinful men but humble faith and obedience. He seeks humility, awe and a reverence that fears to change even a jot or a tittle. Those today who change anything in His will have fallen into the same trap that ensnared King Saul.
Yet these current attitudes found in this world are vastly different than what is seen from heaven. Just as the material creation reflects God’s “eternal power and divine nature” to those with the faith to see it (Rom. 1:20), the church was foreordained in eternity to reveal God’s “manifold wisdom” to those with enough faith to see it. In this respect, it is His greatest masterpiece, far greater than anything in the material creation. It is perfect! There is nothing in the church that needs to be changed or modified because it reflects the greatest aspects of God’s wisdom.
- so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, (Eph. 3:10-11)
There are some amazing revelations in this verse. The church was an essential part of God’s “eternal purpose.” Everything Jesus accomplished on the cross revealed God’s manifold wisdom through the church, not just to us, but to those who “rule and have authority” in heaven. As the angels look at the church, they feel amazement and awe. It reveals God’s wisdom so fully that it is called “manifold” wisdom. This word means “many-sides,” “multifaceted” or “many colors.”
When God created the rainbow, He revealed the manifold nature of light. With a rainbow or a diamond, amazing yet hidden qualities of light are seen. Light is not a single color but the blending of all colors! The church was designed to do the same thing with God’s wisdom. No matter which way they examine the church, angels see it is flawless in its perfection. It is an insult to God’s wisdom for any man to seek to “improve” it. The truth is we cannot understand all the parts of the church. It combines into one the spiritual with the material and the eternal with the temporary. The thing we think needs to be changed may have an eternal significance we can’t see. How can we improve “the sanctuary and the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man”? (Heb. 8:2).
By God’s decree only the church is the “body of Christ” (Eph. 1:22-23), the “house of God,” (1Tim. 3:15), the “kingdom of God” (Col. 1:13-18), and those who are “in Christ” (Eph 3:21). Made up of “living stones,” it is “a holy temple where God dwells” and where “Jesus Christ Himself is the chief cornerstone.” (Eph. 2:19-22; 1Pet. 2:1-9). It is now “the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation” (Heb. 9:11). It is also the only place on earth where true fellowship with God can exist where God is our Father and we are His children. Only those in “the church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven” are in the spiritual presence of “Mount Zion,” “heavenly Jerusalem,” “angels,” “God,” and “Jesus.”
- But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant (Heb. 12:22-23).
This church is “the house of God, which is the church of the living God.” It is the pillar and ground of the truth.” (1Tim. 3:15). God planned this church to reveal His flawless and perfect wisdom until the end of this age. There is nothing in today’s modern world that God did not foresee and prepare for! Those who see the church as old, outdated, or needing renovation overlook these truths. Consider the folly of thinking that God, who can see the end from the beginning, put something into the church that would become outdated and need man’s wisdom to bring back to perfection. The lack of faith and reverence in such a thought should be obvious to all.
As each new generation seeks God, they must use Scripture to create as exact a replica of this church as is possible. Jesus will always be “the head over all things in the church which is His body.” Before returning to the right hand of God, He revealed His authority would continue to the end of this age: “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” He used this authority to command His apostles to “make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them” and “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.” All future disciples are also under His command and authority. Until the end of this age, this will not change. If we become His disciple on His terms, His promise will be fulfilled: “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Mt. 28:18-20; Eph. 1:22-23). Since only those observing ALL His commands are His true disciples, those who set aside His commands and replacing them with their own wisdom are not His disciples. (Jn. 8:32).
Any modifications or additions are an insult to God’s intelligence and wisdom. Those who believe that God’s wisdom has grown old and needs man’s help to fix it do not believe in God’s foresight and foreknowledge. Such rebellion and lack of faith has never been rewarded and never will be! Nadab and Abihu only changed one thing. They did not gather their coals of fire from the altar. God struck them dead as an example to all future generations. His words still ring true today: “By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; And before all the people I must be glorified.” (Lev. 10:1-3). How much glory and honor does God receive when we change His will and His commands to better suit our own desires? Isn’t that exactly what Eve did? (2Cor. 11:3-4).
Regardless of the reasons, those who refuse to remain in “the teachings of Christ do not have God.” Those who “teach as doctrine the commands of men, worship in vain.” (Mt. 15:7-14; 2Jn. 9-11). So everyone stands at the same fork in the road. Those who “trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding” joyfully accept and submit to all that God has revealed. They are humble and submissive and never question what God has revealed. (Pr. 3:5-6).
Those who lean on their own understanding, thinking the Scriptures are outdated have fallen into the trap God set for the proud and arrogant who will place their own wisdom above God’s. The Holy Spirit told those in Corinth about it. “You see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.” His explanation should strike fear into the hearts of all. God has placed “foolish” things into the church to test us! They are only foolish in the eyes of the world, so if we find anything in the Scriptures that seems foolish, it is only because we are still allowing the world to influence us. Instead of changing God’s word we need to change our attitude. Each generation will have its own attitudes that make God’s word look foolish, weak, base (lowly and insignificant), or despised.
- “God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence.” (1 Cor 1:26-31)
Conclusion. There is nothing God wants or needs from sinful men but humble faith and obedience. He seeks humility, awe and a reverence that fears to change even a jot or a tittle. Those today who change anything in His will have fallen into the same trap that ensnared King Saul.
- Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king." (1Sam. 15:22-23)
- "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' 23 And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' (Mt. 7:21-23).