ah, the church, how we hate her, but god, how he loves her

on God's union with the Church. We read about Israel's whorish acts throughout the Old Testament. We read about the atrocities of the Church in history books. We experience our own failed expectations in the Church while seeing leaders fall and corruption run rampant. I've heard so often it said by Christians that they hate the church. -are they so much better? Christ came to save his church. If you aren't willing to admit that you are just as sinful as everyone else in the church, then question whether you belong beside her when Christ comes for her. You can't be beside her, you must join her or stay behind. The church is not full of hypocrites and scoundrels and corruption and sinners and vileness and prejudice and bigots and judgmental, self-righteous jerks. It isn't full, I mean; you can still join us. There's room.
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Though no local church is perfect, and the universal Church often looks more like a cheating spouse than a faithful bride, I identify myself with this bungling bunch of believers. The church is home. The church is God’s beloved. The church has been bought with precious blood.

Though the presence of the Kingdom is not as intensely felt in the church as I would like, it is the sign of the Kingdom in this age, faults and all. And if Jesus is content to give his life for an unruly Church, I must find satisfaction in serving his church with all my heart and soul. Because he died for her, I live for her. - Trevin Wax  © 2007 Kingdom People blog