Daily Devotions
Don't Be Ashamed of the Church!
Reading for March 8: Joshua 11-13
Weekly reading for March 4-10: Ephesians 1-6
Title: Don't Be Ashamed of the Church!
...so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.
Ephesians 3:10
It has become in vogue to label the church negatively. There's the "broken church," the "ineffective church," the "useless church." "Church" has become a bad word. The media would have you believe the church is your enemy, not a friend. The church is the problem, not a solution.
The Ephesian letter has a different view. The church was no more popular in first century world than in our own, and yet Paul is not ashamed of it. To him, the church is the wisdom of God.
It's not that the church is presented as perfect. Far from it. No rose colored glasses here. The church is glorious only because of God's grace, not because of its own work or merit. "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship..." (2:8-10)
Don't be ashamed of the church. To be ashamed of the church is to be ashamed of the One who gave his life for her. To be ashamed of the church is to be ashamed of God's work.
We are not perfect. We are forgiven. That is our boast.
Father, glorify your name in your church.
