At Calvary, looking beyond the cross, Jesus endured the physical and spiritual agony for one great purpose—“the joy that was set before him.” (Hebrews 12:2) He saw salvation for sin-ruined humanity; He saw victory over satan and death; He saw heaven inhabited forever by the redeemed. Above all else, He saw the church.

“Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” (Ephesians 5:25-27 NIV) From Calvary, He knew, would come His bride: bone of His bone and flesh of His flesh; she would be the vessel of the plan of God on earth as He had been.

Consider the incomparable scope of the church’s calling, the breadth of what God has planned:

• It is His intent “that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Ephesians 3:10, 11 NIV)
• The church is the fullness of Christ—“the fullness of him that filleth all in all.” (Ephesians 1:23)
• The church will be God’s eternal habitation: “In him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:22 NIV)
• And, the church is the bride of Christ. She will be joined to Him eternally when He returns to earth. (Revelation 19:7)

This is a brief look at the church as revealed in the New Testament. It is written with the hope that those who read may catch the vision of the church as Christ will have it to be.