From the exhortations in Ephesians 6:11-18 we can see that the church is also a warrior, needing the whole armor of God to stand against the stratagems of the Devil.
In this universe a war is raging. The church must be a fighter, battling for God’s kingdom and against God’s enemy. The church is not only a man, a bride, God’s family, and His dwelling place. It is also a warrior, equipped by God to do battle against Satan and the powers of darkness under him. The troubles that happen on this earth come mainly from these evil, spiritual powers in the air. It is the church which must stand against these evil powers of darkness.
This warfare is waged not in the church’s own strength but in Christ. He Himself is the armor provided by God for us. It is up to us, however, to take up and put on the armor. Christ is the girdle for our loins, the shield to quench Satan’s flaming darts, the helmet of salvation, and the sword to slay the foe. We put on Christ, wearing Him like a garment and hiding in Him, to fight the battle for God.
The ten descriptions of the church that we have already considered—the mystery of Christ, His Body, His fullness, the new man, His bride, God’s masterpiece, God’s family, the kingdom of God, God’s dwelling place, and the warrior—are all found in Ephesians. For the last two descriptions we turn now to Galatians.
In Galatians 6:10 the church is called the household of the faith. In Paul’s completing ministry here is yet another revelation of what the church is. The household of the faith is a specific term; it means the family of the faith.
In Galatians Paul sets the law and faith in contrast. The Judaizers are people of the law, while the believers are the family of the faith. One belongs to the Old Testament, the other to the New. This term, the faith, indicates God’s New Testament economy. It is a comprehensive way of saying that what God is doing now is nothing less than dispensing Himself into His chosen people. We may say that faith is a bundle, wrapping up God’s New Testament economy.
This faith comes into us by our knowing and appreciating Christ. As we hear of Him, we begin to know Him and, correspondingly, to appreciate Him. Out of this appreciation, faith is produced within us. We thus receive Christ and have the Triune God dispensed into our being. All of this thought is included in “the faith.” We belong to this faith, not to the law. The law cannot give life; thus, it has no family. The people of the law are without life. The faith, in contrast, imparts life, even God Himself, into us. Thus, faith has a family.
We believers are the household of the begetting faith! We are the members of a family that is spread throughout the earth. This family has a name: the household of the faith. We are members of this great family of the faith—the church!
In the Old Testament God had a people to be His testimony, expressing Him. This was the nation of Israel. In the New Testament the real Israel of God is the church. “Israel of God” is the term Paul uses in Galatians 6:16.
There is today the nation of Israel. This is Israel in the flesh. It is not the real Israel. The real Israel of God today is the church. Thus there are two Israels: the one in the flesh, located in what was called Palestine, and the one in the Spirit, to which we belong. Paul tells us that as many as walk according to the rule of the new creation are the Israel of God.
Have you ever considered that you are a real Jew? If you do not realize this, you are not familiar enough with the completing ministry of Paul. Because of Galatians 6:16 I dare to say that I am a real Jew! The Jews in the land of Israel are not the real Jews. If you visit there, you will find that they do not express God at all; the situation is worldly and even sinful. That was my impression when I stayed there for some days a few years ago. Nonetheless, they are still the Israel of God, but in the flesh. We are the Israel of God in Spirit. All the blessings promised by God in the Bible are our portion because we are the church.
This wonderful church is revealed to us in Paul’s writings. He has surely completed the Word of God (Col. 1:25).