Bible Study Course: Lesson 10 - What Is the Church?
God's Church Is Like a Loving Mother
The Scriptures describe the characteristics that set apart God's Church as
unlike any other. Part of its uniqueness comes from the unconditional love of
God present in its members: "By this all will know that you are My disciples,
if you have lovefor one another" (John 13:35).
God's love is like a mother's love for her children, but God's love goes much
deeper. God's true Church conducts herself as a caring mother toward her children.
Old Testament Israel was thought of as a mother and her citizens as her children.
The Bible uses the term mother to illustrate the love of God for His sons and
daughters (2 Corinthians 6:18). "As one whom his mother comforts, so I
will comfort you ..." (Isaiah 66:13). Describing the way he and other elders
had served the Church, Paul wrote, "But we were gentle among you, just
as a nursing mother cherishes her own children" (1 Thessalonians 2:7).
Paul symbolically characterized the Church of God as a mother (Galatians 4:26).
In Revelation 19:7 the Church is seen as the betrothed bride of Christ. Clearly
God, through His merciful, loving instructions, has provided His children with
a nurturing environment through the Church.
The Church of God has the caring characteristics of a loving mother. A mother
has an innate desire to nurture and protect. However, those nurturing and protective
abilities are limited by the fact that she is human, made of flesh. Members
of the Church of God know and understand, however, that God is the source of
the Church's spiritual love. The apostle John equates God with love: "For
God is love" (1 John 4:8). He defines what God's love is: "For this
is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are
not burdensome" (1 John 5:3).
The Ten Commandments, recorded in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5, summarize how
we are to love God and our fellowman. Jesus distilled them into two great commandments:
"'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul,
and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second
is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself'" (Matthew 22:37-39).
These two great commandments embody the love of God. They are exercised in an
outgoing and protective way. Members of the Church of God strive to practice
this godly love.
The Church's members follow the example set by their Savior, Jesus Christ
(Matthew 5:38-48). They are concerned with two great priorities: placing God
first in their lives and loving their neighbor as they do their own lives (Matthew
22:36-40). Though not perfect, members of the Church of God live by and reflect
the love of the Eternal God. They teach the love of God—His outgoing concern
for others—embodied within the gospel of Christ.
We eagerly await the time when all human beings will experience the love of
God in this way. Until that day, the day God's Kingdom comes to earth, we encourage
and welcome you to share with us the love of God as expressed by and in His
Church.
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