What Is A Glorious Church?

[gloryseeker]

Eph 5:26-27
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, (27) That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. (KJV)

We know that the raptured church is to be a glorious one, but exactly what is a glorious church?

What are spots and what are wrinkles in a spiritual context.

What are blemishes in a spiritual context.

While I don't want to post a Bible study for a question let me make a couple of points on the glory:

1. Where we find the glory we obviously find the Presence of God.

2. According to Isaiah 60:1 - it is those who arise that the glory manifests upon (what is the arising?)

3. When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead called it, "the glory of God".

Personally, I think a glorious church has a lot deeper meaning than most assign to it - what do you think?

[Sept5SavedTeen]

A Glorious Church?! Someone else is looking for it?

Just go to Pennsylvania... gloriouschurch.com will point the way!

GOD BLESS!
Bro. Alex

[gloryseeker]

Not really interested in some buys book, more interest in the sharing of opinions

[Sept5SavedTeen]

Originally Posted by gloryseeker

Not really interested in some buys book, more interest in the sharing of opinions

I know, lol, but I would look a bit on the website and see what they're saying might be a more Bible-based model for an Apostolic church.
We do things the Bible way and we'll be a glorious Church. The Bible is the incorruptable seed that'll bring forth GOD's Church anywhere it is planted!

GOD BLESS!
Bro. Alex

[gloryseeker]

Bro. Alex, you made a couple of statements that while true bring up interesting points. You said, "We do things the Bible way and we'll be a glorious Church". While this would seem to be obviously true we have to come back to the original question.

If we can define what glorious is and then look at the present state of the church to see if matches then we can determine whether we are a glorious church.

You said, "the Bible is the incorruptible seed that will bring forth God's Church anywhere it is planted." Again, while true we need to look at what a glorious church is to see if it matches. That incorruptible seed is a seed that produces every single time. God's Word will not return to Him void, but will accomplish what it was sent to do. However, we are told that (Ps 107:20) "He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions" yet many are still sick within our midst. So either the seed is corruptible (which it's not) or we have accurately planted it.

It is safe to say that good hearted Christians are doing what they know to do to be what God desires of them. However, look at every post here. So many differing opinions and each one is stated with passion and understanding. What if, what we know is not producing what glory really is, then I would think it would be smart to take a deep look at what we know.

That glorious church is not determined by our definition of glorious, but God's definition of what glorious is.

The one gentleman posted a website to go to and it would answer all the questions of a glorious church. I went to it and in very short order took exception of some of the things being proclaimed as what a glorious church is.

Maybe I am wrong, maybe they are wrong, maybe it is someone between my interpretation of the Word and their interpretation of it. For us, we all have opinions of what God has declared. Therefore, I propose that the end results should determine if we are in line or not.

[Joelel]

Originally Posted by gloryseeker

Eph 5:26-27
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, (27) That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. (KJV)

We know that the raptured church is to be a glorious one, but exactly what is a glorious church?

What are spots and what are wrinkles in a spiritual context.

What are blemishes in a spiritual context.

While I don't want to post a Bible study for a question let me make a couple of points on the glory:

1. Where we find the glory we obviously find the Presence of God.

2. According to Isaiah 60:1 - it is those who arise that the glory manifests upon (what is the arising?)

3. When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead called it, "the glory of God".

Personally, I think a glorious church has a lot deeper meaning than most assign to it - what do you think?

A glorious church not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing;is a church without sin and will be the bride.All of the saved will not be the bride,some will only be guests.

[Digging4Truth]

Well it would seem that a good place to start would be the definition of the term "glorious" via the Lexicon.

Greek for G1741
ἔνδοξος

Transliteration
endoxos

Pronunciation
e'n-do-ksos (Key)

Part of Speech
adjective

Root Word (Etymology)
from G1722 and G1391

Outline of Biblical Usage

1) held in good or in great esteem, of high repute
a) illustrious, honourable, esteemed
b) notable, glorious
c) splendid
....1) of clothing
....2) fig., free from sins

Authorized Version (KJV) Translation Count — Total: 4
AV — glorious 2, gorgeously 1, honourable 1

So... from the context of the term a good place to begin would be the concept that this term means...

Held in good or great esteem, of high repute, illustrious, honorable, esteemed, notable, glorious, splendid etc.

[Lafon]

Originally Posted by gloryseeker

Eph 5:26-27
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, (27) That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. (KJV)

We know that the raptured church is to be a glorious one, but exactly what is a glorious church?

What are spots and what are wrinkles in a spiritual context.

What are blemishes in a spiritual context.

While I don't want to post a Bible study for a question let me make a couple of points on the glory:

1. Where we find the glory we obviously find the Presence of God.

2. According to Isaiah 60:1 - it is those who arise that the glory manifests upon (what is the arising?)

3. When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead called it, "the glory of God".

Personally, I think a glorious church has a lot deeper meaning than most assign to it - what do you think?

My initial thoughts as I read the scriptural passages quoted, centers around several key words which IMHO must be noted. These are: "sanctify," "cleanse," and "washing."

SANCTIFY, an English translation of the Greek word "hagiazo," is defined as ...to make holy, purify or consecrate.

CLEANSE, an English translation of the Greek word "katharizo," is defined as ...make clean, purge, or purify.

WASHING, an English translation of the Greek word "loutron," is defined as ...a bath [fig. baptism].

Does not Paul's use of these words in describing the church [the Bride of Christ], imply/infer that it shall contain certain things which must be eradicated so that it might attain the position/status of a "glorious" entity? Thus the important question IMHO must be this - what "impurities" (i.e., elements of false, misleading teachings/practices) prevail within the church, which it must rid itself of, so that it will become that "glorious" Bride of Christ?

Did not Paul also address this very same thing within his words of I Corinthians 11:19, when he penned these words: "For there MUST be also HERESIES among you..."? What would cause Paul to make such a profound statement? For the answer I believe one must examine something that Jesus also stated regarding this same thing: "Woe unto the world because of offences! For it MUST needs be that offences come; but woe to that man through whom the offence cometh!" (Matt. 18:7)

What is an "offence"? We find that this word derives from the Greek words "skandalon" and "skandalizo," meaning ...a snare, trap, enticement to sin, apostasy, stumblingblock [or, in other words, "heresy"].

Thus we discover that the presence of these things within the church, which effectively serve to prevent it from being the "glorious" entity which God intends for it to be (i.e., the Bride of Christ), are nothing more, or less, than certain elements of "heretical" teachings/practices in its midst, all of which must be eradicated ("cleansed") through the application of the sound precepts that are found recorded within the pages of the sacred Writ. Only when we have exerted our best efforts to be successful in this regards, can we ever hope to attain the cherished status of being a "glorious" church [at least that is my view of this matter].

[gloryseeker]

Good post Lafon,

You bring up three good points:

SANCTIFY, an English translation of the Greek word "hagiazo," is defined as ...to make holy, purify or consecrate.

CLEANSE, an English translation of the Greek word "katharizo," is defined as ...make clean, purge, or purify.

WASHING, an English translation of the Greek word "loutron," is defined as ...a bath [fig. baptism].

Going back to the original scripture we find that the church is a "glorious church without spot or wrinkle." I would submit that you addressed the "spots" and "wrinkles" and not the "glorious"

I do not read this scripture as, "A church without spots or wrinkles is a glorious church", but that the church Christ is coming back for is "glorious" and is without "spots" or "wrinkles".

A manifestation of the glory is not the absence of sin. There are many Christians who don't live a sinful life, but they also don't live a life that resembles Christ. You can not sin and still not be victorious.

So I come back to what is "glorious"?

I would submit, based on Isaiah 60, that part of the glorious part is as follows:


Isa 60:1-6
1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.
2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.
3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
4 Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side.
5 Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.
6 The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the LORD. (KJV)

very quickly..some results of the glory of God:

1. It is seen - when someone looks at you they see the Presence of God on you.

2. The Presence of God on you will cause the unbeliever [gentile] to come to you

3. Kings [governments] will come to you seeking counsel and wisdom

4. Families will be brought together

5. The glorious church is in unity flowing together, submitted one to another under one of the Eph 4 ministry gifts.

6. What will take place because of you will be so profound that your heart will beat excitedly with anticipation.

7. Abundance of the sea [wealth of the multitudes] shall flow to you...success and prosperity comes to you.

8. forces [wealth] of the unbeliever flows to those manifesting the glory

9. Multitudes will come to see bringing valuable gifts.

Now, virtually none of that represents the church today. I could expound with other scriptures on the glory also. My conclusion...the Lord can't return at this time because His people have not prepared the way.

How have we not prepared the way...we're not glorious, we're religious. We are too interested in fighting over our doctrines than manifesting the glory, power, and love of Christ.

This is my opinion