Christ and the Church.

From: Crumbs for the Lord's Little Ones: Volume 5 (1857)

By: Hugh Henry Snell

WHEN first, in counsel deep, Eph. 1:4⁴According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: (Ephesians 1:4).

The Church was brought to view

In God’s eternal mind, Eph. 3:11¹¹According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: (Ephesians 3:11)

Though none His purpose knew,

The Father gave her to the Son, John 17:2, 5²As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. (John 17:2)
⁵And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. (John 17:5)

And He betrothed her for His own.

But when, in after days,

She brake His holy word, Rom. 5:12¹²Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (Romans 5:12)

And treacherously untrue,

Departed from the Lord;

He brought her back, though hell withstood, Rev. 1:5⁵And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, (Revelation 1:5).

Wash’d from her sins in His own blood.

Part of that Church are we, 1 John 5:50

Whom He did thus redeem, Eph. 1:7⁷In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; (Ephesians 1:7)

Learning by daily proof, 1 John 1:7, 9⁷But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)
⁹If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9).

Our daily need of Him; 1 Pet. 2:4⁴To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, (1 Peter 2:4).

Taught by the Spirit to confess

Jesus our only Righteousness. 1 Cor. 1:30³⁰But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: (1 Corinthians 1:30).

Yea more, to crown the whole,

His gracious plan to prove,

Our union ‘s found in Christ,

Nor earth nor hell can move; Rom. 8:39³⁹Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:39).

One Spirit with the Lord this proves,

In loving us, Himself He loves. 1 Cor. 7:12¹²But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. (1 Corinthians 7:12).

Nor can He cease to love, John 13:1¹Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. (John 13:1)

For His own precept is,

“Ye husbands, love your wives;”

And will not Christ love His? Rev. 22:9⁹Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God. (Revelation 22:9).

Will He not cherish and refresh Eph. 5:29²⁹For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: (Ephesians 5:29).

Bone of His bone, flesh of His flesh?

O yes! Christ loves the Church, Eph. 5:25²⁵Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; (Ephesians 5:25)

‘Tis her He lives to bless; Heb. 8:25

He cannot love her more, John 15:13¹³Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13)

Nor will He love her less; Heb. 8:8⁸For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: (Hebrews 8:8)

Fair in His sight, cleans’d by His word, Eph. 5:26, 27²⁶That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, ²⁷That 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. (Ephesians 5:26‑27).

A Bride adorn’d meet for her Lord. Rev. 19:7⁷Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. (Revelation 19:7)

Click here to show subject links in the text for more information.

Crumbs for the Lord's Little Ones: Volume 5 (1857)

• Green Pastures.

• Religious Hypocrite., The

• Epistle to the Galatians., The

• Members of the Body., The

• Fellowship.

• Bethel.

• Fellowship.

• Epistle to the Galatians., The

• Fellowship.

• Thought on Daniel 2., A

• Christ and the Church.

• Epistle to the Galatians., The

• Decision.

• Jesus Among Little Children.

• "Enoch Walked With God."

• Epistle to the Galatians., The

• Colossians 3.

• Truth.

• Shepherd and the Flock., The

• Decision.

• Marriage of the Lamb., The

• Our Calling.

• Notes on 1 Peter 2:9.

• Blood., The

• Trial.

• Remarks on 2 Corinthians 4.