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824 |
The Church is Christ's own Body,
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| 1. | The Church is Christ's own Body, |
| | The Father's dwelling-place, |
| | The gathering of the called ones, |
| | God blended with man's race; |
| | Elect before creation, |
| | Redeemed by Calv'ry's death, |
| | Her character and standing |
| | Of heaven, not of earth. |
| 2. | New man of new creation, |
| | Born through her risen Lord, |
| | Baptized in God the Spirit, |
| | Made holy in His Word; |
| | Christ is her life and content, |
| | Himself her glorious Head; |
| | She has ascended with Him |
| | O'er all her foes to tread. |
| 3. | Christ is her one foundation, |
| | None other man may lay; |
| | All that she has, as Christ, is |
| | Divine in every way; |
| | Her members through the Spirit |
| | Their death on Calv'ry own; |
| | They're built in resurrection- |
| | Gold, silver, precious stone. |
| 4. | One God, one Lord one Spirit- |
| | Her elements all one- |
| | One faith, one hope, one baptism, |
| | One Body in the Son; |
| | The triune God is in her, |
| | One Body members own, |
| | By faith they are united, |
| | In hope of glory shown. |
| 5. | From every tribe and nation |
| | Do all the members come, |
| | Regardless of their classes |
| | United to be one. |
| | No high, there is, nor lowly, |
| | No Jew, nor Gentile clan, |
| | No free, nor slave, nor master, |
| | But Christ, the "one new man." |
| 6. | One Body universal, |
| | One in each place expressed; |
| | Locality of dwelling |
| | Her only ground possessed; |
| | Administration local, |
| | Each answ'ring to the Lord; |
| | Communion universal, |
| | Upheld in one accord. |
| 7. | Her local gathering model |
| | The New Jerusalem; |
| | Its aspects and its details |
| | Must show in all of them. |
| | Christ is the Lamp that shineth, |
| | With God within, the Light; |
| | They are the lampstands bearing |
| | His glorious Image bright. |