Mere Missions

T he C hurch : E quip • 145

has been believed everywhere, always, by all” (Vincent of Lerins, fifth-century monk). 4. The Church is the sign of God’s covenant faithfulness. The Bible is the story of the one true God, redeeming (Titus 2.14) and reconciling (2 Cor. 5.17) His enemies (Rom. 5.10) to Himself because of His abounding love, grace and mercy. Through the willful disobedience of our first parents the rebellion began. The world and all who would dwell upon it, were cursed and corrupted leading to the only inevitable outcome – separation, death, pain and sorrow. None could escape. All would be bound and shackled in a spiritual domain of darkness with no hope. God, in His great love and mercy though, made a covenant promise in the presence of these two convicted rebels and the Serpent, that Satanic deceiver (Gen. 3.15). From that moment on God announced and began to initiate His liberation plan. At the appointed time He would send His anointed authorized person to usher in the dawn of a new age of God’s redemptive rule and reign (Gal. 4.4-6). Jesus of Nazareth, born of the Virgin Mary, was the person of the covenant promise from the Garden of Eden. He entered into the spiritual war announcing, “The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the Gospel” (Mark 1.15). It was the beginning of the end. All those who would turn and believe in this Gospel of Jesus would form God’s new Kingdom Society of the “called out ones” – the Church. The Church is the sign of God’s covenant faithfulness announced in the Garden of Eden. 5. The Church is the foretaste of God’s kingdom blessing. God is good (Ps. 145.9) and the giver of every perfect gift (James 1.17). Though we have not yet experienced the fullness of God’s kingdom blessings we do experience a