Life in the Father's House

From the foreword by John MacArthur:

In these days, when many who profess to be Christians think only of their personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and consequently, wander freely without any consideration of their relationship with the church, it is of utmost importance to address the issue of corporate Christianity.

In salvation, God has united us not only with Christ, the Head, but also with His Body, the Local Church. The New Testament metaphors describing the church are very instructive in demonstrating the importance of this emphasis:

• A holy and royal priesthood offering spiritual sacrifices to God
• A chosen race belonging to God
• A set-apart nation whose king is the eternal God
• A temple inhabited by the Spirit of God
• A cluster of branches connected to Jesus Christ, the vine
• A flock guided by the Good Shepherd
• A house and family that shares the common life of the eternal Father
• A body of which the Lord Jesus is the Head