I Love the Church: Notes and Discussion

Because God delights in worship that is biblical, thoughtful and passionate—what we often call intentional—please consider the following overview of the biblical texts and doctrinal themes behind the hymn I Love the Church:

Christ’s love for the church is one of the great themes of the New Testament. The church responds to His initiating and sacrificing love is to love Him and one another, as 1 John repeatedly makes clear. In fact, love for Christ’s church is a prominent test of our genuine conversion (1 John 2:7-11; 3:11-19; 4:7-8, 11-12, 17-21; 5:1). Thus, it is fitting for the believer to testify of his love for the church as a result and expression of his love for the Lord. That’s the burden behind this new hymn. We’ve written it because “we love the church!”

Each of the six verses (and there could have been more!) focuses on one of the beautiful “pictures” the New Testament uses to describe the church, and each aims not only to rejoice in the church, but in its Head, the Lord Jesus. Verse 1 focuses on the common description of the church as a flock—bought by Christ’s blood (Acts 20:28b), sought and saved by our Lord (Luke 15:4-7; 19:10), cared for by undershepherds ordained by God (Acts 20:28a; 1 Pet 5:1-4), following our Good Shepherd (John 10:27), secure (John 10:28-29; Psalm 23:4), and satisfied with Christ (Psalm 23:1).

Verse 2 rejoices in the church’s privileged position as Christ’s bride, a truth introduced in the gospels (Mat 9:15; John 3:29; 14:3), enlarged upon in the epistles (Eph 5:25-32), and culminating in Revelation (Rev 19:7; 21:2). Christ has chosen and pursued us in spite of ourselves (as beautifully pictured with Israel in Ezek 16:6 ff), saved us by sacrificing Himself (Eph 5:25-26), and continues to cherish us (Eph 5:29).

Verse 3 meditates on the church as the family of God. Since we have been adopted by the Father (1 John 4:7-8), we are brothers and sisters in Christ (1 John 4:21). Our enmity with God and each other has been removed by Christ (Eph 2:14-19). The love lavished on us by Christ is now shared from brother to brother (John 13:34-35; 15:12; et al).

Verse 4 reflects on the chruch as Christ’s body, one of the most common pictures for it in the New Testament. The body of Christ is created by the work of the Spirit (1 Cor 12:13; Eph 4:4). Its members are intentionally distinct, yet united in Christ (1 Cor 12:12 ff). Its head is Christ (Eph 4:15; Col 1:18). The body is especially used in Scripture to describe the ministry of each member, each of whom has been gifted by God for spiritual service for the building up of the body (1 Cor 12:4-7 ff).

Verse 5 considers the Scriptures which present the church as the temple of God. God lives in the individual believer and corporate assembly, thus making us living temples (1 Cor 3:16-17; 6:19; Eph 2:22; 1 Pet 2:5). Christ himself is the church’s owner and builder (Mat 16:18), and He guarantees our triumph (Mat 16:18). The church’s foundation is solid, as it is built on the biblical revelation of apostles and prophets (Eph 2:20a) and has Christ as its cornerstone (Eph 2:20b; 1 Cor 3:11).

Verse 6 focuses on one of the key texts regarding the church’s identity and mission—1 Timothy 3:15. As the pillar and ground (or buttress) of the Truth, we are privileged both to uphold the Word and to defend it. That defense necessitates militancy (Jude 3, et al), but is carried out with the hope that God will grant those who oppose the Truth repentance (2 Tim 2:24-25).

The refrain expresses our desire that Christ alone be preeminent in the church (Col 1:18). We love Him, and as a result, we love His church!