| 1 | God before the world’s foundation |
| | | Chose the Church in Christ the Son, |
| | That the Church might share the sonship, |
| | | Holy, blameless, with Him one; |
| | That the Church be His possession |
| | | With the Spirit as the seal, |
| | Of our heritage the earnest |
| | | While His Son He does reveal. |
| 2 | To the throne Christ has ascended, |
| | | Far above all rule and power; |
| | God has made Him Head o’er all things |
| | | To the Church, His Body here. |
| | All in all He ever filleth, |
| | | And His fulness is expressed |
| | Through the Church, which is His Body |
| | | And His image manifests. |
| 3 | We, once dead in our offences, |
| | | Walking in the worldly course, |
| | Lusts of flesh and mind fulfilling, |
| | | Satan and his hosts their source, |
| | God with Christ has resurrected, |
| | | Seated in the heavenlies; |
| | We, His masterpiece, created |
| | | In Christ Jesus, Him to please. |
| 4 | Jews and Gentiles are one body- |
| | | God His myst’ry has made known- |
| | On apostles, prophets founded, |
| | | Jesus Christ the cornerstone; |
| | We in Him are built together |
| | | For God’s dwelling manifest, |
| | Fitly framed by God the Spirit |
| | | For His pleasure and His rest. |
| 5 | In eternal ages purposed |
| | | That His wisdom be made known, |
| | Was the Church, His hidden myst’ry, |
| | | Where the Son could make His home; |
| | That the saints may all in spirit |
| | | Apprehend His boundlessness, |
| | Know His love which passes knowledge, |
| | | All God’s fulness to possess. |
| 6 | One in body, hope, and Spirit, |
| | | One in faith, one Lord, the Son, |
| | One baptizing, with one Father, |
| | | That the Church may thus be one; |
| | Christ to know in all His fulness, |
| | | Unto manhood be matured, |
| | Ne’er by winds of doctrine carried, |
| | | Nor by cunning men allured. |
| |
| 7 | Many gifts the Lord has given, |
| | | That His Body He may build, |
| | That the saints may be perfected |
| | | And their ministry fulfilled. |
| | Thus we must put off the old man |
| | | That we may put on the new; |
| | Thus, renewed in mind and spirit, |
| | | We will bear God’s image true. |
| 8 | Christ in love Himself has given |
| | | That the Church be sanctified, |
| | Without blemish, spot, or wrinkle, |
| | | To become His glorious bride. |
| | He does nourish her and cherish |
| | | As a man his body treats; |
| | He and she become one body- |
| | | Thus the myst’ry very great. |
| 9 | Body, house, new man the Church is, |
| | | Bride, and temple, and yet more: |
| | She’s the army too which fighteth |
| | | All God’s foe to triumph o’er. |
| | She is clothed with all God’s armor, |
| | | In His mighty strength is strong, |
| | Standing in the Lord, resisting, |
| | | With all prayers she fighteth on. |
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