So far, the hymns featured in this series have followed the annual seasons. This installment, therefore, calls for a fall-related hymn.<\/p>\n
But the theme of this BA issue compels deviation, providing an opportunity to highlight Samuel Stone\u2019s classic \u201cThe Church\u2019s One Foundation.\u201d It is one of twelve hymns published by the English clergyman in 1866, aimed at capturing rich doctrinal truths in simple devotional language. Of the twelve, it is by far the most widely sung. A bishop once noted that he could always count on two things when dedicating a new church: fried chicken and \u201cThe Church\u2019s One Foundation.\u201d<\/p>\n
A version of it even made it into our CoG7 Worship in Song<\/em> hymnal (#7). Pause and read it. What wondrous love this is!<\/p>\n The observation that there\u2019s nothing a man will not do for his bride when his heart is captured by her love, finds its ultimate expression in Christ\u2019s love for His bride, the church. Stone writes, \u201cWith His own blood He bought her\/And for her life He died.\u201d No groom has ever paid so high a dowry!<\/p>\n Jesus is therefore the church\u2019s one foundation \u2014 her most important understructure (Ephesians 1:22; 5:23). The church is His \u201cnew creation\u201d (2 Corinthians 5:17) by the \u201cwashing of water by the word\u201d (Ephesians 5:26).<\/p>\n The operative word in the church\u2019s charter is one<\/em>: \u201cone Lord, one faith, one birth\u201d (see Ephesians 4:5). So even when she isn\u2019t acting like it, when \u201cBy schisms rent asunder\/By heresies distressed,\u201d the church is<\/em> one. The call to oneness is thus a call to become what the church already is, to match belief and behavior, position and practice.<\/p>\n United, she is strengthened for the \u201ctoil and tribulation\u201d that mark her history, fortified against those who would silence her voice, put out her light. The darker the night, the brighter her light shines, for \u201cThe blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.\u201d<\/p>\n Stone\u2019s core message is Jesus\u2019 passion for His bride; she means everything to Him. Soon He will \u201cpresent her to Himself, a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle . . .\u201d (5:27). Meanwhile, awaiting her consummation, we protect her purity, preserve her beauty. She\u2019s pure and beautiful when we are one.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Church\u2019s one foundation\/Is Jesus Christ her Lord;\/She is His new creation\/By water and the word:\/With all His heart He sought her\/To be His holy bride;\/With His own blood He bought her\/And for her life He\u00a0died.<\/strong><\/p>\n Elect from every nation,\/Yet one o\u2019er all the earth,\/Her charter of salvation,\/One Lord, one faith, one birth;\/One holy name she blesses,\/Partakes one holy food,\/And to one hope she presses,\/With every grace\u00a0endued.<\/strong><\/p>\n Though with a scornful wonder\/Men see her sore oppressed,\/By schisms rent asunder,\/By heresies distressed:\/Yet saints their watch are keeping,\/Their cry goes up, \u201cHow long?\u201d\/And soon the night of weeping\/Shall be the morn of\u00a0song!<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2018Mid toil and tribulation,\/And tumult of her war,\/She waits the consummation\/Of peace forevermore;\/Till, with the vision glorious,\/Her longing eyes are blest,\/And the great Church victorious\/Shall be the Church at\u00a0rest.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" So far, the hymns featured in this series have followed the annual seasons. This installment, therefore, calls for a fall-related hymn. But the theme of this BA issue compels deviation, providing an opportunity to highlight Samuel Stone\u2019s classic \u201cThe Church\u2019s One Foundation.\u201d It is one of twelve hymns published by the English clergyman in 1866, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":159,"featured_media":3383,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"sync_status":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","castos_file_data":"","podmotor_file_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n