Purchased With Blood

"Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood."  Acts 20:28.  Blood is so important to the Christian.  With blood, our redemption has been secured.  With blood, the church has been purchased.  The blood with which the church was purchased and redemption was secured was the blood of Christ.  The blood was shed upon the cross.  Christ gave Himself for the church.  And because there was such a tremendous price that was paid for the church, the church is important to the redemption of fallen humanity.  Without the church, there is no redemption for the redeemed are the church.  Christ and the church are bound by an inseparable union.  The church is not just a concept of the mind, but a bold declaration of God's love for humanity. The church is not just an address where people assemble together for worship, but rather the church is those who have washed their souls white in the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ.  The church belongs to Christ as His pure bride.  Christ reigns over the church as His purchased possession.  As the church, we honor and glorify His name.  As the redeemed, we are the church.