The Church's One Foundation

1 

The church's one foundation is Jesus Christ, her Lord;

she is His new creation, by water and the word.

From heav'n He came and sought her to be His holy bride;

with His own blood He bought her, and for her life He died.

2 

Elect from every nation, yet one o'er 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 endued.

3 

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, "How long?"

and soon the night of weeping shall be the morn of song!

4 

The church shall never perish! Her dear Lord to defend,

to guide, sustain, and cherish, is with her to the end;

though there be those that hate her, and false sons in her pale,

against the foe or traitor she ever shall prevail.

5 

'Mid 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 rest.

6 

Yet she on earth hath union with God the Three in One,

and mystic sweet communion with those whose rest is won;

O happy ones and holy! Lord give us grace that we,

like them, the meek and lowly, on high may dwell with Thee.

Author: S. J. Stone

Colossians 1:18

And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

Ephesians 3:21

Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Ephesians 2:19-22

Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 3:11

For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.