ONE BODY

(AUGUST)

ONE BODY 

Jesus said, “I will build my church” (Matthew 16:18) and He did.  That church is “his body,” Colossians 1:24.  Just as my body has but one head, so does the body of Christ, Ephesians 1:22, 23, “And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.”  One church, the body of Christ; one head of the church,  Jesus Christ.

The things set forth in the preceding paragraph describe  the church demanded by the word of God.  They are not things you will see as you view the world today.  There are people calling themselves heads of the church.   There are, literally, hundreds of churches calling themselves the body of Christ.  The tragedy of this is that thousands of people have been deluded and placed in harm’s way, as far as their hope of heaven is concerned.

What is the solution?   First, Jesus warned that “every  plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up” (Matthew 15:13).  So, the choices we make in determining spiritual affiliations are sobering, calling for Bible study and thoughtful conclusions. 

Then, God has spoken “by his Son” (Hebrews 1:2) and He, having been given “all authority” (Matthew 28:18), is the one to whom we should go.

Before we begin examining the things characterizing the church, we need to look at the ways the word “church” is used in the Bible.  It is used in a local sense; Romans 16: 16 for example: “the churches of Christ salute you.”   Other examples of “church” in the local sense would include the seven churches of Asia, Revelation 2, 3.  In the local sense churches have responsibilities of work assigned (Acts 13:1-3), organization (Acts 14:23),  gathering together for worship, (Acts 20:7), and to encourage one another, (Hebrews 10:24, 25). 

Jesus said, “I will build my church” (Matthew 16:18), and it is populated by all who obey Him.  As the local church is composed of Christians, so the church in the universal sense is, likewise, composed of Christians.  The church universal is NOT composed of local churches, but of Christians.  So, “the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved’’ Acts 2:47.  

When , now, we talk about the one body, we are speaking, not of local churches of Christ, but of “the one body”, the “household of God, which is the church of the living God” (I Timothy 3:15).

Looking around, we see places of worship, “churches”, big and small.   They have names honoring their makers (Lutheran) or some belief or practice (Baptist) or their organization (Methodist); the list could be extended by scores with no duplication.   But Jesus said, “my church”; how can men arrogantly say, “no, our church”?  Or, be so indifferent to or ignorant of Jesus’ sacrifice to purchase the church as to say, “Go to the church of your choice!”  The word of God speaks of “one body” (Ephesians 4:4); and that leaves room for no other body, or church.

       More than that, we are NOT talking about a denomination. 

Denominations are creations of human wisdom, not of God.

They involve churches of like beliefs who join together and allow

themselves to be led by some central organization, which, for

example, involves the arrangement of leadership in the

churches; and in usurping the authority of Jesus at their

pleasure.

On the mount of transfiguration, the Father said “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him” (Matthew 17:5).  Listen to him.  Jesus is the head of the body.  A body is controlled by its head.  My body walks and talks as I, the head of that body, dictate.  If a body walks etc. as someone else dictates, the immediate conclusion is, that is not my body; my body submits to my head. 

That conclusion easily transfers to the spiritual realm: Jesus is the head of the body, the church (Ephesians 1:22, 23).  If there is a “body” acting independently of the instruction of Jesus, it must not be the body of Jesus, not his church.  Keeping these things in mind, let us consider what the Head of the body, the church, expects of us.

As to CREEDS -- He expects us to recognize His Lordship.  In a stressful time, abandoned by some of his disciples, He “said to the Twelve, Do you want to go away as well?   Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go?   You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:66-68). 

      Jesus’ words suffice; he promised that the Holy Spirit would “teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” – the key word there is “all” – all things – all I have said to you.  The possession of “all things” from the Holy Spirit means there is no place for anything more – no human creed, manual, “discipline”, apostles of Christ or pope.  

     The outcome is seen in the language of Paul, who told Timothy that Scripture inspired by God is profitable to make the man of God “complete …equipped for every good work, II Timothy 3:16, 17. 

“Complete,” the Bible excludes all human creeds.

So, the teaching of Jesus excludes all latter day revelations, no matter who claims to have them.   “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8).

  What Christians are to believe and practice is the teaching of Christ: “Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God” II John 9.  

The ORGANIZATION of the “one body” needs to be considered.  The Bible tells us Jesus is “head over all things to the church,” Ephesians 1:22; and this is all that the Bible tells us about the one body and organization.  This silence does not deter the wisdom of men.  Denominational organizations abound, composed of  local churches, or between local churches and an earthly headquarter.   As we speak of ”one body”, we are NOT talking about a denomination.    

Denominations are creations of human wisdom, not of God.  They involve churches of a certain stripe who join together and allow themselves to be led around by some central, human organization. which in some instances involves the selection of their preachers and the length of their stay; and other like things as their wisdom demands it.

 The preaching of denominational churches is determined by the denomination, and as such is subject to change as social views sway it.  There is “one body;” it is not a denomination.

The MISSION of the one body is revealed, contrary to human wisdom also.  Denominational churches and preachers have been frightened by “modern science” (?) into questioning the reality of the supernatural and the deity of Jesus.  As a result they have accepted the social gospel which looks at the mission of the church as making the world better by their works, rather than by the preaching of the gospel, God’s power to save. 

Jesus, dead then alive, was “declared to be the Son of God … by his resurrection from the dead” (Romans 1:4).  His mission, and therefore the mission of His church, was “to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10).  He healed folk; but they could get sick again.  He raised Lazarus from the dead; but he died again.  Jesus’ work was not to make the world a better place – but to cause belief.  John wrote, “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:30, 31).  The miracles Jesus and his apostles did were to show He was divine.
          Finally, TERMS OF MEMBERSHIP  The importance of being in the one body is seen in these words, II Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.”  Or again, God “has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 1:3).  The implication of this verse is seen in the listing of the spiritual blessings in the one body, in verses 4-14:    :4 Chosen;  :5, adopted;   :6 grace;   :7 redemption; :7   forgiveness;   :11 heirs;   :13, 14 sealed with the Holy Spirit.

None of the blessings enumerated in the passages above – NONE of them – are received by anyone not “in” Christ.  This elevates, immeasurably, the importance of being in Christ.   Who is “in Christ”?  To be in Christ one must obey Him.  Hebrews 5:9, “And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him.”

“All who obey him” repent of their sins: “the times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30).  To repent is to change one’s mind.  This is indicated by Matthew 21:28-29.  Two brothers were instructed by their father to go work.  One of them responded “I will not: but afterward he repented himself, and went.”  This is the translation of the American Standard Version:   “he repented.”  The English Standard Version renders it, “but afterward he changed his mind and went.”  “he changed his mind”.  Either of these translations is correct, the ESV being more recent.  The point is, to repent is to change the mind.

  To be in the one body, one believing Jesus to be Christ must repent.

“All who obey him,” having repented, must be baptized; as Jesus said, “  Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved …” (Mark 16:15,16).

On the day of Pentecost about 3000 people received the word and were baptized, Acts 2:38-41.  Paul looks back on that scene in Galatians 3:26, 27, and writes “for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through faith.  For as many of you were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”

Belief, repentance and baptism: these are the things one must do to be “in Christ”, the things the three thousand did; and the record states that “there were added that day about three thousand souls” (Acts 2:41).
          Notice that the saved were “added”.  A local church, being composed of people who confess they follow Christ, must be on guard against people whose confession is a lie.  This was why, when Saul/Paul came to Jerusalem and “attempted to join the disciples … they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple” (Acts 9:26).  When he sought to “join the disciples” he was rebuffed till Barnabas vouched for him. 

On the other hand, when about three thousand obeyed the gospel, they were added that day to the saved, by the Lord who knows the heart.   One does not “join” the one body.  By his faithful obedience he is added to the saved by the Lord, who knows the heart .

Compare the “one body” with the churches of men --- the difference is stunning – and sobering.   Pat