T HE N EW T ESTAMENT C HURCH T HE B ODY OF C HRIST.

THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH

THE BODY OF CHRIST

CHURCH CALLED THE BODY OF CHRIST

• Clearly emphasizing our relationship to Christ and fellow Christians.

• Church His Body– “…to the church, which is His body, the

fullness of Him who fills all in all.” {Ephesians 1:23}

• Body is the Church– “…afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His

body, which is the church .”{Colossians 1:24}

NEW TESTAMENT TEACHES ONE BODY—SINGULARITY OF

THE CHURCH• Many members but one body.– “For as we have many members in one

body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.” {Romans 12:4,5}

– “But now indeed there are many members, yet one body.”{1 Corinthians 12:20}


THE CHURCH• Jews and Gentiles reconciled

in one body.– “And that He might reconcile them

both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.”{Ephesians 2:16}


THE CHURCH• One Lord, One Faith, One

Baptism, One Body.– “There is one body and one Spirit,

just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism.” {Ephesians 4:4,5}

– If there is but one spiritual Body of Christ and that is the Church—How many Churches of Christ are there?

CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF HIS SPIRITUAL BODY—THE CHURCH

• His dominion over the church is complete—”all things.”– “And He is the head of the body, the

church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.” {Colossians 1:18}

– “And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body…”{Ephesians 1:22,23}

CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF HIS SPIRITUAL BODY—THE CHURCH• Just as members of one’s physical body

must be subject to his mind—so we must be subject to Christ in everything as members of His body.”– “Therefore, just as the church is subject

to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.”{Ephesians 5:24}

– What the head commands we must do– What He does not command or teach we

must not do—2 John 9.

CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF HIS SPIRITUAL BODY—THE CHURCH• From the head comes the impulses that

strengthen and move the members of the Body in the performance of their work.– “But, speaking the truth in love, may grow

up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ— from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.” {Ephesians 4:15,16}

CHRISTIANS ARE MEMBERS OF THE BODY OF CHRIST

• Relationship to Christ as Head—complete subjection.

• Relationship to fellow Christians as members—one of complete union and harmony.

CHRISTIANS—MEMBERS OF THE BODY

• Every joint supplying his part makes the body strong.

• “From whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.” {Ephesians 4:16}


• Many members united in one body.

• “For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.” {Romans 12:4,5}


• Each member has work to perform.

• “But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be?” {1 Corinthians 12:18,19}


• Each member equally important.

• “And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you. No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty.” {1 Corinthians 12:21-23}


• Must be no schism or discord among members.

• “But our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.” {1 Corinthians 12:24,25}


• Sympathetic interest and mutual care for each other.

• “And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.” {1 Corinthians 12:26,27}


• Bound together as one body in Christ by ties of fellowship.

• “For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread.” {1 Corinthians 10:17}

IMPORTANCE OF BEING MEMBERS OF THE BODY

• The Body made up of the saved.

• “For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.” {Ephesians 5:23}


• Called unto peace of Christ in one body.

• “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.” {Colossians 3:15}


• Cannot be subject to the Head and united with Christ without being member of the Body.

• “…Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, because I am not an eye, I am not of the body, is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling.” {1 Corinthians 12:15-17}


• Reconciled to God in One Body.

• “And that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.” {Ephesians 2:16}


• Fullness of Christ in the Body.

• “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.” {Ephesians 1:3}


• Become members of the Body by obeying commands of Christ.

• “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free--and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.” {1 Corinthians 12:13}

T HE N EW T ESTAMENT C HURCH T HE B ODY OF C HRIST.

Documents

Transcript of T HE N EW T ESTAMENT C HURCH T HE B ODY OF C HRIST.