THE BODY OF CHRIST
INTRODUCTION
Ephesians 1:22-23 “And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”
Ephesians 5:23 “For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.”
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 may have the preeminence.”
Colossians 1:24 “I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church”
The descriptive nature of scripture denotes an important relationship in the definition of the church that seems to have been overlooked and unappreciated in the last several decades. I have heard preachers from the pulpit state (maybe innocently, as ignorant of the real meaning), that “The church is a glorious institution”.
However, this term (institution) is no-where found in God's word to describe the church. Because of these misconceptions, there has been a movement towards the meaning of this word by the church.
Institution - A place where sick people are cared for: hospital, institution, asylum, hospice, nursing home, medical center, clinic, infirmary, sick bay, sanatorium. A commercial organization: business, company, concern, conglomerate, corporation, enterprise, establishment, firm, house, institution, multinational, office, operation, outfit, partnership.
[Excerpted from American Heritage Talking Dictionary . Copyright © 1997 The Learning Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved.]
Due to this enormous misconception of the church and its significance, churches today resemble the characteristics listed above and in no way resemble the church that was bought with the blood of God (Acts 20:28).
Along the same lines, the Christian ignorantly supports any whim that comes along described as a good work and allows their God given responsibility as the body of Christ to be taken from them and placed into a committee, board, or in financed programs hands. This is the very description of institutionalism in the church. This ignorance exists because those who actually comprise the body of Christ, or who claim to, are ignorant to the real teaching concerning the nature of the church (It's Head, it's body, it's structure – every joint and part of the body, it's real purpose, and how it accomplishes that purpose).
It will be our intent in this series of lessons to establish that a body has only one Head, one body, one purpose, one order (from head to toe), and that it was established by the Lord to be time lasting without end. AMEN
The lessons will include:
1.The beginning.
From the promise and prophecy to the beginnings.
2.The Pillar and Ground of Truth.
The universal guide for the body of Christ for unity, creation of a special people (the body), and proclamation of praise for Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9).
3. Origins of the Falling Away.
This will encompass facts concerning apostasy (its meaning, nature, and consequences).
4. The Nature of the Body.
The called-out in a universal and local sense; how it is called, and the definition of its calling.
5. The Church is the Body of Christ.
The preeminence of Christ to His body, the function of the members of the body (servants and servant leadership), and Christ as the Savior of the body.
6. Additional Designations for the Body.
The significance of synonymous terms used to describe the body of Christ and what we learn about the body from them.
7. The Order of the Body.
As God is the God of order and not chaos, we will look at the order God gave the body (universally and locally). We will also look at the fact that this order was vital to the maintenance and protection of the body from parasites, disease, etc…
8. The Work of the Body.
What God truly intended for the body to achieve through its appointed parts as revealed in the word, to the exclusion of all others. We will also include a very important series concerning the individual member of the body and their work and the collective members of the body and their work.
9. The Purity of the Body.
10. When the Body is Sick.
A look at the protection of the body by proper feeding and the eradication of ailments detrimental to the body's health.
11. Acceptable Worship for the Body.
This will cover the acceptable worship [to God] by the body.
12. The Body of Christ verses Denominations and Institutions.
A summary of the recognizable characteristics of the true body of Christ, so that anything else can be recognized as human wisdom!
Please have your Bibles ready for this study. Save these lessons and familiarize yourself with the instruction. Be able to stand up for the Lord's body. Be able to accomplish all that the body of Christ was meant to accomplish through you!
This way, by the end of this study, you will have an accurate appreciation of the words of the Apostle Paul, note:
Ephesians 3:10-11 “to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, 11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord”