Featured Post

Introductions

I have been an Elder at the Community Bible Church in Minneapolis Kansas. For 35+ years.  During that time I have been writing these thought...

Friday, July 29, 2016

"The Church"


Victory Can Be Yours!

Article # 26 – “The Church”



            What is the church?  There are many different ways people define the church.  Most probably see the church as a big beautiful building with a steeple, bell tower, high walls, and stained glass windows.  Others perceive it as a building where you go to be married or buried.  In this small city, with a population of 2000, we have eight such buildings.

            However, biblically, the church is not a place, but people.  The church is the body of Christ, those who believe in the finished work of Jesus Christ.  Christ is the head of the church and all believers are individually members of it.  (Eph. 5:23; 1 Cor. 12:27)              The church had its beginning at Pentecost, 50 days following the resurrection of Jesus.  At that time the Holy Spirit came to indwell each believer and to baptize each believer into the church.  Daily there were new ones being added to the body of Christ. (Acts 2:47)

            The Apostle Paul writes to the believers at Corinth about the body of Christ.  “For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ.  For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.  For the body is not one member, but many.” (I Corinthians 12:12-14)  I would interpret Paul as saying, it does not matter whether you are Catholic, protestant, connectional church or independent, we all collectively belong to one body.  That is the body of Christ, which is the Church.  “There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.” (Eph. 4:4-6)  If you are a believer in Jesus Christ then you are a part of that one body.  Each person of that body is a brother or sister in Christ to each other member of that body.  Conversely, if you do not believe in Jesus Christ, you are not a part of the Church no matter what church you belong to or attend.

            Paul continues on about the members of the body.  He states that it does not matter how much or how little honor it seems and individual has.  Each member is essential to the proper functioning of the whole body.  “If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be?  If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?” (1 Cor. 12:17)  We are all important to the body for proper functioning to occur.  If one part of the body does not function properly, the whole body cannot function properly.  “And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.” (1 Cor. 12:26)  Therefore, if you believe in Jesus Christ, you are an important part of the body of Christ and you are valuable to the proper functioning of that body.

            You too, can have victory in Jesus!  More to follow.



Lowell Parrish

No comments:

Post a Comment