THE BODY OF CHRIST
EPHESIANS 4:4; 1 CORINTHIANS 12:20
THE "ONE BODY" IS THE ONE CHURCH (Col. 1:18).
A. In respect to organization, the church is called a body
(Col. 1:18).
1. The body has many members, and the members
do not have the same office (Rom. 12:4,5).
2. Jesus is its head and just as He has one head He
has one body (Col. 1:18,24; Eph. 1:20-23).
3. Jesus is not only its head, but He is also the sav-
iour of the body (Eph. 5:23,24).
4. Christ is the head and the members are directed
by the head. We are members one of another
(Rom. 12:4,5).
B. In respect to law, the church is called a kingdom
(Matt. 16:18; Matt. 18:3; Heb. 12:22-28).
1. Repentance and remission of sins were to be
preached in the name of Jesus beginning at Jerusa-
lem (Lk. 24:46-49).
2. The apostles were to tarry in Jerusalem until they
were endued with power from on high Mk 9:1;
Lk. 24:49).
3. They were to receive this power after the Holy
Spirit came upon them (Acts 1:5-8).
4. The Holy Spirit came on Pentecost and the apostles
received the power and preached repentance and
the remission of sins (Acts 2:36-47).
5. Jesus was made both Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36).
C. As to relationship, the body is called the church.
1. Christ purchased the church with His own blood
(Acts 20:28).
2. All the saved are in the Lord's church (Acts 2:47;
Eph. 5:23).
D. The body and the church are one and the same.
1. The body is the church (Col. 1:18; Eph. 1:22,23).
2. We are baptized into the one body (I Cor. 12:13).
3. When we are baptized into the body, we are bap-
tized into Christ, where salvation is (Gal. 3:26-29;
Eph. 1:3,7,11).
4. Sinners are delivered from the power of darkness
and translated into the kingdom of Christ (Col.
1:13; John 3:1-6).
IT WAS PROPHESIED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT THAT
THE CHURCH WOULD BE ESTABLISHED.
A. Isaiah prophesied that the kingdom would be estab-
lished in the top of the mountains and that the law
would go forth from Zion Jerusalem) (Isa. 2:1-5; Lk.
24:47).
1. Isaiah stated that Christ would be born and that
the government would be upon His shoulder (Isa.
9:6).
2. The increase and peace of His government would
be forever (Isa. 9:7).
3. The borders of the kingdom would not be spread
by carnal warfare but by preaching the gospel of
peace, which is God's power to save (Isa. 2:4;
Micah 4:3; Eph. 6:14-16; Rom. 1:16).
B. Daniel interprets King Nebuchadnezzar's dream (Dan.
2:31-45).
1 . Daniel prophesied of Jesus'accession and His com-
ing before the Ancient of days and being given a
kingdom that would never be destroyed (Dan.
7:13,14).
2. Jesus came before the Ancient of days when He
ascended and came before God at His ascension
into heaven (Psa. 24:7-10; Acts 1:9-11).
3. We have received this kingdom, which can not be
moved (Heb. 12:28).
4. This kingdom is the general assembly and church
of the firstborn (Heb. 12:22-28).
III. JESUS IS THE FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH (I Cor.
3:11).
A. Peter and the other apostles laid the foundation on the
day of Pentecost (Acts 2:16-47).
1 . Every gospel preacher is using this foundation
when he preaches the first principles of the oracles
of God (1 Cor. 3:5-11).
2. The preacher who preaches any other gospel and
lays any foundation other than Christ will be lost
(Gal. 1:6-11).
3. Once the foundation has been laid, we must take
heed how we build upon it (1 Cor. 3:10).
B. The superstructure is no good unless the foundation
is good and solid (Matt. 7:24-27; Heb. 3:4).
1. After the foundation is laid, we must go on unto
perfection (Heb. 6:1) by growing in the grace and
knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus- Christ
(2 Peter 3:18).
2. If we do not do this, we will fall from our own
steadfastness (2 Pet. 3:15-17).
IV. THE CHURCH MUST BE TAUGHT THE WORD OF
GOD (Heb. 8:5).
A. God's people will perish without knowledge (Hosea
4:6; 2 John 9,10).
1. The elders of the church must be well grounded in
the word of God (Titus 1:5-14).
2. Elders must be capable of teaching the church to
earnestly contend for the faith aude 3; Acts 20:28-
32).
B. Some who ought to be teachers have need of being
taught again "the first principles of the oracles of God"
(Heb. 5:12).
1. We must "hunger and thirst after righteousness
(Matt. 5:6; 1 Peter 2:2).
2. We are a spiritual house, an holy priesthood that
must offer up spiritual sacrifices which are accept-
able to God by Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:1-5).
V. THE CHURCH MUST TEACH THE WORD OF GOD
(Eph. 3:8-10).
A. The church must learn to discriminate between truth
and error (Matt. 15:9; Mk 7:13).
1. We must receive the word of God, as it is in truth
the word of God and not man's word (1 Thess.
2:13; Isa 66:2; 2 John 9,10).
2. The church is the pillar and ground of the truth (1
Tim. 3:15).
B. Solomon asked for an understanding heart that he
might discern between good and evil (1 Kings 3:9; 2
Chron. 1:10).
1. We should study the Bible to gain knowledge (2
Tim. 2:15) and ask God for wisdom to help us use
this knowledge wisely Games 1:5,6; Col. 1:28,29).
2. The wisdom which is from above should fill our
hearts (2 Cor. 3:2).
3. "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then
peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy
and goodfruits, without partiality, and without hypoc-
risy " (James 3:17).
VI. THE CHURCH IS ONE BODY IN CHRIST (Rom. 12:5; 1
Cor. 12:27).
A. The apostle Paul tells us that the body of Christ is the
church (Col. 1: 1 8, 24).
1. He pleads with the church at Colosse to continue
in the faith grounded and settled and not to be
moved away from the hope of the gospel (Col.
1:22-24).
2. We are constantly warned to beware of false teach-
ers, for they come in sheep's clothing (Matt. 7:15,16).
3 . These people, with their good words and fair
speeches will deceive the hearts of the simple (Rom.
16:17,18).
4. They will make light of and speak evil of the way
of truth, hence dividing the church and destroying
the souls of many (2 Peter 2:1-3).
B. We must preach the word in season and out of season
(2 Tim. 4:1-8).
1. We must follow Peter's admonition if our work is
to be effective (2 Peter 2:1-8).
2. The peace of God must rule in our hearts (Col.
3:15).
3. We must endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit
in the bond of peace (Eph. 4:3).
4. "And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the
word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to
give you an inheritance among all them which are
sanctified" (Act 20:32).