What Is The Body Of Christ?
Let us not neglect our church meetings, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of His coming back again is drawing near.—Hebrews 10:25 (The Living Bible)
Our attitude to our local church will reflect our attitude to its head, Jesus Christ.
The body of Christ is that worldwide body of born-again believers saved by the blood of Jesus Christ and called out from the world. They have been joined to Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:12-14) to fulfill the task of witnessing to and establishing the kingdom of God, which He began. Jesus gave to the believer the authority of His name and the power of the Holy Spirit (Mark 16:17-18, Acts 1:8) so that on His behalf, we may be involved in the establishment of the kingdom of God here on the earth. All disciples of Jesus are united in this task with each disciple having a part to play. These disciples need to work together as a body of many members with Jesus as the head.
Our loyalty as true disciples is first to Jesus Christ and His worldwide church, and then to the local church where He has put us. All the believers in God’s worldwide church obviously cannot meet together, so God ordained that we meet together in smaller groups in a local church.
But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.—1. Peter 2:9-10 (NKJV)
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 (NKJV)
The Church is the body of Christ in the earth and He desires to continue His life and ministry through this body, that the will of God might be done in the earth.
Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me.”—Hebrews 10:5 (NKJV)
The Church is people who have oriented their lives around three major priorities. Our Christian life cannot be complete without all three priorities active in our lives. In order of priority, they are:
1. Personal commitment to Jesus Christ and His lordship
2. Commitment to the body of Christ in a local church
3. Commitment to the work of Christ in the world (evangelism and missions)
The Church is born-again people who are true disciples of Jesus and who have decided to take up their crosses and follow Jesus 100 percent. The church is not made up of decisions for Christ, but disciples of Christ.
The Church is born-again, spirit-filled Christians who are responsible church members.
And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.—Acts 2:42