The Body of Christ Jesus “WHAT, WHERE and WHOM is the Body of Christ” We have lovingly come to DISCOVER and LIVE within the Body of Christ during the past thirteen years; a mighty MIRACLE in our saved lives since March 2003 – Hallelujah! The true Body of Christ Jesus CONSISTS of those Born-Again Believers whom OBEY and LIVE according to the TEACHINGS of the Apostles; as REVEALED unto them by the RISEN Christ Jesus {and recorded in the Scriptures}: The Body of Christ is the Church which is UNITED in the Oneness of the ONE TRUTH as recorded in Ephesians 4:4-6 and Romans 1-16 The Body of Christ is the Church which CONTEND for the FAITH once delivered unto the saints per Jude 1:3 It is the Christians inside His Body whom live in the UNITED Oneness of the ONE FAITH per 1 Corinthians 1:10 and Galatians 2:20 The Body of Christ is the Church where the First Principles of the Doctrines of Christ is preached and daily OUTLIVED in the lives of the Born-again Believers as per Hebrews 6:1-4 {The Faith foundation} It is the Church where the members are full of the Holy Spirit per Acts 1v8 and the various members are operating with the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit, all according to 1 Corinthians 12 It is an assembly of Believers whom weekly hear Christ audibly SPEAK to them via the FIVE Gift ministries of the Ascended Christ Jesus per Ephesians 4:10-16 and 1 Corinthians 12 An assembly of spirit filled Believers whom weekly gather together to ENJOY {and obey} the four spiritual disciplines of Acts 2:42 {Christ’s divine Spiritual food for our saved souls} The Body of Christ is a gathering of spirit filled Believers whom WEEKLY Break bread in childlike OBEDIENCE to Christ’s instructions as recorded in 1 Corinthians 11:23-32 An assembly of Believers where Christ Jesus is upheld as the NEW and LIVING way per Hebrews 10-12 A gathering of Christians where no one man (or “special persons”) is elevated above other Believers, as Christ Jesus HATES the structure of clergy and laity per Revelation 2:6-15 An assembly of Believers whom are joyfully preaching and waiting for the imminent Rapture of the ONE Church of God per 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 The Body of Christ is a place where we do NOT look at men (and their shortcomings) but our eyes are FIXED upon the Master and loving Redeemer of our saved souls FIRSTLY: Jesus is our perfect example of obedience and humble servant-hood Let this same ATTITUDE and PURPOSE and humble MIND be in you which was in Christ Jesus: [Let Him be your EXAMPLE in HUMILITY:] Who, although being essentially one with God and in the form of God [possessing the fullness of the attributes which make God God], did not think this equality with God was a thing to be eagerly grasped or retained, But STRIPPED Himself [of all privileges and rightful dignity], so as to assume the guise of a SERVANT (slave), in that He became like men and was born a human being. And after He had appeared in human form, He ABASED and HUMBLED Himself [still further] and carried His OBEDIENCE to the extreme of death, even the death of the cross! Therefore [because He stooped so low] God has highly EXALTED Him and has freely bestowed on Him the name that is above every name. Philippians 2:5-9 SECONDLY: We are to serve our Lord and neighbour with unfeigned love Jesus replied, You shall LOVE the Lord your God with ALL your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (intellect). This is the great (most important, principal) and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall LOVE your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 22:37-39
THIRDLY: We are to worship our Master in Spirit and in Truth A time will come, however, indeed it is already here, when the true (genuine) worshipers will WORSHIP the Father in SPIRIT and in TRUTH; for the Father is seeking just such people as these as His worshipers. God is a Spirit (a spiritual Being) and those who worship Him must worship Him in SPIRIT and in TRUTH. John 4:23-24 FOURTHLY: We are called to be feet washers [servants] just as Jesus washed the feet of all his disciples including Judas the Iscariot Jesus, knowing (fully aware) that the Father had put everything into His hands, and that He had come from God and was returning to God, Got up from supper, took off His garments, and taking a [SERVANT’S] towel, He fastened it around His waist. Then He poured water into the washbasin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the [SERVANT’S] towel with which He was girded. Jesus said to him, Anyone who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is clean all over. And you [My disciples] are clean, but not all of you. For He knew who was going to betray Him; that was the reason He said, Not all of you are clean. So when He had finished WASHING their feet and had put on His garments and had sat down again, He said to them, Do you understand what I have done to you? You call Me the Teacher (Master) and the Lord, and you are right in doing so, for that is what I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher (Master), have washed your feet, you ought [it is your DUTY, you are under obligation, you owe it] to WASH one another’s feet. For I have given you this as an EXAMPLE, so that you should DO [in your turn] what I have done to you. I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, A SERVANT is NOT greater than his master, and no one who is SENT is superior to the one who sent Him. IF you know these things, BLESSED and happy and to be envied are you IF you PRACTICE [OBEY] them [if you ACT accordingly and really DO them]. John 13:35, 10-17 FIFTHLY: We are to serve and continue with the ministry of Christ Jesus unto seeking souls The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me [the Anointed One, the Messiah] to PREACH the good news (the Gospel) to the poor; He has sent Me to announce RELEASE to the captives and RECOVERY of sight to the blind, to send forth as DELIVERED those who are oppressed [who are downtrodden, BRUISED, crushed, and BROKEN down by calamity], To PROCLAIM the accepted and acceptable year of the Lord [the day when SALVATION and the free favors of God profusely abound]. Luke 4:18-19 SIXTHLY: We must daily OBEY and DO the Will of our heavenly Father Therefore, you will fully KNOW them by their fruits. NOT everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who DOES [OBEY] the WILL of My Father Who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name and driven out demons in Your name and done many mighty works in Your name? And then I will say to them openly (publicly), I NEVER knew you; DEPART from Me, you who act wickedly [disregarding My commands]. So everyone who hears these words of Mine and ACTS upon them [OBEYING them] will be like a sensible (prudent, practical, WISE) man who BUILT his house upon the ROCK. And the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had been FOUNDED on the ROCK. Matthew 7:20-25 SEVENTHLY: We are to serve with a humble and contrite heart O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Your praise. For You delight not in sacrifice, or else would I give it; You find no pleasure in burnt offering. My sacrifice [the sacrifice acceptable] to God is a broken spirit; a broken and a CONTRITE heart [broken down with sorrow for sin and humbly and thoroughly penitent], such, O God, You will NOT despise. Psalm 51:15-17 EIGHTHLY: We are to forgive as Christ Jesus forgave us Then Peter came up to Him and said, Lord, how many times may my brother sin against me and I forgive him and let it go? As many as up to seven times? Jesus answered him, I tell you, not up to seven times, but SEVENTY times SEVEN! Matthew 18:21-22 NINTHLY: We are to serve and shine as Christ Jesus That you may show yourselves to be BLAMELESS and guileless, innocent and uncontaminated, CHILDREN of God WITHOUT blemish (faultless, unrebukable)
in the MIDST of a crooked and wicked generation [spiritually perverted and perverse], among whom you are seen [to SHINE] as bright LIGHTS (stars or beacons shining out clearly) in the dark world, HOLDING out and OFFERING to all men the Word of LIFE, so that in the day of Christ I may have something of which exultantly to rejoice and glory in that I did not RUN my race in vain or spend my labor to no PURPOSE. Philippians 2:15-16 TENTHLY: We are called to be faithful to the Faith May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you. BELOVED, my whole concern was to write to you in regard to our common salvation. I found it necessary and was impelled to write you and urgently appeal to and exhort [you] to CONTEND for the FAITH which was once for all HANDED down to the SAINTS [the FAITH which is that sum of Christian belief which was DELIVERED verbally to the holy people of God]. Jude 1:2-3 ELEVENTHLY: We are accountable to the Father and the members inside the Body of Christ REMEMBER your leaders and superiors in authority [for it was they] who brought to you the Word of God. Observe attentively and consider their manner of living (the outcome of their well-spent lives) and imitate their faith (their conviction that God exists and is the Creator and Ruler of all things, the Provider and Bestower of eternal salvation through Christ, and their leaning of the entire human personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness). Obey your spiritual leaders and submit to them [continually recognizing their authority over you], for they are constantly keeping watch over your souls and guarding your spiritual welfare, as men who will have to render an ACCOUNT [of their trust]. [Do your part to] let them DO this [accountability to God] with gladness and NOT with sighing and groaning, for that would not be profitable to you. Hebrews 13:7, 17 TWELTHLY: Be submissive and surrendered to the Living Word I bear them witness that they have a zeal and enthusiasm for God, but it is not enlightened and according to [correct and vital] knowledge. For being IGNORANT of the righteousness that God ascribes [which makes one acceptable to Him in WORD, thought, and DEED] and seeking to establish a righteousness (a means of salvation) of their own, they did not OBEY or SUBMIT themselves to God’s righteousness. For with the heart a person believes (adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Christ) and so is JUSTIFIED (declared righteous, acceptable to God), and with the mouth he confesses (declares openly and speaks out freely his faith) and confirms his salvation. Romans 10:2-3, 10 THIRTEENTHLY: We are to be teachable at all times Likewise, you who are younger and of lesser rank, be subject to the elders (the ministers and spiritual guides of the church)–[giving them due respect and yielding to their counsel]. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with HUMILITY [as the garb of a SERVANT, so that its covering cannot possibly be stripped from you, with freedom from pride and arrogance] toward one another. For God sets Himself AGAINST the proud (the insolent, the overbearing, the disdainful, the presumptuous, the boastful)–[and He opposes, frustrates, and defeats them], but gives GRACE (favor, blessing) to the humble. Therefore HUMBLE yourselves [demote, lower yourselves in your own estimation] under the mighty hand of God, that in due time HE may exalt you, CASTING the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He CARES for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully. Be well balanced (TEMPERATE, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour. Withstand him; be firm in FAITH [against his onset–rooted, established, strong, immovable, and determined], knowing that the same sufferings are appointed to your brotherhood (the whole BODY of Christians) throughout the world. 1 Peter 5:5-9 FOURTEENTHLY: Gladly sacrifice self to obey His Will and become a living sacrifice unto the Lord Jesus I APPEAL to you therefore, brethren, and BEG of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [PRESENTING all your members and faculties] as a living SACRIFICE, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your REASONABLE (rational, intelligent) SERVICE and spiritual WORSHIP. Do NOT be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its
external, superficial customs], but be TRANSFORMED (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your MIND [by its new attitude], so that you may PROVE [for yourselves] what is the GOOD and ACCEPTABLE and PERFECT will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you]. For by the GRACE (unmerited favor of God) given to me I warn everyone among you not to estimate and THINK of himself more highly than he ought [not to have an exaggerated opinion of his own importance], but to rate his ability with SOBER judgment, each according to the degree of FAITH apportioned by God to him. Romans 12:1-3 FIFTHTEENTHLY: We are ordained to suffer as our Master and divinely manifest His Charity and compassion to seeking souls For what we preach is NOT ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves [merely] as your SERVANTS (slaves) for Jesus’ sake. For God Who said, Let light SHINE out of darkness, has shone in our hearts so as [to beam forth] the LIGHT for the illumination of the knowledge of the majesty and glory of God [as it is MANIFEST in the Person and is revealed] in the face of Jesus Christ (the Messiah). However, we POSSESS this precious TREASURE [the divine Light of the Gospel] in [frail, human] vessels of earth, that the grandeur and exceeding greatness of the POWER may be shown to be from God and NOT from ourselves. We are hedged in (pressed) on every side [troubled and oppressed in every way], but NOT cramped or crushed; we SUFFER embarrassments and are perplexed and unable to find a way out, but NOT driven to despair; We are pursued (PERSECUTED and hard driven), but NOT deserted [to stand alone]; we are struck down to the ground, but NEVER struck out and destroyed; Always carrying about in the body the liability and exposure to the same putting to DEATH that the Lord Jesus SUFFERED, so that the Resurrection LIFE of Jesus also may be shown forth by and in our bodies. For we who live are constantly [experiencing] being handed over to death for Jesus’ sake, that the [resurrection] LIFE of Jesus also may be evidenced [MANIFEST] through our flesh which is liable to death. Thus DEATH is actively at work in us, but [it is in order that our] life [may be actively at work] in you. Yet we have the same spirit of FAITH as he had who wrote, I have BELIEVED, and therefore have I spoken. We too BELIEVE, and therefore we SPEAK! 2 Corinthians 4:5-13 SIXTHTEENLY: To manifest our God given ministry inside the Body of Christ on earth His GIFTS were [varied; He Himself appointed and GAVE men to us] some to be apostles (special messengers), some prophets (inspired preachers and expounders), some evangelists (preachers of the Gospel, traveling missionaries), some pastors (shepherds of His flock) and teachers. His intention was the PERFECTING and the full EQUIPPING of the saints (His consecrated people), [that they should DO] the WORK of ministering toward building up Christ’s body (the church), That it might DEVELOP until we all attain ONENESS in the FAITH and in the COMPREHENSION of the [full and accurate] knowledge of the Son of God, that we might ARRIVE at really mature manhood (the COMPLETENESS of personality which is nothing less than the standard height of Christ’s own PERFECTION), the measure of the STATURE of the FULNESS of the Christ and the completeness found in Him. So then, we may NO longer be children, tossed [like ships] to and fro between chance gusts of teaching and wavering with every changing wind of doctrine, [the prey of] the CUNNING and cleverness of unscrupulous men, [gamblers engaged] in every shifting form of trickery in inventing errors to mislead. Rather, let our lives lovingly EXPRESS TRUTH [in all things, speaking truly, dealing truly, living truly]. Enfolded in LOVE, let us GROW up in every way and in all things into Him Who is the Head, [even] Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). For because of Him the whole BODY (the church, in all its various parts), closely JOINED and firmly knit together by the joints and ligaments with which it is supplied, when EACH part [with power adapted to its need] is WORKING properly [in all its functions], grows to full MATURITY, building itself up in LOVE. Ephesians 4:11-16