DEVELOPING  A  GLORIOUS  BODY

Do not get all excited! This is not a commercial for some new magic formula to develop your "Natural" body into something glorious. That will not happen until you go to be with the Lord or until He comes in the Rapture for all of us. Then, we will indeed be glorified. 

For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. (Philippians 3:20 & 21)

My thoughts today are about the Body of Christ, which is His Church. [i.e. His "Assembly" or "Congregation"] And he is the head of the body, the church. (Colossians 1:18a) and … we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. (Ephesians 5:30, 31)

I suppose the first question that keeps coming to my mind is this; If the people of the Church are indeed the Body of Christ, then how come the Body is so fragmented so often? How is it that there are so many schisms and splits in so many congregations? May we say that these things ought not to be? Are there times when you simply must depart from a congregation? Of course, but this should be rare, and the reasons must be Biblical and only after every effort has been made to remedy the situation can you justify division.

A second question that comes to mind is; Does a believer have the authority to call himself a Christian and fail to join with a body of like minded believers in a local expression of the Body of Christ? I think not. The New Testament knows of no "Lone Ranger" Christians. It is abundantly clear that Jesus Christ is the One who is building His Church, and God the Father, by the Holy Spirit places each individual in this Body as He sees fit.  

Anyone reading I Corinthians chapters 10 through 14 will see the words of Jesus being fulfilled which he spoke when He said in Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. The rock has correctly been taken to be Peter's confession in response to our Lord's inquiry, "Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?" Peter answered and said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." to which Jesus replied "Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven."

A third question that naturally follows is; how can I define what the Body is and/or recognize it when I find it? To this I answer with four points that I believe will apply to every individual and every congregation. All verses are in I Corinthians 12 except for point 4. Please take the time to look them up in your Bible.

1)  ESSENTIAL, Indispensable, Necessary, Required, Demanded

            A.        Every believer is included (Verse 18)
            B.        We all need it                      (Verse 26)
            C.        It needs you                         (Verse 7)

As living beings, we are conscious of our life and surroundings. We care for ourselves and have a natural system of self defense. Similarly, we should also have a consciousness of life in the Body of Christ. This should exceed the value of personal life even as a soldier learns to sacrifice for the good of the whole.

2)  SPIRITUAL, Supernatural, Beyond the Physical

A.  Outside of the body of Christ there is no method for Divine Accountability.
You become a member of the Body of Christ when you are born again. Then you identify with a local Assembly for Accountability (Verse 13).  The only authority over a believer is that of spiritual leadership in the Body.  (See I Corinthians 5:1-5 for an example of authority exercised)
B.  We comprise the spiritual  "Gifts" as a Body (Verse 4ff)
           
3)  INDIVISIBLE, The Body must not be divided. 

A.  The Body of Christ is comprised of Individuals but they are not to fall into the error of radical IndividualISM (Verse 25)
B.  Division is contrary to the nature of the Body (Verse 12)

4)  ETERNAL. Perpetual, Continuing without Interruption.

A.  The Real Temple of God on earth is the Body of Christ, the Church, both collectively and individually I Corinthians 3:16 & 6:19)
B.  The appeal in Ephesians 3:21 is for eternity, where "World without end" should be translated "forever and ever" (Read Eph. 3:21-4:6)

 There are four important passages in Colossians on the Body of Christ that help us relate to Christ in spiritual knowledge.
 
1. Christ, Head of the body, and is to have the one permanent position of honor (1:18)
2. When the body suffers, it is an extension of the sufferings of Christ, the Head (1:24)
3. A puffed up mind has lost connection with the Head, Christ (Col. 2:16-19)
4. Members of the body of Christ are to avoid disputes and live in peace (Col. 3:12-15)

Jesus' intercessory prayer in John 17 was not only for His disciples, but for everyone that would believe in the message they were commissioned to preach. The major emphasis of our Lord was that they would Love one another and that they would be One even as He and the Father are One.

Let us take up the challenge to recognize our part in the Body of Christ and take the time to intercede for the unity of the Body in the bond of peace.

Pastor Hayden