The Church Body

"The church as a corporate body is meant to be the image of God, a unified image made up of many part -hands, feet, eyes, heart, lungs."

AN APOSTLE LAYS the foundation of a church in a specific location to a particular group of people. An evangelist draws in the people, giving them the foundation of Jesus Christ. Their pastor builds upon the foundation the truths which enable the people to mature spiritually. Any teacher works hand-in-hand with the pastor to enhance his teaching and add further details of the Word of God.

We have here the feet, the hand, the heart, and the wisdom of the Savior. All are His voice. Added also is the prophet who works both within the church body and as a larger image of Christ within the world structure. He speaks TO the church and FOR the church. Both “here is where we stand, what God will do TO us,” and “here is where God stands, what He intends to do THROUGH us.” But the message of every office is the same, Jesus Christ came to save to world, and He delivered her from sin, sicknesses, and all demonic oppression or possession. It is a message of peace and encouragement. Our warfare is not anger and debate but the power of the Holy Spirit to heal hearts and minds. To change thinking.

Where the prophet speaks, in whatever manner, though the message may contain serious situations, the words spoken are never intended to spark fear, anxiety, or doubt about God’s faithfulness to protect and save. All three of those come from the devil. He is the thief who comes to steal, kill, and destroy. It must be noted also that in the passage where Jesus spoke those words (John 10), He was speaking of the religious leaders as thieves. The devil most often works through people. Unfortunately, both in the church and outside of it. We are not fighting against people, but they can be the voices speaking his thoughts and deceptions.

This is where prayer is essential, both in one’s native language and in the language of the Spirit. The language of the Spirit speaks the perfect will of God, and it bypasses our minds, which can introduce emotions and knowledge that does not fit the object of prayer. He knows all those involved, their thoughts and intents and the details of the situation both present and future. I cannot speak more highly of gaining your Spirit language. It is an incredible strength much needed by the body of Christ.

“And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” (Romans 8:27)

Salvation is the cleansing of the heart and the gaining of God’s light and life. Being filled with the Spirit is the power (dunamis) needed to handle all that we face, both physically and spiritually. Jesus gave us the authority of His name (Luke 10:19), then He sent the Spirit to come upon them at Pentecost to provide the power (Acts 2). There is no certain depth to what the Spirit can pour into you nor any height that He cannot take you. This is the “glory to glory” spoken of in the Scriptures.

“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 3:18)

The church as a corporate body is meant to be the image of God, a unified image made up of many parts – hands, feet, eyes, heart, lungs. Where He has placed each member, He enables them to do their very best and to do it with joy and peace in believing. He never calls anyone to a job they will despise. His intent is to use the gifts He’s given to us to increase the body of Christ, to lead people more and more into His presence, and to fall in love with Him there.

Consider the apostle Paul again. He was killing Christians, angry and filled with murderous hate. When he had the vision of Jesus on the road to Damascus, he was changed forever from a difficult man to a loving one. He later said he counted everything he’d learned as a Pharisee, all the knowledge he’d gained and the political and religious connections, all his upbringing and cultural advantages as dung. He was not the same man but was the man God desired of him, the one God loved, and he was happy about his life.

There is no failure to walking in the Spirit. The only mistakes and missteps come from us. When we take actions that He has not called us to, when we judge a situation using our mind and our physical knowledge, when we get ahead of Him, then we take a rabbit trail. But God is faithful, who will guide us back into place and forgive us for where we messed up. Minister Rick Renner tells of his life, how he thought he was supposed to become a pastor, but the more he tried, the more it didn’t work. Did God love him? Yes. Was he called into the ministry? Definitely. But not to pastor a church. God had bigger plans.

No one is truly more important or “more special” than another in the family of God, for we are all God’s children after we receive His salvation. All of God’s goodness and blessing belong to each of us individually. We are commanded to love one another, to pray for all men, and bless our enemies. We are all told to meditate on the Word of God and to spend time in worship. These pull down the strongholds in our minds. But though some are called to teach, and another is called as an evangelist, though we are submitted to a pastor’s care and are not a pastor ourself, God’s desire for each of us is to have His very best, to be blessed beyond our ability to fathom it. He is an exceeding abundantly above God to every one of His children.

He is also a God of unity. We are never to criticize or speak offense to others. Our angry words neither draw men to Christ nor cause those in Christ to grow. Where we disagree on subjects, on doctrine, or on other observances, we choose to act like Jesus, to show God’s incredible love, and for the solution to our issues both personally and with other people, to seek God through prayer and meditation in His Word for the answer. He can fix everything we come up against. Ultimately, joy is His heart for us. Jesus came to earth to erase sin and defeat the devil so we could live healthy, happy lives. He erased fear with love and removed all fear of death entirely. We can be healed from anything that ails us and can look forward to heaven when our life is over. Death is truly a doorway to something miraculous.

But miracles begin today. Eternity is now. We do not have to wait until we die to enjoy what God wishes to do. We do have to rely on Him for everything 100%, and when we do, the entire future is ours and all of the glories which eye hath not seen nor ear hath yet heard of God’s enormous love for us.

“We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” (Romans 15:1)

“Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2)

“Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:” (Colossians 1:24)

Image by Judas from Pixabay


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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com