The Body of Christ Part 3 of 3 The Word of God The body of Christ, the temple of God, is built on God’s word; the chief corner stone being Jesus Christ, therefore the body of Christ must operate according to God’s word. God’s word is Spirit and is life to those that hear and obey. When we obey God’s word we obey the commands of Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ is the word of God in the flesh, the word of God will never leave us nor forsake us and it is by our obedience to God’s word that we will be perfected as one body. God has established levels of authority within the body of Christ for correction, for reproof, to rebuke, admonishment and exhortation. This was established in God’s word, by God to assure the body of Christ remains in correct standing and repents of error when a transgression is committed. When it becomes necessary to correct an error within the body, it is not by mans judgment that correction is administered, it is the Word of God that judges and by God’s word error is corrected. Errors within the body must be corrected in order for the body to walk in the righteousness of Christ. The Holy Spirit convicts us when we are in error and that usually takes place at the onset of an error to prevent a transgression from occurring. After the error, we will have quenched the Spirit and we may not sense conviction for this cause, light and darkness cannot fellowship together. If we do not take heed to the warning, if do not adhere to the conviction of the Holy Spirit, if we have quenched the Spirit by walking in error and when an error has been committed the error must be corrected bringing all things into subjection to Christ. Correction of error within the body must be corrected by the body of Christ. All scripture is given to us by God and is profitable for instruction and correction in righteousness, not in what we choose to believe, but according to God’s word in truth. We must understand and accept correction when we walk in error, that is to say willful sin. We must also humbly receive praise for well doing, both correction and praise are important to the body and we cannot have one without the other. A form of judgment (weighed by the word of God) is necessary to assess (judge) error and well doing. This assessment is made by judgment (assessment) on both matters. The following is the responsibility of the body of Christ. Admonishment: to reprimand, caution, warn, reproach Correction: improve upon, make clear, to open understanding, to bring into correct standing with God, to expose and eliminate error, deception and fraud. Reprove: reprimand, warn, counsel. Rebuke: harsh correction, reproach. Exhort: to encourage, advice, direct, urge, provide guidance. Encourage: to give hope, confidence, to support and to uplift. If we walk in error, willful sin, refusing and despising correction, how do you suppose we shall continue in righteousness? Keep in mind, when one member suffers, the body suffers. As Paul wrote, “shall we continue sin that grace may abound? God forbid.” In other words we do not willfully sin to provoke grace. Established Doctrine and Doctrinal Differences When a doctrine is established, it must be established on the truth of God’s word, not on what we think, or by privately interpreting God’s word. The doctrine of Jesus Christ was established by God from the beginning, by the word as enlightened by the Spirit for all mankind. Man has attempted to change that doctrine to satisfy man creating a god of their choosing. When we error in doctrine, when we attempt to understand God in the carnal sense, or establish doctrines after man we error from the faith and pierce ourselves through with many sorrows. Remember, God is Spirit and we cannot understand the things of God in the carnal mind, we must seek and worship God in Spirit and in Truth. Doctrine is profitable to man only when it is established and based on God’s truth. We know the truth by the Spirit of truth, if we do not have the Spirit of truth, we cannot know truth. Understanding truth is not based on what we choose to make true, truth is truth regardless what we choose to believe. When we choose not to believe and accept the truth of God’s word, because we have not the love of the truth, God will send strong delusion that those that love not the truth should believe a lie, deceiving and being deceived. Doctrine must be established on truth, in righteousness and as led by the Spirit that brings life and light to God’s word. God is one, God never changes and God will not change. God’s word is one, God’s word will not change and was given to us in truth, not in man’s wisdom and not by any private interpretation. When we choose to believe the truth, the end result will be according to that truth, if we choose to believe a lie the end result will be according to that lie. God’s word is truth and God will not deviate from his truth to appease man; we must accept God’s word as truth. We must stop making mockery of God by twisting the truth of God’s word for selfish ambitions or to justify our sin, or by manipulating the minds of men for personal gain. Truth is God and those that seek God must seek him in truth, truth does not seek self-justification. If a doctrine is established in carnal understanding, that doctrine was not founded on spiritual truth and it will fail; carnal doctrines are deceptive, creating a great division within the body of Christ. Look at the hundreds of doctrines concerning Christianity all believing differently. We must understand doctrine is profitable as long as it is established on truth as inspired by the Holy Spirit, not based on man’s wisdom and not by the clandestine interpretation of God’s word. When doctrine is established in Spirit and in truth, and the body will conform to that truth, the body will function as one body; be of one mind, that one mind being the mind of Christ and will operate in one accord. Remember when we worship God, we must worship him in Spirit and in Truth. The carnal mind is enmity (hatred, hostility and an enemy) against God and cannot understand the things of God. Unity and Perfection of the Faith In unity we become one with God; one with another, one body and will continue steadfast in the faith in one Spirit. We must all have the same Spirit, the Holy Spirit, and operate as a united body. We are united by one Spirit and we will walk in agreement and operate in the fullness of Jesus Christ. The body of Christ will become complete when all members walk in the same Spirit, the Holy Spirit of God, are of one mind and are in one accord, each member doing their part within the body. On the day of Pentecost 120 were of one mind and one accord, in prayer and the power of God fell upon them, where is that power today? God has not changed; because man has changed their belief structure away from Christ man operates contrary to God. We do not see the power as on the day of Pentecost because the body of Christ is not of one mind or operating in one accord. Now, not everyone that professes Christianity is of Christ therefore cannot be a part of the body. In coming together as a body, unity is not optional; unity is vital and is a necessity for the body of Christ to be one. Without unity we are as the dry bones of Ezekiel, serving no functional purpose, scattered in dry places, having no life. When the body comes together, when the body rises from the dust, this is when the body will operate in the power of God, by Jesus Christ and in the Spirit. If the body has not the Spirit, the body without the Spirit is dead and it cannot function because it has no life in it, so it is with a dismembered body, a dismembered body cannot function as a body, it has no life in it, there are many parts but no unity. Understand, each joint supplies the next joint with strength and without coming together, there is no strength. If the body of Christ is not in agreement, it has become dysfunctional and accomplishes nothing but fulfilling its own desire creating its own place within a religious world of humanity. We must all come to the unity of the faith, and if we are to walk in righteousness and in holiness; we must obey God, becoming a unified body. It is not that we contend or cope with various doctrines; it is becoming one in full agreement. We must also understand, we are the body of Christ twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, and three hundred and sixty five days a year and must function as a body at all times.. The end is rapidly approaching and we must understand that today is different than yesterday and tomorrow will be different than today, things are going to change and are going to change quickly. We must all seek God, come to agreement and walk together as one body. Know this, how can two walk together if they do not agree? How can an ox being yoked together with a goat harnessed to the same cart pull in the same direction to accomplish a task without great difficulty? Without unity we cannot be what God has purposed us to be. Called with Purpose When God establishes ministry, the call is specific, we cannot choose our own calling but must abide in that which God has called us. We do not decide our own purpose or position in the body, God does the calling and God does the assignment. There are many functions to the Body of Christ and it is imperative that we abide in the purpose for which we are called, when we are called of God for a work, we cannot do the work of another. There are many gifts and callings in the body of Christ which are in these, some till the soil, some plant, some sow, some water, some bring the message of hope, others encouragement, others teaching, and others provide guidance, correction and exhortation. All these work together for the benefit of the body of Christ and for the good each individual member. We must abide in that which we were called, in that which we were chosen and remain faithful to that call. We must also understand the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. In other words, when God calls you for a work, he called you to do the work, not someone else. We must not weaver in faith but maintain the faith in truth and not add to or take away from our call. We must also go when sent and stay when established. We cannot go if we are not sent, but we must go when we are sent. The Mind of Christ To operate as one body, we must put on the mind of Christ. When we become one with Christ, our thoughts are as his thoughts, our ways become his ways and our life becomes his life. The mind of Christ is of the Spirit and we must understand God’s kingdom is not of this world, and the mind of Christ is not of this world. We are in the world but not of the world, the carnal mind is of the world but the mind of the Spirit and of Christ is of God’s kingdom. If we do not have the Spirit of God abiding in us we cannot put on the mind of Christ because we are still carnally minded. The same Spirit that dwelled in Christ Jesus dwells in all that have the Spirit, all that have been born again. When we are born again (and we must be born again) of God’s Spirit, we transition from the carnal realm to the spiritual realm and are now able to understand the things of God. When we have the mind of Christ, we will see one another as God sees us, and we will understand God’s word as it was purposed for the body of Christ and the body will be in agreement. Only then will we be one body in Christ. The body of Christ must abide in the Spirit; present to the world the word of God in truth to the saving of souls; teach others to walk in the Spirit continuing in the faith and to operate in the power of God. Jesus Christ shed his blood, died, rather rose from the dead that we might live; God so loved the world that….
Posted on: Sat, 28 Sep 2013 16:17:23 +0000
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