Life is in the body of Christ
Question for our Fellows and guests: How do you show the truth from Scripture that outside the body of Christ there is no life? I’m always interested in learning more and apply Scripture in a better way.
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J. Randal Matheny
Reply
Daniel Stearsman, 
Don Ruhl 1:43 pm on September 14, 2012 Permalink |
The first text that jumped into my mind was Colossians 3.4, and then Romans 6.
J. Randal Matheny 2:28 pm on September 14, 2012 Permalink |
How do you connect the two, Don?
Eugene Adkins 3:28 pm on September 14, 2012 Permalink |
Randal, are you looking for an answer for body=spiritual body/church or body=actual body/life of Jesus?
J. Randal Matheny 3:30 pm on September 14, 2012 Permalink |
Eugene, sorry my question wasn’t clear. I’m referring to the body of Christ as the church. We often connect, rightly so, being in Christ and being in the body, then connecting the blessings in Christ with blessings being in the body, the church. I’m just looking for ways to strengthen the connection, that we can’t be saved without being in, and an active part of, the church.
Eugene Adkins 3:44 pm on September 14, 2012 Permalink
That’s why I figured; just wanted to double check.
Without a doubt, Ephesians 5:25 (numerous places in Ephesians actually) is one the first places I think of. Also 1 Corinthians 12:12-14 comes to mind to show how a person gets into the body and how important the body is to Christ.
I would say the whole “bride of Christ relationship” and the marriage comparison Paul uses while also talking about the “body of Christ” is about as plain as it gets to me. A person is united with Jesus in his spiritual body…no union means no personal relationship, hence no salvation (Matthew 7:21-23).
What do you think?
Daniel Stearsman 6:27 am on September 15, 2012 Permalink |
Great question! I suppose you could come at the question from a lot of angles and these are just some random thoughts. Hope they help. We could look at all the passages on death and contrast those with life. Also, we could look at all the positive aspects of being in Him (Eph and Col being loaded with in Him/Christ, by Him, through Him, etc.). There’s so many positive aspects of the life in Him contrasted against all the negatives of being outside of Him. In the body there’s newness of life (Rom. 6:4) and an abundant life (John 10:10). In the body our sufficiency is from God; outside we are ultimately insufficient (cf. 2 Cor. 3:7). In the body is a special measure of God’s glory (Eph. 1:12, 2 Cor. 37-10); outside the body there is an exchange of glory and truth (Rom. 1:23,25). Also, we could look at the fact that we are created in the image of God (Gen. 1:27) and that God called this “very good” (Gen. 1:31). This goodness includes that all men are created with moral goodness. When we sin, we assault this image (Gen. 9:6, James 3:9). In Christ that image is renewed (Col. 3:10), a conforming to the image of God (Rom. 8:29), and “we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven” (1 Cor. 15:49). The hope in the body, rebirth in the body, walking in light, being sons of God, . . .. . so many rich blessings. . . to be sure, no better life . . .hope this helps!
robertebarger 5:19 pm on September 27, 2012 Permalink |
I have asked the same question and over time the Lord has showed me that it’s not I, but the Lord God, the Father that draws men to Christ. No man cometh to me unless the Father draws him, and no man is revealed the Father unless I reveal it to him. We must remember that God draws men to Christ. Now here is understanding. All things are by Him, through Him, and to Him, to God be the glory. Still,who is God? (Romans 11:36) God’s name is——–LOVE! His nature is also —–LOVE. Not as man knows love, but love according to His word! What does the Word (Jesus Christ’s heavenly name) say “Love”is? 2 John 1:6 And this is “LOVE” (God the Father, The GREAT “I AM” Our inheritance!) And this “IS LOVE” that we walk after His commandments. It tells us in 1 John 5:2 here’s how we know (by the Spirit) that we Love the children of God (How do we know?) When we Love God and keep His commandments! In 1 John 5:3 it tells us how we know (by the Spirit) that God Loves us! (How do we know God Loves us? ) When we Love God and keep His commandments. When we keep His commandments, we take on the Glory of God, and we go from faith to faith, and glory to glory. This glory is Jesus Christ Him self, and it’s no longer I that live, but it’s Christ in me, the “Hope of Glory”. When we get to the place that God wants us, we will know. We are to wait on our ministry (Romans 12:6&7) If we do not wait as we should, the devil is able to work the work that he has been appointed to do. We have presumed that we know what the Lord wants, but God has told us through Romans 12:6&7, and the parable of the sower that we are to wait that we might bring forth fruit with patience.
robertebarger 5:38 pm on September 27, 2012 Permalink |
Also on this subject. 1 Corinthians 12:3 No man can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Ghost. As you research the Holy Ghost Jesus said in Mark 16 These signs shall follow them that “believe”! We are confronted here with a question from God, DO YOU BELIEVE THESE THINGS WILL HAPPEN IN YOUR LIFE? Most people do not believe that these things will happen in thier life. AS we study more we see that all the way through “THE BOOK OF ACTS” , OR, ‘The Acts Of The Apostles”, we see that when people recieved the Gift of the Holy Ghost, they spoke in tongues, and prophiced. The witness of the many places in the book of Acts of the gift of the Holy Ghost and how people recieved it is the witness of the truth of what is to take place when we believe. Also in the book of Acts is a person who did not repent and wanted to buy the gift of the Holy Ghost. Peter rebuked him and told him he needed to repent of his sin. (Acts 8:23) I preceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of inquity. The same goes for anyone wanying the Holy Ghost. Unbelief is sin, Hate is sin, unforgiveness is sin, witchcraft is sin, and on and on. God looks at the hear. We must ask Him to forgive us of our sin with a broken and contrite heart with a willingness to do “ANYTHING” that God asks us to do.