3 Views of the Church, 2of3

 ~ 3 “B” Word Pictures from Ephesians: Body ~

 

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Body  ~  “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love” (Ephesians 4:11-16).  “For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything” (Ephesians 5:23-24).

 

The true Church of Jesus Christ is like the human body where Christ is the Head.

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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          Christian Concepts Series

GOD’S CHURCH: Christ’s Pearl

GOD’S NATURE: Sonlight Sunlight

GOD’S CHILD: Like A Tree

 

                     Christian Growth Series

GOD’S DESIRE: How to Finish Strong

GOD’S LIGHT: How to Respond

CHRIST’S DISCIPLE: How to Finish Strong

 

                     Christian Theology Series

CHRIST’S BLOOD: 7+ Amazing Benefits

PRIDE: Good and Bad

TEMPTATION: 50+ Tips

 

                     Bible Character Series

SAMSON: Spirit-Controlled to Self-Centered

PETER: Failure to Faith

 

                     Missions

JIM ELLIOT: Recorded Messages 

7 More Fellowships

~ We Possess Together ~   

The meaning of the word fellowship can be understood by imagining “fellows” together in a small “ship” for an extended period of time. Fellowship includes the concept of sharing something in common. We read in Scripture that some of the Christians in the New Testament had everything in common (Acts 2:44, 4:32).

Consider some Scripture passages which describe different aspects of our Christian fellowship.

We are fellow participants with the same calling and future (Ephesians 3:6) ~ You and your fellow Christians have been called to be God’s ambassadors on earth and you will share an eternity together!

  

We are fellow workers together serving one Master (Philippians 4:3) ~ On earth Christians are to be workers together for the kingdom of God and His righteousness. 

We are fellow members of one body (Ephesians 3:6) ~ All true Christians are members of the one true universal Church of which Jesus Christ is pictured as the head in a metaphor of a human body.  Individual components of the body are to be controlled by and take commands from the head! 

We are fellow soldiers of one warfare (Philippians 2:25) ~ We are always fighting invisible, and sometimes visible, forces of evil. Fortunately we have been given all the armor we need (Ephesians 6:10-20).

 

We are fellow citizens of one homeland (Ephesians 2:19) ~ As Christians we have become citizens of heaven and are pilgrims—not tourists—passing through life on earth. We should long for our true homeland!

We are fellow sufferers—sometimes even fellow prisoners (Romans 16:7) ~ The task we have as Christians is not always easy—trials, tribulations, and persecution can be the result of fulfilling our responsibilities.

 

We are fellow heirs of the same destination with one inheritance (Ephesians 3:6) ~ As a Christian you are truly rich—wealthy! We are joint-heirs of everything with Christ and our fellow Christians.

The bottom line is that our lives should first be devoted to our Savior and then to our fellow pilgrims (2 Corinthians 8:5). The sequence is critical—first a commitment to God, then to our fellow believers.

ADDITIONAL COMMENT:  It should also be noted that our basis of fellowship with one another is based on our relationship and fellowship with all three members of the Trinity! (1 John 1:3; Philippians 3:10, 2:1; 2 Corinthians 13:14.)   

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW