The Assembly (Part 1/9) – The body

Church/Assembly

16Is the cup of blessing which we bless not a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is the bread which we break not a sharing in the body of Christ?

– 1 Corinthians 10:16

13For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

– 1 Corinthians 12:13
(NASB® © 2020)
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In this series, we want to collect some Scriptural thoughts about a topic that is very close to the heart of our Lord Jesus: His assembly.

Main idea of the assembly as the body: Unity and diversity

Prerequisites for the formation of the body:

  1. the Lord Jesus first had to be glorified as a man in heaven before the body could be formed (Jn 7:39).
  2. the Holy Spirit had to have come to earth (John 7:39).

The essential characteristics:

  1. At Pentecost, the one body was formed by the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4; 1 Cor. 12:13).
  2. There is only one body to which all true believers belong (1 Cor 12:13; Eph 4:4; Rom 12:4.5).
  3. Christ is the head of the body (Eph 4:15 and Col 2:19). Without the head, there is, therefore, no body.
  4. The assembly is, therefore, one with Christ (Eph 1:23; 3:4).
  5. Every saved person becomes a member of the body of Christ through the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19; Eph 1:13).
  6. The body consists of many individual members who together form the one body (1 Cor 12:20).
  7. All the members are well joined together (Eph 4:15, 16 and 1 Cor 12:18, 24).
  8. Each member is placed by God in a special place so that it can fulfill its task there (in dependence on the Lord) (1 Cor 12:16-18).
  9. Each member of the body needs the other (1 Cor 12:21, 22).
  10. Each member cares for the other (1 Cor 12:25).
  11. Each member has compassion (sorrow/joy) for the other (1 Cor 12:26).
  12. The body can be categorized into three areas:
    1. eternal aspect: body according to the counsel of God (Eph 1:23)
    1. temporal aspect: body at a certain point in time on the whole earth (1 Cor 10:17; Eph 4:16)
    1. local aspect: body in a specific place (1 Cor 12:27)
  13. Gifts are given to the body for edification (Eph 4:11, 12; 1 Cor 12:4-11).
  14. Through the breaking of bread, we represent the unity of the whole body (1 Cor 10:16).
  15. for the functioning of the body there are joints (maintain mobility) and ligaments (create stability) (Eph 4:16; Col 2:19).

General notes:

  1. The body was formed once and has continued in perfect and complete existence ever since, but is growing (like a child that grows larger; Eph 4:16).
  2. Every foundation of a denomination and every entry into a denomination is a denial of the unity of the body (Eph 4:4).
  3. There are no direct references from the Old Testament with regard to the body. A hint is found in the creation of Eve (Gen 2:21-24).

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