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I Am A Member of the Body of Christ
(Eph5:29-32)
God is the Lord of life.
Life comes from Him and
To those who strive to live He gives life abundantly (Dt30:19; Jn10:10).
While the body, its members and the head have different shapes and functions
They share the same DNA and are connected by the same arteries and nerves, which makes them
One community of life.
The member that leaves the body is dead and
When a member becomes ill the entire body is ill.
The fate of a member depends on to whose body it is attached.
Faith is knowing that I am a member of the body of Christ and
The life of this faith is being closely attached to the body of Christ and fulfilling one's function and
Putting effort to live like Christ.
Though Adam and Eve were one in body and spirit before they sinned (Ge2:23-24),
Once they were deceived by the devil they were separated (Ge3:12-17).
However, even a sinner, when he pled for mercy, God gave a mark to save him (Ge4:9-15), and
If anyone of the Israelites killed unintentionally he could escape death by
Running into one of the cities of refuge (Nu35:6-32).
The same commandment that the Israelites had to keep in order to live (Dt30:19-20)
Commanded that if they find anyone sinning they were to purge them (Dt22:22, 24:7).
This was reminded to them by the sanctuary where
The stone tablets and the name Jehovah were placed.
Yeshua said, "Destroy this temple and I will raise it again in three days" (Jn2:19), because
Through the death and the resurrection of the temple of His body,
He would in the Father's name Yeshua (Jn5:43), not the name Jehovah,
Obey not the command that kills others in order for one to live
But the command to lay down His own life in order to live (Jn10:17-18) and
Through His death raise others to live (Mt20:28) and fulfill the Law (Mt5:17) for
He is the God who came as man (Jn1:14; Php2:6-8).
As He died, He said, "It is finished" (Jn19:30), declaring that He:
1) Died according to the command in order to live again (Jn10:17-18);
2) Destroyed the ruler of death by His death (He2:14); and
3) With His body died to the Law and sin (Rm7:4; 1Pe2:24) so that men may also live through Him (1Jn4:8-9).
He resurrected and sat on the heavenly throne as the Lord of life.
The Holy Spirit who came in the name Yeshua
Comes to the gathering of believers and
Instills in them that they have become one body as its many members (1Co12:12):
"Gathering = church = the body of Christ = members."
Those who know that their souls have become members of the body of Christ, the church,
Do not leave the church on their own (Ac13:4)
But rather cling on to it to live (Jn15:5-6).
In order for the body to grow to become like the mature head
They help one another, have fellowship and unite.
According to the grace given to each, they do their part (Rm12:4-6; Eph4:15-16) for
They consider it the greatest honor to have become
Members of the body of Christ, the King of kings and
Want to raise to life themselves, the church and the members.
O Lord,
Let our church, the Church of Jesus,
Not become a heathen gathering of the religious or the cultured.
Instead, let her become the church where the Spirit of life works,
The church filled with the power of life, and
The church full of souls filled with the desire to live! Amen.