The Body

THE CHURCH (The Body)

The church is the body of Christ, having the same relation to Him that the bride has to her husband. It is God's family; He has sons and daughters. It is the kingdom of God. It is a body of people who have obeyed the gospel, thereby becoming Christians. Those who obey the truth, God adds to the church.

Matt. 16:17-18	016:017 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 016:018 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Matt. 4:17	004:017 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Eph 4:4	004:004 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

WHAT IS THE CHURCH?

The word "church"
Matt. 16:13-20 016:013 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
016:014 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
016:015 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
016:016 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
016:017 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
016:018 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
016:019 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
016:020 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.

Used by the Lord in referring to His body of Redeemed people Matt. 16:18 016:018 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

The word "church" is used to designate those who belong to Christ-"called out" of darkness into light 1 Pet. 2:9 002:009 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;

out of the world into Christ Col. 1: 13 001:013 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

It is used of the church in its entirety-all Christians everywhere Matt. 16:18 016:018 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Eph. 5:25 005:025 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

and of the local congregation of Christians in a particular city 1 Cor. 1: 1-2 001:001 Paul called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,
001:002 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both their's and our's:

The church's relation to Christ is that of a bride to her husband.

In illustrating the relation of the wife to her husband, Paul uses the relation of the church to Christ Eph. 5:22, 23 005:022 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
005:023 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

The Church is a body of many members
(the body of Christ) of which Christ is the head.

To.the Corinthians, Paul wrote, "now ye are the body of Christ, and severally members thereof" 1 Cor. 12:12-27 012:012 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
012:013 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
012:014 For the body is not one member, but many.
012:015 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
012:016 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
012:017 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
012:018 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
012:019 And if they were all one member, where were the body?
012:020 But now are they many members, yet but one body.
012:021 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
012:022 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:
012:023 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.
012:024 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked.
012:025 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.
012:026 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
012:027 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

As head over the body, Christ governs and presides Col. 1: 18 001:018 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

Eph. 1:22-23 001:022 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
001:023 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

The church is the family of God.

Paul, writing to Timothy, referred to the church as
"the house of God," "the church of the living God" 1 Tim. 3:15 003:015 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

To the Ephesians, Paul called them "fellow citizens
with the saints, and of the household of God"
Eph. 2:19 002:019 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

To equate "house," "household"
and "family," Acts 16:15 016:015 And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.

Acts 16:24 016:024 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.

Therefore, the church is God's family.Sons and daughters of God 2 Cor. 6:18 006:018 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Names for the Church

Matt 16:18
my (Christ) church

I Cor 1:2 Church of God

Rom 16:16 Church of Christ

Acts 20:28 Church of The Lord

Col 1:18 Body-Eph 1:22:23

Heb 12:28 Kingdom

I Cor 3:9 God's Building

I Pet 5:3 The Flock

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The word "church"	Matt. 16:13-20	016:013 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? 016:014 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. 016:015 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 016:016 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 016:017 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 016:018 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 016:019 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 016:020 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.
Used by the Lord in referring to His body of Redeemed people	Matt. 16:18	016:018 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
The word "church" is used to designate those who belong to Christ-"called out" of darkness into light	1 Pet. 2:9	002:009 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;
out of the world into Christ	Col. 1: 13	001:013 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
It is used of the church in its entirety-all Christians everywhere	Matt. 16:18	016:018 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
	Eph. 5:25	005:025 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
and of the local congregation of Christians in a particular city	1 Cor. 1: 1-2	001:001 Paul called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, 001:002 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both their's and our's:
The church's relation to Christ is that of a bride to her husband.
In illustrating the relation of the wife to her husband, Paul uses the relation of the church to Christ	Eph. 5:22, 23	005:022 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 005:023 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
The Church is a body of many members (the body of Christ) of which Christ is the head.
To.the Corinthians, Paul wrote, "now ye are the body of Christ, and severally members thereof"	1 Cor. 12:12-27	012:012 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 012:013 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 012:014 For the body is not one member, but many. 012:015 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 012:016 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 012:017 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? 012:018 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. 012:019 And if they were all one member, where were the body? 012:020 But now are they many members, yet but one body. 012:021 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. 012:022 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: 012:023 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. 012:024 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked. 012:025 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. 012:026 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. 012:027 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
As head over the body, Christ governs and presides	Col. 1: 18	001:018 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
	Eph. 1:22-23	001:022 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 001:023 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
The church is the family of God.
Paul, writing to Timothy, referred to the church as "the house of God," "the church of the living God"	1 Tim. 3:15	003:015 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
To the Ephesians, Paul called them "fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God"	Eph. 2:19	002:019 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
To equate "house," "household" and "family,"	Acts 16:15	016:015 And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.
	Acts 16:24	016:024 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
Therefore, the church is God's family.Sons and daughters of God	2 Cor. 6:18	006:018 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

	Matt 16:18		my (Christ) church
	I Cor 1:2		Church of God
	Rom 16:16		Church of Christ
	Acts 20:28		Church of The Lord
	Col 1:18		Body-Eph 1:22:23
	Heb 12:28		Kingdom
	I Cor 3:9		God's Building
	I Pet 5:3		The Flock