Question? When are we, as the body of Christ, going to start looking at the Church as a family and not a building?
Yes, “The Church” is Christ’s body.
No matter where we worship, our age, gender, race, background, or nationality, together as (One), we are the Church.
The Church (us) as a people shouldn’t ever show any distinctions, divisions, or judgment amongst one another because God certainly doesn’t. But, we do.
And, the reason we shouldn’t, is because of our unity in Christ. It’s our unity in Him that holds us together.
So, if it’s our unity in Him that holds it all together, shouldn’t we as believers be walking around with His mindset? Thinking as He does..(1Corithians 2:16) For, “Who can know the LORD’s thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?” But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.
Being seen as the “Church” we should only show love and nothing less, especially representing as the Bride of Christ, the Building of Christ, the Body of Christ, and the Family of God. Point, Blank, Period!
Don’t get thrown off too far to the left when you hear me mention us being a representation of “The Bride Of Christ.”
The Bride Of Christ?
Well, what does that mean? This is what will take place when He returns…
(Revelation 19:7-9)Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
Please understand this….No, it doesn’t mean that Jesus is married, as in the way of the World, but in those last days, we will be joined together with Him forever! So yes, seen as the Bride Of Christ, we are —
Just see it as God showing His unfailing love for (us) His Church. He is definitely joined to all who follow Him. (1 Corinthians 6:17) But the person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him.
Listen, it’s really no different than two people getting married, and sharing a commitment of love and sacrifice in their relationship when they say “ I DO.”
When people make vows during their wedding, what’s the number one promise they make to each other?
To love no matter what, right, and to be joined together till death do them part, right?
Well God promises this to us also, because this is who He is, and He has nothing other than that to give because He is love! Amen…(1John 4:16) So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. (1 John 4:19) We love because he first loved us. (Matthew 28:20)
All Believers should see God’s promise of love as “THE” ultimate sacrifice!
The biggest sacrifice made to all mankind!
Yep, when He gave His only Begotten Son, so that we can have a relationship with Him. (John 3:16)“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
SO YES!! His love for us isn’t only unconditional, but also transmitted endlessly, and showered gracefully with His tender mercies towards us every day. (Lamentations 3:23) Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.
As His Church, we walk and await in anticipation here on this Earth prepared for His return every day (because no one knows the day or hour of His return Matt, 24:36)
And, with us waiting in anticipation, we do as He has instructed us to do by spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ and sharing every day about His unending love that’s in and on us, with others. (Mark 16:15)And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.
If Jesus’ love could be seen while He was here on Earth, then yours can too. Your love can be seen and felt! Amen.. (John 13:35) Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
Okay, so moving on. You may be wondering, well what is the “Building,” the building of Christ?
To God, we are also seen as the “Building” and Jesus as the Cornerstone.
What is a “cornerstone” you ask?
Well, a cornerstone is often used to describe Jesus in the Bible, it shows Jesus as the foundation and the most important part of building His Church. (Ephesians 2:19-22) So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.
As believers we should follow Jesus as our Cornerstone, so we don’t step off that straight path. Literally speaking, If a cornerstone is not followed, the path of construction will end in demise.
Just like with Christ, if we do not follow Him, our path will end up in destruction and we will definitely go astray.
He’s the foundation of our faith, our life, our walk, and everything that we do should be set in reference to Him only.
Check this out… what Jesus tells Peter (whose name means rock), “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18)
Whoa!! Did y’all catch that? What was just said? He said to Peter, “We are living stones “being built up into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood…”
Stay with me… (this also is a metaphor).
What it means is, that we are each a living, breathing part of the Church that God has brought together to share in His love and everything else He promised (1 Peter 2:5) Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
Think about this for a minute…when we accept Christ as our Savior, the power of the Holy Spirit moves in, within us! It’s now His full-time occupancy!! His dwelling quarters!!
Our bodies become a temple—a dwelling place for God! Come on y’all, that deserves a Hallelujah!! (1 Corinthians 3:16-17)Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
Our bodies are not just our own—they belong to God. Ask yourself, What cornerstone am I building my life around?
– Is it reading His Word, and hearing His voice behind it?
- Is it going to the building (church) to fellowship and be amongst my family?
- Is it praying, hearing, listening, and obeying?
- Is it making friends who hold you accountable and taking Godly advice?
- Is it finding a Christ-minded mentor who can guide me through the questions I may have about my walk?
Take some time out and ponder on those questions for a minute.
Okay, now that you have taken care of that…how about the ‘Body Of Christ….” What do you think about when you hear that?
Do you think of His actual body as a man when He was on Earth?
Well, that’s us, brothers and sisters, we are the “Body of Christ also.”
No, not literally His body, but a body of believers who are connected to Him and alive, living out the great commission spoken of in (Matthew 28:16-20)Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
We are the “Body” and He is the “Head.” Have you ever known anyone to exist without a head?
Whether realized or not, there has always been a (head) in your life, be it, (Father, Mother, Grandparents, Aunt, Uncle, Adoptive Parent) whomever the person, they were your head.
The one that was there for you, leading you, instructing you, showing you the way (whether good or bad) that someone with the final say so.
This is who Jesus is to us, the “Head” of us. And God is that to Him.
We can not function without the Head and neither could Jesus(Colossians 1:18) He is also the head [the life-source and leader] of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will occupy the first place [He will stand supreme and be preeminent] in everything.
Jesus said He and His Father were One, and He does nothing of His own(John 10:30) The Father and I are one.”(John 5:30) I can do nothing on my own. I judge as God tells me. Therefore, my judgment is just, because I carry out the will of the one who sent me, not my own will.
So, if Jesus needed a (Head) when He was here, we do too. Amen!
We, as the Body of Christ, have many functions that play all types of roles, but we as many are still seen to Him as One.
No one in the Body Of Christ is seen as greater than the other because we (all)need Him to operate. Apart from Him, we can do nothing! (John 15:5)
We can not function without Him. Read (1 Corinthians 12:4-31).
To Him we are all seen as one! (Galatians 3:28)There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
Let us stop separating each other by ( church building names, ethnicity, different groups, race, etc) and just be what He created us to be (family) One!
God isn’t concerned with the outer appearances, nope, not at all….what matters most to Him is our love for His Son and our love for one another.
It’s our mercy, kindness, patience, and gentleness (that defines His love) that sets us apart from the rest of the world and holds us together as a strong community. Amen!
We, as the (Bride, Church, Body) and ultimately the family of God, need to show the God kind of love which should be on the inside of us, and serve each other as His Word tells us to do!
Just remember this, the Church is not singular, but plural…
The Church is the family of God, uniting all believers together, and helping one another grow to be more and more like Jesus.
Sorry, It’s not all about you! It’s about the whole. The bride, The body, The building, and The overall family of God. If you can remind yourself of that everything else will fall into line.
Living for Him and being led by Him is solely all about expanding and advancing His Kingdom so that everyone can experience His awesome love! (Hebrews 10:23-25) Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Be Blessed….
Host Of Angels 