Chapter 19
THE CHURCH
Before we begin our study of the church, let us pray.
Dear Heavenly Father,
I come before you, Father, through Your only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. I come to You in His righteousness, not mine. Lord, please take away the veil from my eyes and allow me to see and understand the things of Your Kingdom. Lord, please reveal to me the nature of Your church and what it really is.
Amen
INTRODUCTION
Let us begin this study by reading what Jesus said to Peter when Peter came to the realization that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. To do this we will read about the time when Jesus asked His disciples what the people were saying about Him. This conversation is recorded in,
Matthew 16:13-18
"[13] When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" [14] They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets." [15] "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" [16] Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." [17] Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. [18] And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it."
Let us notice the following verses,
13-14 … Jesus opened His interchange by first asking His disciples what people say about Him. They responded by providing Jesus with the various opinions of the people. In like manner, when we read or hear about Jesus Christ, we too observe and hear what other people think and believe about Him. However, there does come a time when we, as individuals, must also address the question of, “Who do I say that He is?” For the disciples, their moment of truth was identified in verse 15.
16-17 … Peter responded by identifying Jesus’ true identity. Specifically, Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Upon hearing Peter’s confession of faith, Jesus told him that he is blessed. The reason that Peter is blessed is because only the Father reveals this truth and Jesus recognized that the Father had extended His Grace and Mercy to Peter. Thus, if you truly believe that Jesus is the one and only begotten Son of the living God, then you, as Peter, are blessed.
18 … Jesus now explained to Peter that it is upon this rock, that is this revelation or faith in who Jesus is, that He will build His church.
FORWARD
With this introduction and background, let us now begin our study of the church.
In our previous studies we saw that our Lord God used the animal sacrifices of the Old Testament to point towards and teach us about the spiritual realities that surrounded and followed the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. In like manner, He has given us the physical Old Testament Temple, which is also known as the Tabernacle, to point to and help us understand the spiritual realities of His church.
Thus, in this study of the church, we will,
1. See that the physical Temple of the Old Testament was a foreshadowing of the spiritual Temple of God. This spiritual temple, composed of all the born again believers in Jesus Christ, is also known as the body of Christ or the church.
2. Find that the priesthood of Aaron and his descendants were established by God, as a foreshadowing, to help us understand the position of Jesus Christ as our true High Priest and the priesthood of all the born again believers.
3. See that as the members of the house of Levi, who were not of Aaron’s lineage, were called to minister to and within the Temple; we also, the born again believers, are called to minister to and within the body of Christ.
THE OLD TESTAMENT PHYSICAL TEMPLE WAS A FORESHADOWING OF THE CHURCH
To see this we will,
1. Review some historical background relative to the various Temples of the Old Testament.
2. Find that the Old Testament Temple was designed by God.
3. See that God's presence resided in the Old Testament Temple.
4. Discover that the new temple, that is the Temple of the New Testament, is the body of Christ, which is the church.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Since the Old Testament talks about three temples or tabernacles, the following historical background material is offered to help clarify the chronology or timeline and setting of these temples.
The first temple was built under the direction of Moses. It was constructed during Israel’s exodus from Egypt to the promised land of Canaan. This temple was often identified as the Tent of Meeting. It was referred to in this manner because it was the place where God would meet and give direction to the representatives of Israel, which were Moses and the priests (Exodus 25:23). This temple was in actuality a tent composed of wood boards, cloth and animal skins (Exodus 26:1-36). It was used throughout Israel’s exodus in the wilderness of Sinai. Each time the nation was to move from one place to another, the tent was dismantled, carried and reassembled by the Levites (Numbers 4:1-33). This temple was also used by the Israelites during the early years of their stay in the promised land of Canaan. Specifically, it was used throughout the reigns of King Saul and King David.
Under the direction of King Solomon, a son of King David, the second temple was built in Jerusalem in approximately 954BC1. This temple was fashioned after the pattern of the temple built by Moses. However, it was a permanent structure composed of huge quarried stones. This temple was used by the Israelites until the time of the Babylonian invasion, which was for approximately 368 years. In approximately 586BC2, under the authority of King Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian army overran Jerusalem and took the citizens captive. During this military campaign they also destroyed the temple built by King Solomon.
After the return of the Jewish people to Jerusalem from their captivity in Babylon, a third temple was constructed. This temple was built under the leadership of Joshua and Zerubbabel. It too was a permanent structure and was completed in approximately 512BC3. However, even though it was fashioned after the pattern of King Solomon’s temple, it was smaller in stature.
Even though it is not part of the Biblical record, it is noted that in approximately 20-19BC4, King Herod rebuilt the temple. King Herod's rationale for this undertaking was that he felt that the temple of Joshua and Zerubbabel did not measure up to the glory of the one built by King Solomon5. It is noted that it was this temple, the temple built by King Herod, that was standing during the days of our Lord and Savior’s sojourn upon this earth.
As Jesus foretold, in approximately 70AD6 the temple built by King Herod was utterly destroyed. This occurred under the command of the Roman General Titus during the overthrow of Jerusalem. It is noted that even to this day this temple lies in ruin. The reason for this will become evident in the remaining pages of this chapter.
THE OLD TESTAMENT TEMPLE WAS DESIGNED BY GOD
At the time when God gave Moses the Ten Commandments and the rules and regulations for the sacrificial system, He also instructed Moses to build a tabernacle and its associated furnishings, that is altars, lampstand, etc. To see that this Temple was a foreshadowing and type of the Heavenly Temple, we go to the wilderness of Sinai and read what God said to Moses about the construction of this tabernacle and its furnishings. The Scripture of interest for this study is,
Exodus 25:40
"[40] See that you make them according to the pattern shown you on the mountain."
In other words, the design and construction of the tabernacle and its furnishings was a design given to Moses by God. In a similar fashion, God gave King David the design and plans for the Temple that was to be built by his son Solomon (1 Chronicles 28:11-12).
THE OLD TESTAMENT TEMPLE WAS THE HOUSE OF GOD
To see this we begin by noting that,
God's Presence Resided In The Temple
As we read about the construction of the first tabernacle or Tent of Meeting constructed by Moses in the wilderness, we find that when it was completed God filled it with His Glory,
Exodus 40:33-35
"[33] Then Moses set up the courtyard around the tabernacle and altar and put up the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard. And so Moses finished the work. [34] Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. [35] Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled upon it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle."
The Old Testament Temple Was A Holy Place
We also find that God’s Presence filled the Temple that was built under the direction of King Solomon and consequently considered to be a Holy Place. To see this, let us read what happened after the Temple was completed and all its furnishings were put in their proper place. It is recorded in,
1 Kings 8:10-11
"[10] When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the LORD. [11] And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled his temple."
It is noted that, all this was a foreshadowing pointing to the time when God would inhabit another temple,
THE NEW TEMPLE … THE BODY OF CHRIST
To see this, we begin by reading how Jesus prepared His disciples for this glorious blessing. He did this by telling them that His own body was to be destroyed and resurrected. To make the point He said this by the Temple constructed by Herod. This occurred after He cleansed it from the corruption of those who were making a profit from its services. This incident is recorded in,
John 2:13-22
"[13] When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. [14] In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. [15] So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. [16] To those who sold doves he said, "Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father's house into a market!" [17] His disciples remembered that it is written: "Zeal for your house will consume me." [18] Then the Jews demanded of him, "What miraculous sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?" [19] Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days." [20] The Jews replied, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?" [21] But the temple he had spoken of was his body. [22] After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken."
Now some may be thinking that this is fine for Jesus to say that His body is a temple; but, “How does this apply to me?” As we read the New Testament we come to the realization that
The Born Again Believers in Jesus Christ are Now the Temple of God
To refresh our memories of this truth, let us read from,
1 Corinthians 3:16
"[16] Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?"
To emphasize the significance of this, let us also read the following excerpt from,
1 Corinthians 3:17
"[17] … God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple."
In addition to each one of us being a temple of God the Holy Spirit, the Bible also teaches us that we are also collectively being built into a Holy Temple of God. To see this, consider,
Ephesians 2:19-22
"[19] … you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, [20] built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. [21] In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. [22] And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit."
In addition to being a temple of God the Holy Spirit, we also find that,
Every Born Again Believer Is A Member Of The Body Of Christ
This truth is clearly stated in,
1 Corinthians 12:27
"[27] Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it."
The body of Christ, which is composed of the born again believers, is the church that Jesus came to build. To see this, let us read from,
Colossians 1:18
"[18] And he is the head of the body, the church; ..."
SUMMARY
In summary, we find that the church, which is the body of Christ, is not a physical building. No, the church is a spiritual temple composed of the born again believers in Jesus Christ.
THE PEOPLE ASSOCIATED WITH THE TEMPLE AND ITS SERVICES
To help us understand the various major functions or elements of the spiritual body of Christ, we will now examine the Old Testament relative to the people that were associated with the Temple and its services.
As we read the Old Testament we find that there were basically two groups of people associated with the Temple,
1. Aaron and his descendants. These people were the priests. They were the ones who offered the sacrifice and incense unto God.
2. The remaining people from the tribe of Levi. These were chosen to help the priests by ministering to the people and taking care of the Temple.
AARON AND HIS DESCENDANTS
The Bible teaches us that God chose Aaron and his male descendants to be His priests. In the Old Testament we find that these priests were the only people who were appointed and allowed to offer the sacrifices or enter the Temple. This office was so sacred that if anyone other than the priest would enter into the Temple or sanctuary, they were to be put to death. To see this let us read from,
Numbers 3:10
"[10] Appoint Aaron and his sons to serve as priests; anyone else who approaches the sanctuary must be put to death.""
The Call of Aaron
Under the direction of God, once a year, the High Priest, Aaron (or after Aaron one of his offspring), was to enter the Holiest of Holies (sometimes called the Most Holy Place) of the Temple. The High Priest did this to intercede for the entire nation by making atonement for the priests, the people and the Temple itself. To see this, let begin by reading from,
Leviticus 16:2-5
"[2] The LORD said to Moses: "Tell your brother Aaron not to come whenever he chooses into the Most Holy Place behind the curtain in front of the atonement cover on the ark, or else he will die, because I appear in the cloud over the atonement cover. [3] "This is how Aaron is to enter the sanctuary area: with a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. [4] He is to put on the sacred linen tunic, with linen undergarments next to his body; he is to tie the linen sash around him and put on the linen turban. These are sacred garments; so he must bathe himself with water before he puts them on. [5] From the Israelite community he is to take two male goats for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering."
From here on, that is verses 6-28, the Bible describes the various sacrifices that Aaron, the High Priest, was to make. Instead of reading them now, let us skip to:
Leviticus 16:29-34
""[29] This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: On the tenth day of the seventh month you must deny yourselves and not do any work--whether native-born or an alien living among you-- [30] because on this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you. Then, before the LORD, you will be clean from all your sins. [31] It is a sabbath of rest, and you must deny yourselves; it is a lasting ordinance. [32] The priest who is anointed and ordained to succeed his father as high priest is to make atonement. He is to put on the sacred linen garments [33] and make atonement for the Most Holy Place, for the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and for the priests and all the people of the community. [34] "This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: Atonement is to be made once a year for all the sins of the Israelites." And it was done, as the LORD commanded Moses."
God's call upon Aaron to be the High Priest of the Old Testament Temple was a foreshadowing to teach us about the priestly function of,
Jesus Christ, Our High Priest
As we read the New Testament we find that, our High Priest does not enter an earthly temple once a year to offer sacrifices for us. Instead, because of His death and resurrection, He always resides in the true Temple, that is the Tabernacle that is in Heaven. He is there to appear before God for us. This truth is beautifully described in,
Hebrews 9:24-28
"[24] For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's presence. [25] Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. [26] Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. [27] Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, [28] so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him."
Let us now expand upon these Scriptures a bit by reading the following:
Hebrews 8:1-6
"[1] The point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, [2] and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man. [3] Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer. [4] If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already men who offer the gifts prescribed by the law. [5] They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: "See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain." [6] But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises."
Let us notice the following verses,
1 … Jesus, our High Priest, is now sitting at the Throne of Majesty in Heaven. As we read in Hebrews 9:24 above, He is there appearing in God the Father’s Presence for us.
2 … This Tabernacle is the true tabernacle set up by God. It is not one that was constructed by man.
5 … The priests of the Old Testament served a copy, a foreshadowing, of what is in Heaven. In other words, Moses was given an earthly pattern for the Tabernacle of Majesty in Heaven. This is why Moses was so careful to insure that the tabernacle built here on earth followed the pattern God gave Him.
6 … In Jesus Christ, the born again believer has a better covenant. We have much better promises from God than what was given in the Old Testament.
The New Covenant
This raises the questions of, “What is this better covenant? What are these better promises?” To find out let us continue our reading from the book of Hebrews.
Hebrews 8:7-13
"[8] For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. [8] But God found fault with the people and said : "The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. [9] It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord. [10] This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. [11] No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. [12] For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." [13] By calling this covenant "new," he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear."
Let us notice the following verses,
8-10 … Because of the weakness of our flesh, which is our inability to comply with God's commands and laws, the new covenant is not one that is external. Namely, it is not one that is inscribed on stone or written on paper and parchment. The new covenant is written in our hearts and placed within our minds. In other words, God's laws and commands are now an integral part of our nature. This is what happens to us when we are born again, that is through the Holy Spirit living inside us, God’s laws and commands are written in our hearts and minds. When this occurs then God is our God and we are His people.
11 … All of God’s people who are born again will know Him. Why? Because God the Holy Spirit will live and dwell inside them.
12-13 … When this happens, that is when we are born again, God says He will forgive our wickedness and no longer remember our sins. Since this is the case, there is no longer any need of a sacrifice for sin. To see this, let us read from,
Hebrews 10:18
"[18] And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin."
Consequently, the atonement Jesus made on our behalf made the old covenant obsolete. In other words, there is no longer a need for someone to offer sacrifices on our behalf. Jesus Christ did it for us once and for all. So now, in Jesus Christ, each member of His church, which is the body of Christ, can confidently approach the true Throne of God in Heaven and receive His Mercy and Grace in our times of need. To see this prayerfully read the following,
Hebrews 4:14-16
"[14] Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. [15] For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin. [16] Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."
Seeing that Jesus Christ is our High Priest, who once for all made atonement for our sins, the questions come to mind as to; “What was the foreshadowing of the other priests, that is Aaron's sons?” And, “What were their roles pointing to?” The answer to these questions is that the priesthood of Aaron's sons was a foreshadowing to teach us that,
All Born Again Believers Belong to the Royal Priesthood
To verify this let us read how the Holy Spirit, through the Apostle Peter, describes us, the members of the church. The Scripture of interest is,
1 Peter 2:9
"[9] But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light."
As we read the Old Testament we find that one of the priestly duties was to daily offer the whole burnt offerings. This requirement is recorded in,
Exodus 29:38-42
""[38] This is what you are to offer on the altar regularly each day: two lambs a year old. [39] Offer one in the morning and the other at twilight. [40] With the first lamb offer a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with a quarter of a hin of oil from pressed olives, and a quarter of a hin of wine as a drink offering. [41] Sacrifice the other lamb at twilight with the same grain offering and its drink offering as in the morning--a pleasing aroma, an offering made to the LORD by fire. [42] "For the generations to come this burnt offering is to be made regularly at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting before the LORD. There I will meet you and speak to you;"
In reflecting upon the above, two points come to mind: (1) as we saw earlier in earlier studies, the whole burnt offering was to symbolize Israel's total dedication to God. And (2) this offering was a sweet aroma to God. In other words it was pleasing to Him.
This daily offering of the priests was a foreshadowing to illustrate to us that we, members of the church, are to daily offer our bodies as a living sacrifice holy and pleasing to Him. To see this, let us read from,
Romans 12:1
"[1] Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship."
In other words, each day and evening we are to totally rededicate ourselves to God as instruments of righteousness. Let us consider the following exhortation in,
Romans 6:13
"[13] Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness."
Summary
Thus we see that as the Levitical priests, who were descendents of Aaron, offered the whole burnt offering unto God, we, the royal priesthood, are to offer ourselves to God as instruments of righteousness. In like fashion, as the Levitical priests were representatives of God to the people of Israel, we, the royal priesthood are representatives of God to declare His praises to the world around us.
RECAP
Before we move on in our study, let us quickly summarize what we have covered thus far:
1. The Old Testament Tabernacle or Temple was a foreshadowing of the body of Christ, which is the church.
2. The Old Testament High Priest was a foreshadowing of Jesus Christ our High Priest, and the atonement He would make for His church.
3. Because of Jesus Christ, we have been forgiven. Thus, in time of need or thanksgiving each true member of His church can, through Jesus Christ, confidently enter into the heavenly Throne Room to present to God our petitions and praises.
4. Each and every born again believer is a member of the royal priesthood who are to offer themselves as a living sacrifice holy and pleasing to God. In addition, as His representatives, we are to declare His praises to those around us.
This now brings us to,
THE LEVITES
These people were also from the tribe of Levi, but not descendants of Aaron. In reading the Old Testament we find that the remaining Levites were chosen by God to help Aaron and his descendants. In particular they were charged with the care and maintenance of the Temple and the people of Israel. To see this, let us read what God said to Moses relative to the tribe of Levi,
Numbers 3:6-9
""[6] Bring the tribe of Levi and present them to Aaron the priest to assist him. [7] They are to perform duties for him and for the whole community at the Tent of Meeting by doing the work of the tabernacle. [8] They are to take care of all the furnishings of the Tent of Meeting, fulfilling the obligations of the Israelites by doing the work of the tabernacle. [9] Give the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they are the Israelites who are to be given wholly to him."
God’s call upon the Levites was a foreshadowing of His call on each and every born again believer. Specifically,
The Born Again Believer Is Called To Serve Our High Priest, Jesus Christ
As the Levites were to serve Aaron, the High Priest, by taking care of the Old Testament Tabernacle, we, the born again believers, are to serve our High Priest, Jesus Christ, by caring for or ministering to the new tabernacle, that is His church. Even though we will go into more depth with respect to the operation of the church in later studies, let us read the following instructions that reveal we are all called to serve the body of Christ,
1 Corinthians 12:4-11
"[4] There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. [5] There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. [6] There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. [7] Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. [8] To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, [9] to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, [10] to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. [11] All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines."
Let us notice the following verses,
4-6 … Within the body of Christ there are different ministries, activities and gifts. However, all are from God.
7 … Each born again believer has been given a gift from the Holy Spirit. Notice that the purpose of these gifts is for the common good. In other words, they are given for us to minister to one another within the body of Christ.
ONE MORE OBSERVATION
It is noted that in the Old Testament to be a priest or to minister in the Temple you had to be born into the proper family or tribe. Specifically, the descendants of Aaron were born to be priests and the descendants of Levi were born to minister within the Temple. This too is a foreshadowing. It is another view of the blessing of the born again believer’s new birth. Specifically, to effectively serve or help our High Priest, Jesus Christ, and His body you must to be born into it. Namely, you must be born again of the Holy Spirit. However, in the case of the new covenant there are no second class citizens. Even though we all have different gifts and functions, we are all one in Him, Jesus Christ.
Galatians 3:26-28
"[26] You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, [27] for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. [28] There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
SUMMARY
As we reflect upon on all we have covered in this study, we come to realize that the church is not a building made of wood, brick and mortar. No! It is a spiritual building composed of you and I, the born again believers. It is a holy habitation of God the Holy Spirit. The church that our Lord Jesus Christ came to build is the fulfillment of what the Old Testament Temple and the people who served it were pointing to. The church is that group of people He bought and paid for with His own body and blood. It is that body of people who have been set apart and made holy through the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ. Namely, the church, composed of all the born again believers of all time is the body of Christ. To see this, prayerfully consider,
1 Peter 2:4-5
"[4] As you come to him, the living Stone--rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him-- [5] you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."
With this in mind, let us now close with the following exhortation,
Colossians 3:5-17
"[1] Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. [6] Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. [7] You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. [8] But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. [9] Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices [10] and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. [11] Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. [12] Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. [13] Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. [14] And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. [15] Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. [16] Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. [17] And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."
Blessed be the Lord forever!
AMEN and AMEN