On the Church, the Body of Christ

More concerning the Body of Christ, the Church.


(NIV)Colossians 2:2-3
My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, [3] in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.


As I was reading this verse I started thinking about the importance of the Body of Christ. As Paul says, Christ is the mystery of God in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden. So if we are supposed to be the Body of Christ present now upon the earth, there is some of that wisdom and knowledge that is hidden in us, as His Body.


(NIV)Ephesians 3:10-12
His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, [11] according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. [12] In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.


The idea that Jesus was forming a church is first introduce by Jesus in Matt 16:18


(NIV)Matthew 16:18-19
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. [19] I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”


Here Jesus clearly identifies that it is His Church. The Greek word used here is defined below:


Ekklesia  - pronounced  ek-klay-see'-ah 


Definition
1. a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place, an assembly
a. an assembly of the people convened at the public place of the council for the purpose of deliberating
b. the assembly of the Israelites
c. any gathering or throng of men assembled by chance, tumultuously
d. in a Christian sense
1. an assembly of Christians gathered for worship in a religious meeting
2. a company of Christian, or of those who, hoping for eternal salvation through Jesus Christ, observe their own religious rites, hold their own religious meetings, and manage their own affairs, according to regulations prescribed for the body for order's sake
3. those who anywhere, in a city, village, constitute such a company and are united into one body
4. the whole body of Christians scattered throughout the earth
5. the assembly of faithful Christians already dead and received into heaven


The phrase 'Body of Christ' is introduced in Romans 12:5


(NIV)Romans 12:4-5
For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, [5] so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.


And more thoroughly in 1 Cor 12:


(NIV)1 Corinthians 12:12-14, 27
Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. [13] For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body---whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free---and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. [14] Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. [27] Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.


There is a complete parallel expression between Romans 12:5 and 1 For 12:27. In the Greek they read almost identically, except in Corinthians Paul clearly spells out that its in reality Christ's body, that we each individually belong to. The Greek word used there is defined below:


Soma - pronounced so'-mah 


Definition
1. the body both of men or animals
a. a dead body or corpse
b. the living body
1. of animals
2. the bodies of planets and of stars (heavenly bodies)
3. is used of a (large or small) number of men closely united into one society, or family as it were; a social, ethical, mystical body
a. so in the NT of the church
4. that which casts a shadow as distinguished from the shadow itself


Finally in Colossians, Paul equates the two:


(NIV)Colossians 1:24
Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.


So the term Body of Christ, really means His Body, just like my body, but it is made up of many parts (us), and as such we represent Him to the world. We can't be a Christian outside the church, anymore than I can have part of my body separated from the rest of my body, yet still living. In the natural, this piece could exist for a short period of time, but in time the part that is separated would die.


Lord, help us to more fully understand our part in the Body of Christ, the Church.