Page 6 - September 2023 - Truth & Tidings

he Church is presented under a the Head and the provision of His head-
wide variety of metaphors. There ship. He is “the beginning” (origin) of a
Tare figures relative to God, such as new creation and the source of the body’s
the “house of God” (1Ti 3:15); then there spiritual life (1:18). He provides both sal-
1
are figures relative to Christ, such as the vation and sustenance for the body. Colos-
“epistle of Christ” (2Co 3:3). The clear sians 2:19 reads, “From whom [Christ as
implication is that the Church belongs to Head] the whole body, nourished and knit
these divine persons and exists for their together through its joints and ligaments,
glory, something we would do well to grows with a growth that is from God”
remember every time we gather. (ESV). Thus, flowing down from Christ
In this article, we are particularly con- is a complete supply of spiritual food
cerned with the “body of Christ” in which (nourishment), fellowship (knit together)
every believer is a member (1Co 12:13,27), and fruitfulness (growth). Such supply
and “God’s building” in which every be- may reach us through the “joints and
liever is a living stone (1Co 3:9; Eph 2:22; ligaments” of the ministry of the saints,
1Pe 2:5). Both figures are used of the dis- but the ultimate source of provision and
pensational Church (every believer from growth is the Head of the body, Christ.
Pentecost to the Rapture) and applied to Ephesians emphasises the privilege of
the local church. the body, first, as the perfect complement
Members of the Body of the One who fills all things (1:22-23)
The body of Christ was formed on the and, second, as those who are responsible
Day of Pentecost by the baptism in the to submit to His authority (5:23-24).
Spirit (Act 2:2-4; 1Co 12:13). This was a First Corinthians gives the practical
once-for-all historic event, the blessing of application of the doctrine in the local
which is reckoned to every believer at con- context of Corinth. The assembly was
version. It accomplished two things. First, body-like in character, and each believer
Christians (as a body) were vitally linked an individual member of that body (12:27).
to Christ, the exalted Head in heaven. This This was much needed at Corinth. The
truth is emphasised in Ephesians and unity of the assembly was being un-
Colossians. Second, Christians became dermined because those who exercised
vitally linked to one another (as members “spectacular” gifts, such as tongues, were
of the same body). This is the subject of 1 being exalted, whereas believers with
Corinthians 12 and Romans 12. “lesser” gifts were being undervalued.
Colossians emphasises the Person of With divine wisdom, Paul superbly uses
¹ Bible quotations in this article are from the KJV the illustration of a human body to reflect
unless otherwise noted. the spiritual body and show the value of

262 TRUTH kTidings September 2023