THE SPIRITUAL CHURCH – DISCIPLES & BELIEVERS
The Body of CHRIST – The Spiritual Church
The Church is the >> Body of CHRIST <<, the House of GOD and the Pillar and Ground of Truth. The purpose of the Church, as the Body of CHRIST, is to teach Divinity, the Spiritual and Divine Doctrines of GOD. The Church follows the Commission laid upon it by JESUS CHRIST when HE Commanded the Disciples and Apostles to go Teach the Gospel and to Baptize. HE also told them to make Disciples by “Teaching them all things HE had taught them”.
Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mat 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
The Spiritual Church is to:
- Teach Biblical Doctrine
- Provide a place of Fellowship for Believers
- Observing the Church Rites such as Baptism and Holy Communion/the Lord’s Supper
- Teach & Participate in Collective Prayer & Worship
- Proclaiming the Gospel of Kingdom of GOD/Heaven
- A Place of Worship
- Promote and Encourage Spiritual Maturation to the Fullness of JESUS CHRIST
The Body of CHRIST acts in Relationship to CHRIST as a Person and the Members of the Body viz, the eyes, ears, hands, feet, arms, and legs, etc. and its functions. JESUS CHRIST is the Head of the Church and the Body of CHRIST is its Members.
Eph_1:22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
Eph_4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Eph_5:23 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.
Rom_12:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
1Co_12:12 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.
1Co_12:27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
1Co_11:3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
The Purpose of the Body of JESUS CHRIST
The Purpose of the Body of CHRIST, the Church, is to Fulfill the Grand Design of GOD which is a Facet of >> GOD’S Divine Plan for Mankind. << GOD’S Divine Plan may be viewed in the beginning of the Creation Story in Genesis in the Old Testament (Genesis 1:26-27).
Gen 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
Gen 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
It narrates that GOD created Man in HIS Image to be HIS Vicegerent on Earth. The >> Grand Design << is the continuation of the >> Divine Plan << in spite of Adam’s inadequacy to carry out the Commandments of GOD and regardless of his >> Disobedience. <<
When Adam sinned he created a separation between Mankind and GOD. Through the >> Covenants of Atonement, Redemption, Grace, & Salvation << in JESUS CHRIST, Mankind was Reconciled to GOD as a new Creature. GOD was in JESUS CHRIST, reconciling the World to HIMSELF forgiving Trespass and Sin. The Body of CHRIST, the Spiritual Church Aggregate, are Ambassadors of GOD Teaching the World about the Gospel of the Kingdom of GOD/Heaven and Reconcilement to GOD through JESUS CHRIST.
2Co 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
2Co 5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
1Ti_3:15 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.
Col 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
Col 1:18 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.
Col 1:19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell
The HOLY GHOST/SPIRIT as well as other Promises are “Vehicles” whereby the Believer becomes a >> Partaker of the Divine Nature of GOD. << To be a Partaker of the Divine Nature is to Participate in Divine things as a Sharer. The Believer does not obtain Divinity or Deity but he Shares the Divine Nature of the FATHER & SON which are Communicated to him through the Indwelling HOLY GHOST/SPIRIT and through the Knowledge of GOD and JESUS CHRIST.
CHRIST is the Way that Reconciliation was made between Mankind and GOD and how the >> Relationship << and Participation in the Divine Nature was established.
2Pe 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
2Pe 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
2Pe_1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
See the article >> “The Body of CHRIST” <<
THE CONGREGATION
Church is another term for Congregation or Assembly of the Congregation which was used, initially, for the Collective Jews in Israel who were the Chosen Nation of GOD in the Old Testament. The term is used currently to define the Spiritual Collective of GOD’S Chosen People in the New Testament and in our World/Time.
Exo 12:3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:
Exo 12:6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.
Act 7:38 This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:
A PEOPLE CALLED OUT
In the Old and New Testament the term Church (Congregation) is defined as ”a people called out” and “belonging to the LORD”. Initially this was designated to the Israelite (Jews). They were enslaved in Egypt and was Delivered from Slavery by GOD. GOD called HIS people out of Egypt,out of the Bondage of Slavery and separated them from the rest of the World and Joined them to HIMSELF to create a people to Worship HIM, to Obey HIM/Love HIM and to Teach the World about HIM and HIS Divine Law.
Deu_6:3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.
Deu_6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
Deu_6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
The Israelite people were also called Jews and Hebrews. They are from the Lineage of Abraham, Issac, Jacob/Israel and the Twelve (12) Tribes (sons) of Israel, the Patriarchs of the nation according to the Covenant (Contract) that GOD made with Abraham, Issac and Jacob/Israel.
ARK OF THE COVENANT
As a people of GOD Israel was given the responsibility to Teach others in the World the Way of Truth and about the One True GOD and to Teach HIS Ways of Holiness (Good) to people of all nations. If people heard about the Wonderful, Loving and Provisional GOD and wanted to Convert to Judaismthey were called a Proselyte. This was during the >> MOSAIC DISPENSATION (A) << | >> MOSAIC DISPENSATION (B) << when the Jews were under the “Law of Moses”. Moses, >>THE PROPHET << of the Mosaic Dispensation received the Law from GOD to Teach to the Jews as a form of Government with Civil and Social Laws, Dietary Laws, Jewish Customs, Temple Rituals and Worship Regulations. This is not the same as the Eternal Ten Commandments. The Ten (10) Commandments was the Covenant, the Contract made between the people of Israel and GOD. It was “written by GOD” twice. Once when HE originally gave it to Moses and the second time after Moses broke the first set.The 10 Commandments were written on two tables of stone and placed in a special box called an Ark and since it contained the Covenant it was referred to as the “Ark of the Covenant”. GOD Commanded Moses to build it according to Specifications with its Embellishments. The top or lid of the Ark was called the Mercy Seat which had two Cherabim facing each other.
Exo_24:12 And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.
The Law of Moses, which is referred to as “The Law” throughout the Bible contained within it the Eternal Ten (10) Commandments in addition to 603 more making a total of 613 Commandments, Statutes, Civil and Social Laws, Dietary Laws, Regulations, Customs, Rules and Ordinances. You may view information about the Covenants of the Bible which include the Eternal Promises which GOD makes to All of HIS People at the Blog – >> GOD & CHRIST IN THE COVENANTS C 3 << and >> GOD’S DIVINE WILL C 12 << The latter is a Series which Discusses the >> Divine Will of GOD << revealed through the Covenants beginning with Adam & Eve in the Creation Narrative in the Book of Genesis, the Current Time (>> the New Testament /Gospel Dispensation<<), the Future Refreshing, Regeneration, Restoration & Restitution and the Believer’s Resurrection and Evolutionary Ascension when Believer’s will Evolve to their next Spiritual Level of Consciousness and their Spiritual Glorified Bodies according to GOD’S Divine Plan which will be discussed further in the Blog, >> THE BOOK OF REVELATION. << Also see the links to: >> CREATION << | >> GOD’S DIVINE PLAN << | >> THE GRAND DESIGN << | >> THE RESURRECTION <<
Information about the Eternal Ten Commandments will be discussed in the Blog, >> THE DIVINE COSMIC LAW OF GOD C 6 <<
1Co_2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
You may also view >> Clarke’s Book of Bible Promises << available for download from our
>> Library <<
THE CURSE OF THE FIG TREE
The Jewish people were under Covenant with GOD after HE delivered them from the Bondage of Slavery in Egypt. However, they turned away from GOD in Sin. The Jewish people were given a Determinable time to Repent (to turn away from Sin) of their Rejection of GOD, his Covenant and HIS Commandments) but they did not turn away from their Sin and Iniquities. GOD sent them Prophets to Admonish them and Warn them of their Punishment in accordance to the Book of Curses from the Law of Moses which was also a Covenant/Contract. The people were taught about the Provisions GOD would give to them if they Obeyed HIM or the Punishment they would receive if they did not turn away from the >> DARKNESS OF SIN << and turn to HIM, the FATHER OF LIGHTS, but they continued to Reject HIS Messages and killed HIS Prophets who delivered the messages from GOD. In Time the Judaic Religion (the Temple, the Priests, Scribes, Sadducees and Pharisees) had become >> Corrupted and in a state of decay. <<
So in the Acceptable, Determinable Time GOD (Yahweh/JEHOVAH/the FATHER), initiated another Phase of >> GOD’S DIVINE PLAN << and >> GOD’S GRAND DESIGN. << and according to HIS Timetable it was time for a Spiritual Reformation: a New Dispensation of Truth (the Gospel) to be given to Mankind to raise the Level of Spiritual Consciousness and a New People of GOD – >> the BELIEVERS of the CHURCH <<
The following Scriptures are Prophecies written by Isaiah, a >> PROPHET of ISRAEL, << under the Inspiration of the >> HOLY SPIRIT/GHOST. << Isaiah, like many >> PROPHETS OF ISRAEL << spoke of the coming of the Greatest Prophet of all – the Messiah. A Man who would be more than a Prophet or a Servant. He was, the Son of Man and the Son of GOD, JESUS the CHRIST.
Isa 49:6 And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.
The above Scriptures are speaking of JESUS CHRIST (“his Holy One”) who would come to Earth, to Israel and to the entire World to bring the Light of the Gospel Message the >> EVERLASTING GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD/HEAVEN. << JESUS CHRIST came to the “Lost of the Tribe of Israel” as a function of HIS Ministry but it is obvious by the many Gentiles HE interacted with, used in HIS Parables, and Ministered to through Healing etc. that the Jews were not HIS only Concern or HIS only people. HE referred to the “other people/sheep” who were also HIS People and HIS Church in the Scripture John 10:16.
Joh_10:16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
When Sin entered the World it separated Mankind from the Kingdom of GOD/Heaven. JESUS CHRIST (the WORD) was made Human through the Birth of a Human Woman/Mother (made of a Woman) to become the Son of Man and the Son of GOD to Bridge the Gap/Chasm and to serve HIS FATHER by being Obedient to HIS Commandments and to “Finish HIS Work” as a Facet of the Grand Design which made >> A Way << for Mankind to be Reconciled to GOD after Adam, through Sin, caused the Alienation, Separation, Breach/Chasm between the Kingdom of GOD/Heaven and the World of Mankind.
Joh_1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Joh 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
Joh 1:5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
TEMPLE OF PRAYERS 