THE MYSTERY OF THE BODY OF CHRIST

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THE MYSTERY OF THE BODY OF CHRIST Part 1 Good day to everyone. We hope that by God's help, we could again continue serving via the internet and all the means possible in making people become aware that we are now in a time when deception is so rampant. Our Lord Jesus Christ prophesied 2,000 years ago that deception is in it's height in our times. Let us read Matthew 24:24: Mat 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. You can see that there are so many tactics and modus operandi that has been employed by preachers of our time to deceive even the very elect of God. An example is their showing of great signs and wonders. So, many fruits of their deceptive hearts are obviously seen in them in order to convert people and deceive them and to mislead them and to make them objects of merchandise. Religion now in our times is known to almost every man as a tool that is being used by pastors, ministers, evangelists to claim as prophets in order to enrich themselves. That is why we are now doing our very best with God's help to open the minds of our listeners, our watchers in television as to what is really the truth that we have to know regarding salvation. As we have studied last time, there is a mystery in salvation and that is the mystery between Christ and the church. Of course, Christ is no doubt a savior. When we speak of his being a savior, who will he save? It is clear in the book of Eph. 5:23 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. That is clear. As Christ is the head of the church, he is the savior of the body. Which is that body which he will save? It is in Col. 1:18 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. It is clear. The church is the body. He is the head of that body and he is the savior of that body. So, if you are to rely on Jesus Christ as a savior, therefore you have to be a part of his body. And there are those people, the first century Christians, who were successfully made part of the body of our Lord Jesus Christ. In the book of 1 Cor 12:27 it says: 1Co 12:27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. This is referring to Christians at Corinth. According to Paul, directing this pronouncement to Christians at Corinth, "Ye are the body of Christ now and members in particular ". So, they were absorbed, if we may use the word absorbed, as part of the body of Christ and they were members in particular, according to that pronouncement. So, really, if we want to be under the salvation being offered by Christ the savior, we have to be members of his body. And that is the mystery being explained by Paul in Eph 5:30-32 Eph 5:30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. Eph 5:31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. Eph 5:32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. That is very, very clear. We are his body, members of his body, according to Paul while speaking to Christians. Remember, we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. " For this cause…" What is that cause? The cause of being members of the body, of the flesh, and of the bones of Christ. "For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church ." So, that is what the mystery means: Christ and the church as one entity. Christ being the head and the church being the body. Now, what does that mean when it comes to understanding salvation and the saviorship of our Lord Jesus Christ? I must emphasize this for a while and let us spend a little time for this. You see, Christ is not the only a savior. There is another savior other than Christ. Definitely. And this is a thing that is being neglected or intentionally being hidden or concealed by these Born Again and Baptist movements when they say that Christ is the only savior. It is not true. That is a very big lie, bigger than their organization and their chapels. Why? Because they have disregarded the scriptures that tell us that the Father is also a savior. And that is not a thing to marvel at because while Jesus Christ is a savior, he is a savior because he is ordained by God. He was made a savior by God. Let us prove that. In the book of Acts 2:36 it says: Act 2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. It was God who made Jesus both Lord and Christ. Therefore, it was God who made him a savior. Jesus being a savior is inherent from God. He did not act by his own capacity to be a savior. Let us prove that in the book of Heb 5:4-5: Heb 5:4 And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. Heb 5:5 So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. Christ did not glorify himself to be made high priest. He did not assume any office or any responsibility or any power by himself. It was given to him by the one who said to him, " Thou art my son". Surely, the one who is speaking is the Father, "Thou art my son, today I have begotten thee". So, the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, any authority that is in him, is from the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ admits that as well. Let us read in the book of Luke 4:16-18: Luk 4:16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. Luk 4:17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, Luk 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, "The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he had anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor." So, whatever office our Lord Jesus Christ is holding or whatever responsibility he has, it came from the Father. He did not elect himself. He was elected by the Father to perform such functions regarding salvation. Now, if Jesus Christ is a savior, that being a savior is inherent from the Father. Why? Because the Father himself is a savior. To be continued ...